Part 2

Healthy Liver Function and Detoxification 

In Part 1 of this series on liver and hormone connections, we answered the question: can liver problems cause hormone imbalance? The answer is yes. Additionally, hormone imbalances can affect liver health and liver hormones.

Today, I will focus on xenoestrogens and their impact on your liver and hormones, as well as practical ways to support liver detoxification to improve hormone balance. Keep reading to understand: 

• What are xenoestrogens and their effect on liver function
• How to detoxify liver cells with diet, lifestyle, and supplements

Let’s jump in!

Effects of Selected Xenoestrogens on Liver Function - What Are Xenoestrogens?

Xenoestrogens are an endocrine disrupting toxic chemical in the environment that mimics estrogen in the body. They disrupt hormone balance, increase cancer risk, and place a burden on the liver detoxification pathways. 

Xenoestrogens are implicated in cancer of the reproductive system, breast, lung, kidney, pancreas, and brain. They play a role in estrogen dominance and associated symptoms, including PMS, heavy bleeding, uterine fibroids, and more. 

Xenoestrogens are implicated in cancer of the reproductive system, breast, lung, kidney, pancreas, and brain. They play a role in estrogen dominance and associated symptoms, including PMS, heavy bleeding, uterine fibroids, and more. 

Xenoestrogens include:

• PCBs – Polychlorinated bisphenols are toxic chemicals considered persistent organic pollutants. They persist in the environment, cycling in the air, water, and soil. They are also concentrated in fish and animals. 

• Parabens – Manmade chemicals used in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals. They are easily absorbed into the body via the skin.

• Phthalates – Plasticizer chemicals used in cosmetics, personal care products, food packaging, and more. 

• BPA – Found in food packaging, water bottles, and other plastic products. 

• Pesticides – We are exposed to pesticides via food, water, and occupational exposures. 

With tens of thousands of manmade chemicals in the environment, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how environmental exposures influence our health and hormones. 

‍A note on phytoestrogens: phytoestrogens are plant estrogens found in plant foods such as soy, flax, and red clover. Although they are technically considered xenoestrogens because they originate outside of the body, they are not manmade, nor have the profound hormone-disrupting effects like other xenoestrogens. In many cases, phytoestrogens are beneficial for hormonal health. 

Detoxify Liver to Correct Hormonal Imbalances

The liver serves many functions, and a primary one is detoxification. The liver not only detoxifies the estrogen made by your body but xenoestrogens too. When the liver is overwhelmed with xenoestrogens to detoxify, it may need some support. 

If you’ve seen (or tried) a popular liver cleanse, you might think detoxification means fasting or following a restrictive juice-only diet. The truth is that liver detoxification requires a lot of nutrition. 

For an overview of how detoxification works, and the liver enzymes involved, please read How to Detox Your Liver. 

How To Balance Liver Hormones

Supporting liver health supports hormone balance and the healthy production of the liver hormones I discussed in Part 1 of this series.

Let’s talk about ways to love your liver with lifestyle strategies, diet tips, and supplements. 

Liver Health and Lifestyle Choices

The first rule of liver detoxification is avoidance. If a toxin doesn’t enter the body, the liver doesn’t need to transform it so it can leave. All your detoxification efforts won’t be successful if you continue to be exposed to toxins.

The first rule of liver detoxification is avoidance. If a toxin doesn’t enter the body, the liver doesn’t need to transform it so it can leave. All your detoxification efforts won’t be successful if you continue to be exposed to toxins.

Here are some key lifestyle strategies:

• Avoid plastic as much as possible, especially for food storage and containers that you eat and drink out of. Never heat food in plastic as it releases endocrine-disrupting chemicals into the food. 

• Choose non-toxic personal care products and makeup. The average woman is exposed to hundreds of chemicals daily through her skin and beauty routine. The good news is that many safe alternatives exist. Check out EWG’s Skin Deep Database for more information. 

• Eat organic food to avoid (or at least decrease) pesticides and other toxins in food production. 

• Filter your water. Many xenoestrogens and other toxins are found in the water supply. A quality water filter is worth the investment. 

Liver and Diet - Xenoestrogens Detox

Since xenoestrogen detox is so nutrient intense, supporting these pathways with certain foods makes sense. The same foods that help you detoxify your estrogen help to clear xenoestrogens too. These include:

• Cruciferous vegetables – kale, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, arugula 
• Broccoli sprouts 
• Fermented foods
• Prebiotic, sulfur-containing foods – onions, garlic, artichokes, leeks
• Dark leafy greens
• Beets
• Green tea
• Colorful produce, herbs, and spices
• Berries
• Plant-based protein, including beans, soy, nuts, and seeds
• Fish and seafood

Focus on eating a lot of plants and a lot of colors to provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber! 

Liver and Supplements

Many supplements provide additional liver support and can target liver detoxification pathways. Please work with your functional medicine provider for personalized guidance and support when implementing your detox strategy. 

Supplement options include: 

• Selenium
• Glutathione
• NAC
• Milk thistle
• Dandelion
• Turmeric
• DIM
• Sulforaphane 

The liver and hormonal health are intertwined. The liver needs to be healthy for good hormonal balance, and healthy hormone levels support good liver function. When we are exposed to xenoestrogens, it places a burden on the liver and affects hormone levels. By avoiding toxins and providing the nutrition needed for optimal liver detoxification, we support our hormonal health. 

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References

1. Wang, L. H., Chen, L. R., & Chen, K. H. (2021). In Vitro and Vivo Identification, Metabolism and Action of Xenoestrogens: An Overview. International journal of molecular sciences, 22(8), 4013. 
2. Fucic, A., Gamulin, M., Ferencic, Z., Katic, J., Krayer von Krauss, M., Bartonova, A., & Merlo, D. F. (2012). Environmental exposure to xenoestrogens and oestrogen related cancers: reproductive system, breast, lung, kidney, pancreas, and brain. Environmental health : a global access science source, 11 Suppl 1(Suppl 1), S8. 
3. Dai, Q., Min, X., & Weng, M. (2016). A review of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) pollution in indoor air environment. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (1995), 66(10), 941–950. 
4. Nowak, K., Ratajczak-Wrona, W., Górska, M., & Jabłońska, E. (2018). Parabens and their effects on the endocrine system. Molecular and cellular endocrinology, 474, 238–251. 
5. Filardi, T., Panimolle, F., Lenzi, A., & Morano, S. (2020). Bisphenol A and Phthalates in Diet: An Emerging Link with Pregnancy Complications. Nutrients, 12(2), 525. 
6. Gea, M., Zhang, C., Tota, R., Gilardi, G., Di Nardo, G., & Schilirò, T. (2022). Assessment of Five Pesticides as Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: Effects on Estrogen Receptors and Aromatase. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(4), 1959. 

Hodges, R. E., & Minich, D. M. (2015). Modulation of Metabolic Detoxification Pathways Using Foods and Food-Derived Components: A Scientific Review with Clinical Application. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2015, 760689