How To Detox Modern Chemicals Naturally

Harmful chemicals (aka xenobiotics)️ can enter your body through food and water, including various environmental toxicants like “forever chemicals” and heavy metals. Here are some examples:

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

POPs are toxic chemicals that do not break down easily in the environment (with a half-life ranging from years to decades), including:

• Polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs 
• Organochlorine Pesticides, OCPs—e.g. DDT
• Perfluoroalkyl substances, PFASs aka “Forever Chemicals”—e.g. PFBS

In three words: Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (“PBT chemicals”), these chemicals accumulate in fat tissues and move up the food chain [1]. Common sources include:

• Fat-rich foods such as fish, meat, milk, and dairy products
• Contaminated soil and water, which can further contaminate crops—including fruits, vegetables, oils, rice, grains, flour, and bran

What health issues do they cause?

• Altered gut microbiome (affecting microbial balance and function)
• Immune dysfunction
• Endocrine disruption (messing with your hormones)
• Metabolic, cardiovascular, reproductive, and neurological disorders
• Increased cancer risk.

Heavy Metals

Heavy metals such as Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic and Mercury are common contaminants in food and drinking water, primarily due to the contamination of agricultural soils and irrigation water. Traces can be found in vegetables, fruits, cereals, eggs, meat, fish (especially large fatty fish like tuna), shellfish, and dairy products.

They induce oxidative stress and inhibit specific enzyme activity, leading to cellular and organ damage.

Prolonged exposure to toxic levels of heavy metals can contribute to serious health conditions, including neurological damage, carcinogenesis, immune system dysregulation, and alterations in the gut microbiome [2].

Bisphenol A (BPA)

BPA is a synthetic chemical used in the production of plastics and resins, and is commonly found in food and beverages that have been in contact with plastic packaging, water bottles, and kitchen items [3].

BPA is known as an endocrine disruptor, potentially leading to reproductive issues and other health problems by mimicking estrogen in the body.

Organophosphates Pesticides (OPPs)

A class of pesticides widely used in agriculture that inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, affecting nerve function, and also induce oxidative stress [4].

Acute poisoning can cause symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and respiratory issues

Long-term exposure is linked to serious effects on multiple organs and systems in humans and other mammals, including the liver, kidneys, pancreas, brain, nervous system, immune system, and reproductive system. It has been associated with hormonal and neurological disorders, cancer, developmental issues in children, and allergies, among others.

Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by certain molds (e.g. Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium) that can contaminate food and feed.

Common sources include plant-based foods (e.g. rice, wheat, corn, cereals, soybeans, peanuts, apples, spices) and animal products (e.g. meat, milk, and eggs). Global food crop contamination reaches a staggering 50-80%! [5] 

Mycotoxins are known to cause damage to the liver, nervous system, and reproductive system, suppress the immune system, have carcinogenic effects and alter the gut microbiome.

Acrylamide and N-nitrosamines

These are chemical contaminants formed during food processing and are associated with cancer risks [3].

Acrylamide, formed at high temperatures (you might know it from the Maillard Reaction, which occurs in starchy foods heated above 120°C), is commonly found in fried and baked goods such as potato chips and bread.

N-nitrosamines, formed from nitrites and amines, are mainly found in processed meats.

Natural Antinutrients—Phytotoxins

Compounds like phytates, oxalates, lectins, and cyanogenic glycosides naturally occur in certain plant foods —they serve as a chemical defence for plants that can’t move! These phytotoxins are mainly found in legumes, grains, and some fruits and vegetables [6].

Cyanogenic glycosides—found in cassava, flaxseed, sorghum, apricots, plums, almonds, apples, and bamboo.

Phytates, Oxalates, and/or Lectins—found in: 

• whole grains (wheat, brown rice, oats, quinoa), 
• legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans, peas, soybeans), 
• nuts & seeds (almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds), 
• tubers (sweet potatoes, cassava), 
• nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant), 
• leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, broccoli).

Their negative effects are mainly due to their ability to interfere with nutrient absorption or, in more severe cases, cause toxicity [7]. 

 Some examples: 

• Lectins can bind to the gut lining, potentially leading to digestive disturbances and impairing nutrient absorption.
• Phytates can inhibit digestive enzymes, affecting protein digestion.

Detoxification is largely achievable through cooking and processing methods like peeling, drying, soaking, boiling/cooking, fermentation/probiotics, germination or microwave heating [8,7]. 

You’ll notice that microbes play a key role in detoxification, especially through fermentation—this means your gut microbiota and probiotics can assist in this process! 

It turns out that your microbiome, with its army of microorganisms equipped with thousands of enzymes, is a powerful factory capable of transforming chemicals. It can either suppress or sometimes activate their toxicity, impacting their absorption, distribution, and excretion.

The gut microbiota supports gut functions that are crucial for detoxifying chemicals too— such as producing detoxification enzymes and maintaining gut barrier integrity.

What’s the difference between the microbiome and microbiota?

Here’s the distinction:

• The microbiota refers to the population of microorganisms (=microbes) themselves, with each member having its own name (strain name or number) and belonging to a species. That species is part of a genus, which belongs to a family, and so on! Kind of like us, we have our own names, we’re part of the Homo sapiens species, from the Hominidae family, within the Animalia kingdom.

• The microbiome refers to the microbiota along with all its genes, enabling a variety of functions within a specific ecosystem, such as the gut environment.

What role does the microbiota play in the detoxification process?

The microbiota performs various functions [8]:

• Breaking down certain toxins into less harmful substances, facilitating their excretion from the body [1]. 

• Modifying the chemical structures of toxins, making them more water-soluble helping their elimination through urine or bile [9]. 

• Producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and other beneficial compounds that can reduce inflammation, enhance the immune response, and contribute to the gut barrier function. 

These compounds help in detoxifying harmful substances and preventing their absorption into the bloodstream [10].

• The gut microbiota can influence the body’s enzymes involved in detoxification as well as bile acid metabolism, which can enhance the body's ability to process and eliminate harmful substances [11].

• Supporting the maintenance of a healthy immune response, essential for preserving gut balance and preventing toxins from entering the bloodstream [10].

• Supporting the integrity of the gut barrier, helping to prevent the transfer of toxins and pathogens into the bloodstream.

Although your gut microbiome is a strong army for detoxing xenobiotics, long-term exposure to these harmful chemicals is likely to lead to inflammation and oxidative stress, resulting in dysbiosis (=alteration of your microbiome balance) [2].

Adding probiotics or supplements like Daily Gut is an effective way to support microbiome balance and back up your army in detoxing these chemicals.

Probiotics Are Powerful Allies

The detoxification of xenobiotics through probiotics—working in harmony with your gut microbiota—can alter the half-life, toxicity, and bioavailability of these chemicals, even reducing their endocrine-disrupting potential [5].

Don’t forget, fermented foods are an excellent source of beneficial microorganisms (probiotics aren’t just found in capsules!), which are powerful allies in helping detox harmful compounds [12,3].

Your gut microbiota and probiotics share similar modes of action. The key difference? Probiotics aren’t permanent residents. Think of them as your gut’s back-up crew—stepping in when needed to support detoxification and help maintain gut integrity.

Key Mechanisms of Probiotics in Detoxification

Direct Action on Chemicals

Detoxification can begin before digestion even starts — thanks to specific probiotic strains in certain fermented foods. Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Bifidobacterium species can bind harmful compounds like heavy metals, BPA, and mycotoxins in the gut, reducing their absorption. Others produce enzymes that break down pesticides, mycotoxins, and antinutrients like oxalates. Certain LAB strains even inhibit toxin-producing microbes, helping to lower your overall toxin exposure through diet [5,12,10].

Indirect Benefits Via Effects on the Host (That’s You!)

• Probiotics help strengthen your gut lining by tightening the spaces between cells—like mortar between bricks—so harmful chemicals can't leak into your bloodstream.

• They can boost bowel movements, helping your body flush out harmful substances through your stool. This speeds up detox and reduces the risk of toxins building up.

• Like the gut microbiota, probiotics can modulate your detox enzymes, enhancing the body’s ability to process and eliminate toxins.

• Probiotic supplements help rebalance the gut microbiome after exposure to harmful chemicals. This improves gut conditions—like pH and oxidative balance—making it harder for toxins to be absorbed and easier for the body to detoxify.

Dual Effect of Probiotics

Probiotics often act both directly and indirectly:

• Impacting the chemicals themselves
• Improving gut health and the microbiome.

A study has found the correlation between probiotic consumption and lower serum levels of PFAS (i.e., PFOA and PFOS) [13], and other studies suggest that PFAS detoxification through probiotic supplementation involves binding chemicals and improving gut balance (production of beneficial metabolites, antioxidant effects, and regulation of gut microbiota).

Daily Gut is a gut-loving blend of prebiotics, probiotics, polyphenols, botanicals and amino acids which can support your body’s natural detox process—by strengthening gut health where it matters most.

Nourishing Your Gut Microbiota

Daily Gut contains two key prebiotics that feed your beneficial gut bacteria and support probiotics—whether from supplements or whole foods.

• Sunfiber® (Partially Hydrolysed Guar Gum, PHGG)—backed by multiple human studies showing that a daily 5 g dose supports microbiota diversity, SCFA (short-chain fatty acid) production, and better bowel function. It’s particularly helpful for managing IBS/IBD symptoms like diarrhoea [14,15].

• Fibregum™ (Acacia gum)—a well-tolerated fibre (10–30 g/day) shown to benefit gut microbiota composition, support metabolic health, and strengthen the gut lining [16–18].

Polyphenols also act as prebiotics, encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria (like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) while inhibiting harmful species such as Clostridium perfringens—helping to prevent dysbiosis [19–21].

In turn, gut microbes convert polyphenols into bioactive compounds, boosting their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Daily Gut delivers a polyphenol punch from Pomegranate [22], Green Tea [23,24], Wild Blueberry [25] and Blue Spirulina [26].

Probiotics like Lactospore® (Bacillus coagulans) and Saccharomyces boulardii help relieve IBS-like symptoms—diarrhoea (S. boulardii [27]), constipation (B. coagulans [28]), bloating—and support healthy gut motility, which is essential for toxin elimination!

Lactospore® has shown positive effects on gut microbiota composition in both healthy individuals [30] and IBS patients (strain LBSC of B. coagulans) [31].

S. boulardii is a robust probiotic yeast with strong gastric acid resistance. It supports the gut microbiota by boosting SCFA production and modulating immune responses to reduce inflammation [27]. Certain strains can help remove food contaminants through mechanisms like binding or enzymatic modification [5].

Repairing Your Gut Barrier

Targeted amino acids like L-glycine and L-glutamine play a key role in maintaining gut lining health, helping to protect and repair the gut mucosa [32,33]. 

Botanicals such as Aloe Vera have been shown to reduce inflammation and tissue damage [34], as well as to restore tight junctions [35], in IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) animal models.  

Daily Gut also includes Marshmallow Root, which may help coat and calm the gut lining while promoting cellular repair [36].

Polyphenol-rich extracts like Pomegranate and Green Tea also enhance gut barrier integrity:

• Pomegranate, high in punicalagin (PU), supports a stronger gut barrier and reduced inflammation via urolithin—produced when PU is broken down by the microbiota [37]. 

• Green Tea’s primary polyphenol, EGCG (Epigallocatechin-3-gallate), has been shown to improve intestinal barrier function in animal studies [38].

• S. boulardii further supports gut integrity by modulating immune responses, stimulating mucin production (the protective mucus layer), and blocking harmful pathogens from attaching to gut walls [27].

Today’s world exposes us to a variety of harmful chemicals, especially those hidden in our food and water.

As these chemicals accumulate in the body, they can affect overall health—particularly hormonal balance, the nervous and immune systems, and the gut microbiome.

While our gut microbiota has the ability to detoxify xenobiotics, long-term exposure can lead to dysbiosis and inflammation, weakening its defence and gut functions.

Probiotics, found in fermented foods and supplements, can effectively support the detoxification process. Science-backed supplements that promote gut health, like Daily Gut, also help optimise the body's defence and balance.