Are Toxins Sabotaging Your Weight Loss?

Did you know that chemicals in the food and water supply, personal products, and home or work environments affect your ability to maintain a healthy weight? Numerous widely used chemicals across the globe have created a burden that impairs metabolic health, detoxification, and the gut-liver connection. Read on to learn more and empower yourself against these concerns! 

Obesogens: The Progression of Its Impact

In 2006, the concept of “obesogens” was introduced. They are environmental endocrine-disrupting compounds that increase the number and size of fat cells, causing obesity in both humans and animals. Since then, research on obesogens has expanded rapidly, uncovering significant discoveries and clarifying their impact on our health.

In 2023, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a State of the Science Workshop Summary on Obesogens and Obesity. Research shows that obesogens interfere with numerous factors that affect weight management, gut health, liver metabolism, blood sugar and insulin management, and much more. Here are some highlights:

Main Models of Obesity

Three main models of obesity have been identified:

1. Energy Balance: Overeating leads to obesity. This model is now seen as less impactful than previously believed.

2. Carbohydrate-Insulin: Overeating carbohydrates increases insulin secretion and resistance, contributing to obesity. While important, it is not the most dominant cause.

3. Obesogen Obesity Hypothesis: Environmental compounds and food additives cause free radicals and oxidative stress that disrupt signaling networks, resulting in insulin resistance, fat storage, gut-liver detoxification stress, and disrupted hunger and satiety signals independent of nutrient status.

Obesogens are now believed to be the major contributor to the global obesity pandemic affecting over 2 billion people worldwide. A BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 is considered obese.

Obesogens Disrupt Metabolism

Obesogens disrupt your endocrine metabolism by interfering with hormone receptors and signaling mechanisms, impairing metabolic speed, calorie and nutrient management, and the biology of fat cells. They also alter the gut microbiome and gut-derived hormones that compromise pancreas, liver, GI tract, and even skeletal muscle functions.

Fatty liver, leptin resistance, and insulin resistance may result from endocrine disruptor compound stress on the gut microbiome-liver connection. Obesogens can impair metabolic programming in the brain affecting of weight control, satiety and food related behaviors, leading to weight gain even without changes in diet. Obesogens may also interfere with thermoregulation, brown fat metabolism and your tolerance to cold temperatures due to disrupted liver function.

Obesogens contribute to the daily burden your body must manage, but their effects can also be long-lasting. Exposure to some chemicals may change genetic programming in ways that persist for generations. Early childhood exposure can lead to lifelong changes in fat cell development, function, and overall metabolic physiology. 

Proven Obesogen Compounds:

• Air pollution and fine particulate matter

• Bisphenols (A, S, F, and AF)

• Phthalates, PCBs, and PFAS (“forever chemicals”)

• Tributyltin and dibutyltin (biocide type paints used in the aquatic and shipping industries)

• Flame Retardants, PBDE, OPFRs

• Jet fuels hydrocarbons

• PCBs

• Heavy metals: arsenic, cadmium

• Microplastics (some)

• Nicotine, especially during pregnancy

• Food preservatives/additives/emulsifiers: parabens, benzoates, proprionic acid, MSG, carboxymethycellulose, trans-fats, and others

• Food sweeteners: aspartame, fructose/high fructose corn syrup, sucralose, saccharin

• Agricultural chemicals: chlorpyrifos, diazinon, neonicotinoid pesticides, permethrin, tolyfluanid, and others

Potential Obesogens:

• Glyphosate - most widely used pesticide worldwide

• Triclosan - found in many antibacterial personal care products

• Food Coloring - Red #40, Yellow #5, Yellow #6

• House Dust Extracts

• Methyl Salicylate - found in topical pain relievers

• Soy/Genistein - more impactful in males

• Numerous other agricultural chemicals are also of concern. Atrazine, Diazinon, Eldrin, Strobilurin pesticides, BADGE, Acetamiprid, Fludioxonil, Triflumizole, Nonylphenol, and others

Obesogenic Medications: 

• Antidiabetic meds (insulin, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones, glitazones)

• Dopaminergic blockers

• Beta sympathetic blockers

• Antidepressants: tricyclics, and SSRI

• Antipyschotics, atypical

• Antiseizure medications

• Estrogens

• Glucocorticoids

• Others

Obesogenic compounds are found in food, water, air, and common household items.  Examples include non-organic personal care products, cosmetics, cleaners, plastics, toys, kitchen utensils, plastic curtains and tablecloths, soft furnishings, furniture, mattresses, clothes, motor vehicles, building materials and other manufactured products.

Obesogens and Postbiotics

Once you encounter an obesogenic compound, the first line of defense is your gut microbiome and integrity of the gut lining which protect against oxidative stress and harmful signaling changes. Obesogenic compounds, however, disturb and erode this barrier, placing further stress on your liver and body.

To protect this first line of defense, postbiotics like butyrate are essential. When beneficial gut bacteria digest dietary fibers and resistant starches, they produce butyrate. This is the most dominate short chain fatty acid (SCFA) critical for repairing the gut lining and plays a critical role in detoxifying xenobiotic chemicals that enter the digestive tract.

Butyrate provides a wide array of benefits, including antioxidant protection against ROS (reactive oxygen species) in the gut, liver, and elsewhere. It provides immunomodulatory effects and helps regulate inflammatory compounds in the gut. Furthermore, butyrate supports gut-liver metabolism and assists in clearing toxin-induced fat build up in the liver.

Tributyrin Plus is a supplement that directly increases butyrate in the colon and helps strengthen the gut lining.

Beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, such as Bifidobacterium bifidus also play an important role in protecting the liver from fat accumulation and toxins disturbing the gut microbiome. Beneficial bacteria and a healthy gut lining are essential for liver health and efficient metabolism.

Polyphenols: Quercetin, Resveratrol, Turmeric

Another way to support the gut microbiome and liver’s ability to manage obesogenic compounds is through polyphenol plant-based antioxidants. Polyphenols like quercetin, resveratrol, and turmeric help nourish beneficial bacteria, promote a healthier intestinal tract and offer protection against toxins. These antioxidants protect against oxidative stress and inflammatory compounds induced by chemicals and additives. Here are some additional highlights.

Resveratrol provides antioxidant protection, supports detoxification, and helps guard hormone receptor sites against xenoestrogens like nonylphenol. This chemical is widely used in agriculture, food industry, personal care and cosmetic products, textiles, and much more. Resveratrol also enhances metabolic activity and suppresses fat deposition in the liver.

Quercetin helps suppress microglial cell responses in the hypothalamus of the brain due to high fat diets and adipose-related stress. It also supports insulin function and liver metabolism.

When turmeric is metabolized by gut flora, it activates and supports several detoxification pathways in the gut and liver, helping to ease the burden of chemical and toxin exposure. In addition, turmeric regulates and protects several important signaling pathways such as NF-kappa B, DNA methylation, and epigenetic pathways that impact cellular health. Turmeric also supports the gut microbiome and benefits the pancreas. 

Vitamin D

Vitamin D, essential for brain, bone, and immune health, also plays an important role in regulating liver fat metabolism and insulin sensitivity. It modulates numerous signaling pathways, as well as cytokine and other immune inflammatory reactions against antigens in the gut, liver, pancreas, and throughout the body. Vitamin D is considered a pivotal regulatory agent for liver health and protection.

Numerous other nutrients are also highly supportive and protective. They include: Glutathione, I3C+DIM, Daily Detoxify (silymarin, dandelion root, chlorella), Green Tea Extract, Grape Seed Extract, dietary fiber, and more.

Protecting and supporting your body from the growing list of environmental toxins and obesogens is paramount for thriving in modern times. Choose wholesome, organic foods and filter your water as best as you can. Choose organic, natural home furnishings if possible.

Eat a diverse array of vegetables including cruciferous varieties like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, along with other brightly colored vegetables and fruits, fiber rich foods, beans, legumes, quality organic fats and proteins. Even with an excellent diet, many essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients may still be missing from your diet or unable to meet higher demands. Proactive support is always better than reactive support.

Consider foundational proactive support such as:

• Daily Detoxify – Our top nutritional formula for the liver and detoxification. It features chlorella, milk thistle extract, dandelion root extract, NAC, resveratrol, taurine, and r-alpha lipoic acid.

• Tributyrin Plus – Provides butyrate with prebiotics enabling it to work in the gut.

• Vitamin D – Often insufficient, even in summer.

• Repair Plus – Multipurpose repair support blend that includes quercetin and turmeric along with bromelain and papain.

Additional support: 

• Glutathione Ultra – Master antioxidant system for detoxification, gut, liver, and whole body.

• I3C+DIM – Active compounds obtained from cruciferous vegetables.

• Fiber Helper – Fiber blend that supports postbiotic formation and helps bind toxins in the digestive tract.

Improving the gut-liver connection is paramount for optimal metabolism, fat-burning, insulin and leptin signaling, and protecting your body against obesogenic chemicals. Activities like exercise and sauna use also help eliminate toxins through sweat.

Make mindful, educated choices about eliminating chemicals from your home and work environment. It can feel overwhelming, but every smart choice reduces your body’s toxic burden. You have the power to make lasting changes—one step at a time!

More detailed information about sources and detoxification may be found in the companion article:

Hidden Obesogens in Foods, Beverages, and Environment Disrupt Metabolism

Additional must-read resources:

Glutathione article

I3C+DIM Provide Powerful Cell Protection and Xenobiotic Detoxification

Best Nutrients for Detoxification

Endocrine Disruptor Compounds and Your Hormones

Hidden Effects of MSG