Daily Defense & Clearance

Written by Dr. Ryan Kneessi, ND

The mechanisms this protocol supports

The liver processes unwanted compounds in two main phases, first changing them and then attaching molecules that make them easier to remove. Those compounds then leave the body through bile, stool and urine, so liver function, bile flow and regular elimination all matter.

Cells also have a built-in defense switch called Nrf2, which turns on the body’s own antioxidant and clearance enzymes. Sulforaphane from broccoli seed is one of the most studied natural compounds for supporting Nrf2 signaling.

Research has linked a higher toxic burden and lower antioxidant capacity with oxidative stress, which in turn has been linked with aging and several age-related conditions. This protocol supports the body’s own clearance systems and does not replace reducing exposure where you can.

What is in the protocol

The exact products and directions are listed in the Fullscript plan, and here is what each one is commonly used to support.

• Broccoli Seed Extract from Thorne provides compounds that support Nrf2 signaling and the body’s own antioxidant enzymes.
• Metal-X-Synergy from Designs for Health is a blend of nutrients designed to support the body’s natural pathways for processing and clearing metals.
• S.A.T. from Thorne combines silymarin, artichoke and turmeric, which are commonly used to support liver function and healthy bile flow.
• UltraFlora Fiber from Metagenics is a fiber-based formula that supports regular elimination and feeds beneficial gut bacteria.

Related protocols you may find helpful include Longevity Foundation.

How to use it thoughtfully

Please talk with your provider before starting, especially if you take medications, are pregnant or nursing, or have a health condition. This page does not list amounts, so follow the label or the specific guidance your provider gives you. When you can, add one product at a time so it is easier to notice how you feel.

Sleep, nourishing food, daily movement and stress care are the foundation, and supplements are meant to build on them. Fiber products can change how some medications are absorbed, so space them apart as your provider or pharmacist suggests.

What the research shows

This protocol has not been tested as a whole in a clinical trial, so the studies below cover its main ingredients.

Broccoli sprouts contain sulforaphane, which switches on the body’s own antioxidant enzymes. In a 2019 randomized trial by Chen and colleagues in Qidong, China, 170 adults exposed to air pollution drank a placebo or one of three strengths of broccoli sprout beverage for 10 days. At the highest strength, urinary excretion of a benzene breakdown product rose by 63.2% compared with placebo, while the lower strengths did not differ from placebo. The study measured how fast one pollutant was cleared, not health outcomes, and it used a beverage rather than a capsule extract.

Human research on metal-clearing nutrient blends is very limited, so that part of the protocol rests mainly on the known roles of individual nutrients rather than trials.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Grant DM. Detoxification pathways in the liver. J Inherit Metab Dis 1991. PMID: 1749210. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1749210/
• Ma Q. Role of nrf2 in oxidative stress and toxicity. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2013. PMID: 23294312. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4680839/
• Houghton CA, Fassett RG, Coombes JS. Sulforaphane and Other Nutrigenomic Nrf2 Activators: Can the Clinician’s Expectation Be Matched by the Reality? Oxid Med Cell Longev 2016. PMID: 26881038. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4736808/
• Liguori I, et al. Oxidative stress, aging, and diseases. Clin Interv Aging 2018. PMID: 29731617. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5927356/

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