Metal detoxification Alcohol detoxification Alcohol detoxification is a process by which a heavy drinker's system is brought back to normal after being
habituated to having alcohol in the body continuously for an extended period of substance abuse. Serious alcohol addiction results in a downregulation of
GABA neurotransmitter receptors. Precipitous
withdrawal from long-term alcohol addiction without medical management can cause severe health problems and can be fatal. Alcohol detox is not a treatment for
alcoholism. After detoxification, other treatments must be undertaken to deal with the underlying addiction that caused alcohol use.
Drug detoxification Clinicians use drug detoxification to reduce or relieve
withdrawal symptoms while helping an addicted person adjust to living without drug use. Drug detoxification does not aim to treat addiction but rather represents an early step within long-term treatment. Detoxification may be achieved drug-free or may use medications as an aspect of treatment. Often drug detoxification and treatment will occur in a community program that lasts several months and takes place in a residential setting rather than in a medical center. Drug detoxification varies depending on the location of treatment, but most detox centers provide treatment to avoid the symptoms of physical withdrawal from alcohol and from other drugs. Most also incorporate
counseling and therapy during detox to help with the consequences of withdrawal.
Metabolic detoxification An animal's
metabolism can produce harmful substances which it can then make less toxic through
reduction,
oxidation (collectively known as
redox reactions),
conjugation and
excretion of molecules from cells or tissues. This is called
xenobiotic metabolism. Enzymes that are important in detoxification metabolism include
cytochrome P450 oxidases,
UDP-glucuronosyltransferases, and
glutathione S-transferases. These processes are particularly well-studied as part of
drug metabolism, as they influence the
pharmacokinetics of a drug in the body. == Alternative medicine ==