Die-off reactions. Ever had one? You’re trying to detox so you feel better, but instead, you’re hit with brain fog, fatigue, digestive issues, and anxiety – and they’re the pits. I mean, you went on a healing protocol to feel better, not worse – right?
Thankfully, you can smooth out most detox protocols with the simple addition of one supplement: toxin binders. Whether you’re detoxing from mold, Candida, Lyme, parasites, or heavy metals, toxin binders can have a massive impact on your healing journey.
What Are Toxin Binders?
Binders are the garbagemen of the supplement world – they help make sure the trash (aka toxins) get taken out through the stool.
Binders are substances that ‘bind’ to toxins to help move them out of the body. Some are highly porous and work by trapping the toxins, while others also attract the toxin through a negative charge.
Binders also can bind bile; this is called bile sequestration. Bile will contain toxic compounds, and most bile is recycled to be used again. You can see this issue if you have mycotoxins being excreted through the bile and into the intestines, but then it’s just pulled back into the body!
“(Bile acid sequestrants) work by binding negatively charged bile acids and bile salts in the small intestine to interrupt the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids and increase the conversion of cholesterol into bile.”
John R. Guyton, Anne Carol Goldberg in Clinical Lipidology. 2009
Types of Toxin Binders
There are many natural binders available, as well as some pharmaceutical options:
Activated charcoal or bamboo
Clay
Chlorella
Zeolite
Pectin
Okra
Silica
Fulvic and humic acids
Cholestyramine (Rx)
Welchol (Rx)
For more info on the upsides and downsides of different binders, be sure to check out these two articles here and here.
How to Take Toxin Binders
One serving of binders is recommended 1-3 times per day. I normally take one dose at night, but some protocols recommend 3 times per day.
This can get tricky as you need to take them on an empty stomach away from food and other supplements. Some suitable times could be first thing in the morning, last thing at night, or in the middle of the afternoon.
Dr. Neil Nathan explains that you can still be exposed to the toxin even as it is attached to the binder as it is loosely bound to the binder, so sensitive patients may feel worse from taking binders.
Only take as much binder as you can handle without side effects, even if it’s just a 1/4 capsule every other day, or none at all.
Most binders should be taken 1 hour before or 2 hours after food and medication.
Toxin Binder Tips – Things You Need to Know
Most binders are not meant for on-going daily use, as they can prevent optimal nutrient absorption. A particularly strong binder in this regard is charcoal, whereas pectin is much gentler.
One solution to over-binding is ‘binder rotation,’ in which you simply take a pectin for a while, and then a zeolite, etc.
When I developed our brand, Mi Toxin Binder, I originally left out charcoal in favor of gentler binders. But I just didn’t feel it worked as well.
Just know that a strong binder is not meant for prolonged use, but instead more cyclic use. So perhaps it’s 2 months on, 1 off. Or 5 days on, 2 off. And avoid mealtimes.
I notice that clients can get a little overly preoccupied with taking binders. As long as you are pooping, sweating and peeing every day, and not experiencing side effects from your detox protocol, you don’t need a binder at every moment.
Binders can also be constipating, which will inhibit good detoxification. The great news is that our Mi Toxin Binder formula includes aloe vera powder and Chinese rhubarb to help keep your bowels moving. You can also decrease the dosage, drink more water, or add a bowel mover like magnesium citrate.
One last note – binders do not do a complete job of binding, so I don’t want you to be too nervous that they are sponging up every good thing you’ve ever eaten!
I learned this from experience; when I’ve taken a binder and then couldn’t fall asleep so I took a melatonin supplement. The melatonin still did the job – it didn’t get swallowed up by the binder!
Be on the Lookout – Mi Toxin Binder Is Coming!
I’m so excited to announce that soon there’ll be a new member of the Functional Detox family: Mi Toxin Binder!
I spent months researching and formulating this product to be the ultimate binder to support your detox pathways on all levels. The ingredients were carefully selected to safely escort toxins out of your body, while promoting optimal liver, kidney, and bowel function.
It’s coming your way at the beginning of May, so stay tuned!
Need Help Navigating Your Toxic Mold Recovery?
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Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP, is trained in functional health coaching and has worked with thousands of women over her career since 2004. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Collaborative llc and functionaldetoxproducts.com.
Check out her easy 5-Day DIY Detox Guide here!
In Chinese medicine, every organ system has a corresponding emotion, and if that emotion is at an extreme, the organ function can be affected. In today’s article, I’m going to use the concept of ‘overthinking damage digestion’ to describe some of the effects of worry and ‘overthinking’ on digestive function.