Plastics and other toxic compounds like BPA are practically everywhere these days. Studies done on men’s semen or women’s placentas, some of the most intimate and sensitive parts of the body, show a worrying pattern: these chemicals and compounds are ubiquitous in our environment. That means that being passive is not an option if we want optimal health, so today I wanted to share a few strategies on how to detoxify from things like BPA and phthalates so that you and your family enjoy better health.
In general, avoiding big things in your routine like eating lots of canned food, storing acidic foods in plastic containers, microwaving in plastic containers, opting for natural materials rather than plastics, etc. all will help reduce your overall exposure to things like BPA, phthalates and microplastics. However it is impossible to completely get rid of these in your environment, so the other thing we can do is support detoxification in the liver and overall metabolic health by reducing inflammation and boosting antioxidant reserves.
Importantly, we need to distinguish between microplastics and BPA/phthalates. The former are physical in nature and get lodged into the tissues because of contamination. They get eliminated mechanically in various ways, but they are stubborn and they leach chemicals (like BPA or styrene or phthalates) into the body while they are there. So they cause inflammation and endocrine disruption, which can be treated with good nutrition, habits and targeted supplements. But microplastics are part of reality today, unfortunately, because we are at the end of the Genesis curse, so it’s important to realize that there will always be some load on your body from them.
But with the chemicals themselves, like BPA or phthalates, targeted strategies can help a great deal. Liposomal glutathione is an excellent overall addition to your detoxifying regime because it is the body’s master antioxidant, and in liposomal form it is highly bioavailable. CoQ10 (ubiquinol) is another addition with similar uses, to mitigate the oxidizing free radicals that these chemicals and environmental toxins produce. The best place to get ubiquinol is at Swanson Vitamins, as they sell the Kaneka brand at a great price. There’s also calcium d-glucarate (CDG), which is very affordable and has practically no side effects with lots of other benefits, all of which I will discuss below. You can get CDG easily on Amazon.
Besides these interventions, the one that stands out on this particular issue is sulforaphane. Sulforaphane is the most potent natural activator of your cellular antioxidant defenses. While it cannot destroy microplastics, it binds to the toxic chemicals the plastic leaches, and it protects your cells against the local tissue inflammation and oxidative damage caused by the physical particles’ presence.
Sulforaphane’s Role in Detoxifying BPA & Phthalates
BPA is a short-lived chemical (half-life of ~6 hours) that is primarily cleared through a process called glucuronidation in the liver. Here is how sulforaphane affects that process:
SFN is a potent activator of the Nrf2 pathway, which significantly upregulates Phase II detoxification enzymes. Specifically, it increases the expression and activity of UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs), such as UGT1A1. It has been shown in studies to help flush out various environmental toxins more efficiently.
UGT enzymes are the specific biological workers that “tag” BPA with a sugar molecule (glucuronic acid), making it water-soluble so the kidneys can filter it into the urine. By boosting UGTs, SFN helps your liver tag BPA for removal more quickly and efficiently.
SFN is rapidly absorbed and reaches peak plasma concentrations within 1–3 hours. It doesn’t “fatigue” your detox system, meaning consistent intake maintains these heightened enzyme levels.
Calcium D-Glucarate’s Role
CDG is an excellent (and affordable) supplement that has a targeted role for this use case with BPA. It can “unlock” detoxified BPA in your gut and allow it to be reabsorbed into your bloodstream. By blocking this enzyme, you ensure BPA stays in its waste form and is excreted.
Once the liver tags BPA for removal, it is sent to the intestines to be excreted. However, some gut bacteria produce an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase. This enzyme can “de-conjugate” (untag) the BPA, turning it back into its active, toxic form, which is then reabsorbed into the bloodstream.
CDG is a direct inhibitor of beta-glucuronidase. By blocking this “untagging” enzyme, CDG ensures that the BPA already processed by your liver actually leaves your body through your stool rather than getting a second pass at your system.
When ingested, CDG is metabolized into D-glucaro-1,4-lactone, which stays in the gut to perform its inhibitory work before being cleared.
What About Phthalates?
Phthalates are plasticizers added to products to make them flexible. Like BPA, they are chemical compounds that the human body can actively metabolize and excrete. Here’s how SFN and CDG relate to these chemicals:
Phthalates are primarily processed through Phase II glucuronidation in the liver. Sulforaphane ramps up the NRF2 pathway, which directly creates more of the enzymes needed to bind to phthalate metabolites, making them highly water-soluble so they can be flushed out through your urine. Human studies have shown sulforaphane can increase the excretion of similar environmental airborne and chemical toxins by up to 60%.
Just like with estrogen and BPA, once your liver processes phthalate compounds and pushes them into your intestines, gut bacteria can produce the beta-glucuronidase enzyme that untags them, causing your body to reabsorb them. CDG blocks this enzyme in the gut, ensuring that the phthalate particles stay locked and are excreted out through feces rather than recirculated into your blood.
Product Recommendation: BrocElite
Sulforaphane is a tricky molecule because it is highly unstable. That is why most standard broccoli supplements on the market do not actually contain sulforaphane. Instead, they contain glucoraphanin (a precursor compound) and rely on your gut bacteria to convert it into active sulforaphane. This conversion rate varies wildly from person to person (by up to 40-fold) depending on individual microbiome health. That’s why I recommend BrocElite sulforaphane as a direct solution to this issue and to the overall burden of toxins everyone has.
BrocElite (often spelled BrocElite) is a dietary supplement by Mara Labs that provides stabilized sulforaphane, a naturally derived antioxidant found in broccoli sprouts. It is commonly used to support cellular health, reduce inflammation, and aid in the body’s detoxification pathways. BrocElite bypasses the need for conversion in the gut entirely. It is formulated with naturally derived, stabilized sulforaphane directly in the capsule. When you swallow it, your body gets 5 mg of active, fully formed sulforaphane immediately, ensuring highly predictable bioavailability regardless of your gut health.
Another thing I like is that it contains 650 mg of a proprietary Broccoli Seed Complex alongside the 5 mg of sulforaphane. This complex introduces specific “cousin” molecules (isothiocyanates) that dramatically enhance the formula’s effectiveness:
PEITC (Phenethyl Isothiocyanate): Derived from watercress, PEITC works synergistically with sulforaphane to trigger a much stronger activation of the Nrf2 pathway than sulforaphane could achieve alone. This pathway is what prompts your liver to produce those Phase II detox enzymes to clear out chemicals like BPA and phthalates, as discussed previously.
Iberin, BITC, & AITC: These related cruciferous molecules help shield the stabilized sulforaphane, protecting it from breaking down prematurely in the digestive tract and maximizing cellular uptake. In effect, BrocElite is more of a “whole food” supplement, because it has these other biological components in the delivery mechanism.
So overall, BrocElite is a standout product in this area because of its potency and formulation, as well as having zero flow agents (no magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide, or chemical lubricants), and it is certified glyphosate-residue free because they actively test their batches to ensure no agricultural herbicide residues (like Roundup) make it into the final product.
My goal with my health articles, book and store is to help you lead a healthier life by reducing inflammation, maximizing recovery and strengthening your gut. BrocElite is an awesome product that helps in a variety of these outcomes, and it is also specifically a targeted solution for all the environmental toxins that are unfortunately everywhere these days. BrocElite helps block inflammatory pathways in the body, it stimulates the production of antioxidants like glutathione and it has even been studied for protecting cognitive function and enabling cell detoxification.
Is It Safe Long-Term?
I always want the biggest bang for my buck with the least probability of side effects and the ability to adapt to my routine long-term. In that regard, BrocElite passes these requirements. In general it is considered safe for thyroid function and, although it comes from cruciferous vegetables — it is not a significant goitrogen in humans, especially when consumed in these small doses. The specific sulforaphane-rich extracts found in these supplements do not appear to negatively affect thyroid hormone levels. Some key findings are as follows:
Studies have shown that broccoli sprout extracts and glucoraphanin-rich supplements do not significantly affect thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free T3 or T4 levels.
A 12-week randomized trial demonstrated that a broccoli sprout beverage (providing sulforaphane) had no negative impact on the thyroid gland, its hormones, or thyroid auto-immunity.
While raw broccoli contains compounds (progoitrin) that can interfere with iodine uptake (goitrogenic), the processing of supplements like BrocElite or the use of sprouts often limits these specific compounds significantly.
Some research suggests that broccoli sprout extracts may even provide a beneficial antioxidant effect on the thyroid gland, particularly in cases of hypothyroidism, as inflammation drives a significant portion of this condition.
So there you are. Overall I think these strategies, along with a healthful diet like I discuss in my book and cleaning up your home and routine can significantly reduce the impact of these dangerous chemicals on your life. BrocElite is a powerful tool in addition to everything else, and it is now available in the health store. And if you mix and match or stock up, you can save up to 10%.
Tudor Alexander is a certified health coach, former professional athlete and trainer and host of the Dance of Life Podcast. Any information shared in this article is done solely for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Always consult your health team before implementing any new change in your health regimen.
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