To prevent the accumulation of toxins and substances potentially harmful to our organism, it is advisable to purify the “filters” of our body (liver and kidneys). To keep them efficient day after day, we must make sure that the supplement we choose has some simple but indispensable characteristics.
“Depurative” food supplements are useful for detoxifying the body. There are many on the market that have similar ingredients (typically plants) and descriptions. Let’s clarify what to look at for an effective and safe choice.
First, we need to pay attention to the label, checking that there is no pulverized plant inside the tablets but their dry extract (indicated with the wording “d.e.” next to the name of the plant in the nutritional information). It is the most concentrated form of the phytocomplex which has therapeutic properties superior, with the same dose, to those of the powders. Preferred are the titrated dry extracts (indicated with “tit.” in the ingredients paragraph), which have a precise concentration of the active ingredient that characterizes the activity of the plant.
A depurative supplement should ideally:
- Contain the dry extract of the plant with liver detoxifying action;
- Contain the dry extract of the plant with a draining action;
- Contain active ingredients with a remineralizing action;
- Contain active ingredients with a disinfectant action on the urinary tract;
- Be packaged correctly, so as not to receive direct light, air (oxygen) and humidity.
Purifying and draining supplements usually contain bitter plants with hepatoprotective action such as Dandelion (≈ 500-750 mg / day if taken alone, titrated in inulin), Artichoke (≈ 300 mg / day if taken alone, with different titrations, such as in chlorogenic acid, caffeilquinic, rosmarinic) and Milk thistle (≈ 280/800 mg / day if taken alone, titrated in silymarin at 70% or 80%). They boast a beneficial action not only on the liver function but also on the entire digestive system. Bitter plants, in fact, are useful for digestion since they stimulate bile secretion and biliary flow.
Together with liver cleansing plants, it is useful to associate draining plants such as green tea which, in addition to diuretic activity (increase in the speed of blood filtration by the kidneys), is a powerful antioxidant thanks to its catechins. However, we should not exceed the dosage of 300 mg / day (120 mg / day in pregnancy) of epigallocatechingallate (as indicated by the Italian Ministry of Health).
Birch (e.g. 600/1200 mg / day, titrated in hyperoside) and Pilosella (800 mg / day) are also valid alternatives. Let’s not forget, however, that in supplements that contain associations of several plants, the dosages of the single plants can be lower (≈ 400 mg / day).
The use of quality draining plants involves a significant loss of liquids and therefore of mineral salts. It is good to choose supplements that consider their replenishment in order not to distort the water-salt balance. Equisetum, added to the formulations, is useful for this purpose because, thanks to its high content of silicon and potassium, it remineralizes and supports all the keratinous and bone layers of the body. Alternatively, we need to take a saline supplement.
For a complete effect, it is important to associate active ingredients with a disinfectant and antiviral action for the urinary tract, which prevent viruses and bacteria from adhering to the mucosa. In fact, by purifying and detoxifying the liver and increasing the filtration of blood by the kidneys, the passage of toxins and wastes through the urethra and bladder with urine is possibly harmful to our body.
Finally, we need to make sure that the product we are buying is stable over time. It must be contained in dark glass jars to avoid exposure to direct light or even better contained in blisters with individually packaged capsules / tablets to avoid contact with oxygen and humidity.