How Calcium-D-Glucarate Supports Liver Health & PCOS

If you’ve been diagnosed with PCOS or struggle with estrogen dominance, Calcium D-Glucarate may become your new BFF. Not only is it extremely supportive for your liver, it also helps your body to regulate its hormone levels, particularly estrogen. So let’s get into this wonder substance.

What even is Calcium D-Glucarate anyway?

These days Calcium D-Glucarate is a popular detox supplement, but it really does so much more than that for our hormones and metabolic health. This chemical compound is a (calcium salt) form of D-glucaric acid that occurs naturally in citrus fruits and cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cabbage, grapefruits, apples, oranges and Brussels sprouts (1). 

Calcium D-Glucarate and Liver Detoxification

You may or may not be familiar with the term glucuronidation, which is a process that takes place in the phase II detoxification pathway in your liver. As a recap on the two steps in liver detox, phase I uses cytochrome P450 enzymes to transform toxins (alcohol, drugs, caffeine, hormones, etc) into intermediate compounds that can actually be even MORE dangerous than their original forms. Phase II takes these harmful intermediates and converts them into nontoxic forms that can be either excreted in the bile and then stool, or in urine. This elimination step is sometimes referred to as phase III.

During glucuronidation, toxins, excess hormones, and waste products are joined together with glucuronic acid, forming glucuronides, or water-soluble metabolites that can be removed from the body much more easily and quickly. In other words, glucuronic acid is incredible for liver detox because it supports the process of glucuronidation and lowers the production of harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS) that wreak havoc on our bodies (2). By taking Calcium D-Glucarate, you’re giving your body a healthy dose of D-glucaric acid. 

Calcium D-Glucarate and Estrogen Metabolism

Although androgens are the main hormone associated with PCOS, women may also experience estrogen dominance, or high levels of estrogen compared to other sex hormones. That’s where Calcium D-Glucarate comes in. Since it’s so effective at promoting glucuronidation, it is fantastic for metabolizing excess estrogen (1). 

Oftentimes women with estrogen dominance have trouble disposing of estrogen and, instead, wind up recycling it in their bloodstreams, leading to a slew of downstream effects and unwanted symptoms. In addition to playing a major role in glucuronidation, Calcium D-Glucarate can also inhibit the enzyme beta-glucuronidase, which is responsible for recirculating estrogen in your blood (3). It does this by preventing beta-glucuronidase from splitting estrogens into their active forms so that they stay glucuronidated and are therefore able to get excreted from your body. Using these two methods (turning up glucuronidation and turning down beta-glucuronidase activity) Calcium D-Glucarate keeps estrogen metabolism functioning properly and estrogen levels in check.

Common Signs of Estrogen Dominance:

• Tender or swollen breasts 
• PMS
• Painful periods
• Hair loss
• Mood swings
• Low libido
• Bloating
• Irregular periods 
• Weight gain 
• Headaches

Found in The Cysters Kit

Calcium D-Glucarate does a phenomenal job at preventing your body from reabsorbing and recycling hormones by supporting liver detoxification. You can find Calcium D-Glucarate in Ovarian Guard, one of the two key formulas in our newest Cysters Kit for PCOS and optimal hormone health