Get to know your liver and how to protect it!

Liver is involved in about 500 different daily functions critical to our health. Liver works 24/7 to eliminate biological and environmental toxins. Liver participates in regulating blood glucose and cholesterol. Different hormones, enzymes, and blood clotting factors are produced in the liver. Plus, Secreted bile from the liver helps with digestion.

Proper liver function is necessary to all aspect of health, yet its health is compromised by constant exposure to toxins, drugs, unhealthy diets, obesity, high blood sugar, infections, and many other factors.

One of the common causes of the chronic liver disease is known as Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, which is defined as accumulation of fat in the liver cells, and it is directly linked to high fat and carbohydrate consumption and a lifestyle with very little physical activity. Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver is part of the metabolic syndrome including cardiovascular diseases and diabetes with spectrum of symptoms. If Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver not being taken care of, it will progress to Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis which a dangerous condition leading to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer.

While there is no adequate pharmaceutical treatment for Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver, multiple number of studies confirm that Milk thistle seed extract is able to improve and protect gallbladder and liver function. It prevents liver damage and reduces the elevated Liver enzymes. The benefits of the milk thistle is linked to a compound with very potent antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties called Silymarin. Silymarin itself contains a molecule called Silybin which is the most active part of the Silymarin. As a result, the higher concentrations of Silymarin provides better therapeutic effects.

Silybin however is not well absorbed through the digestive system. Human studies has shown to when it is combined with Phosphatidylcholine, Silybin's absorption and concentration in the liver is significantly increased. This phytosome combination is shown to restore liver function and normalize liver enzymes in cases of Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver. It improves insulin resistance in diabetics , and it is able to reduce liver damage in patients with viral hepatitis, as well as to increase the life span of those with critical liver damage and cirrhosis.

Daily supplementation with vitamin E has been proven to benefit the liver health in different ways. Primarily vitamin E as a powerful antioxidant protects the liver cells by providing preventative benefits against developing liver diseases including fatty liver. Studies have found patients of Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver have low blood levels of Vitamin E and that even more increases the risk of oxidative stress on the liver cells resulting in high inflammation, cellular death, and further tissue damage . When these patients took vitamin E, their liver inflammatory markers and liver enzymes were reduced substantially. Also monitoring Diabetic patients who supplemented with vitamin E showed improvement in their insulin sensitivity, lower fasting blood sugar level and ultimately a better liver function.

Long term human based researches indicates the importance of Omega 3 fatty acids to prevent and improve many health conditions, and that is in fact is very applicable to Non Alcoholic Fatty Acid condition. Therapeutic dosage of Omega 3 Fatty Acids daily not only lowers blood Triglyceride, Fasting Blood Sugar and inflammatory markers, but also improves the liver tissue and its blood circulation when observed by ultrasound within 6 months from supplementation.

Constant exposure to verity of toxins makes liver cells to become less able to produce enough Glutathione. Glutathione (GSH) is a sulfur rich antioxidant produced naturally by liver cells and participates in detoxification pathways. However, when liver cells are damaged or going through oxidative stress, they will not produce adequate amount of Glutathione. So higher amount of toxins and lack of Glutathione production hand in hand amplifies the cellular damage.

Simply increasing intake of Sulfur rich foods like Garlic and Cruciferous vegetables, and Highly pure whey protein can increase the levels of Glutathione. Also supplementation with Selenium, NAC, Alpha Lipoic Acid, SAMe, Methylcobalamin, B6 (P-5-P), Folate, Vitamin E and C will help to recycle the produced Glutathione in the body. Some people due to gene impairments are unable to produce Glutathione properly; so oral supplementation or intravenous injection is recommended.

Articles and products featured by Health Palace are collected from a variety of sources and are provided as a service by Health Palace. These newsletters, while of potential interest to readers, do not necessarily represent the opinions nor constitute the advice of Health Palace. Presented materials are only for information purposes and do not intent to treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References:

1.Masuoka HC, Chalasani N. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: an emerging threat to obese and diabetic individuals. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2013 Jan 30.

3.Abenavoli L, Capasso R, Milic N, Capasso F. Milk thistle in liver diseases: past, present, future. Phytother Res. 2010 Oct;24(10):1423-32.

4.Schrieber SJ, Wen Z, Vourvahis M, et al. The pharmacokinetics of silymarin is altered in patients with hepatitis C virus and nonalcoholic Fatty liver disease and correlates with plasma caspase-3/7 activity. Drug Metab Dispos. 2008 Sep;36(9):1909-16.

5.Serviddio G, Bellanti F, Giudetti AM, et al. A silybin-phospholipid complex prevents mitochondrial dysfunction in a rodent model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2010 Mar;332(3):922-32.

6.Aleynik SI, Leo MA, Ma X, Aleynik MK, Lieber CS. Polyenylphosphatidylcholine prevents carbon tetrachloride-induced lipid peroxidation while it attenuates liver fibrosis. J Hepatol. 1997 Sep;27(3):554-61.

7.Salamone F, Galvano F, Cappello F, Mangiameli A, Barbagallo I, Li Volti G. Silibinin modulates lipid homeostasis and inhibits nuclear factor kappa B activation in experimental nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Transl Res. 2012 Jun;159(6):477-86.

8.Salamone F, Galvano F, Marino Gammazza A, et al. Silibinin improves hepatic and myocardial injury in mice with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Dig Liver Dis. 2012 Apr;44(4):334-42.

9.Kim M, Yang SG, Kim JM, Lee JW, Kim YS, Lee JI. Silymarin suppresses hepatic stellate cell activation in a dietary rat model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: analysis of isolated hepatic stellate cells. Int J Mol Med. 2012 Sep;30(3):473-9.

10.Magliulo E, Gagliardi B, Fiori GP. Results of a double blind study on the effect of silymarin in the treatment of acute viral hepatitis, carried out at two medical centres (author’s transl). Med Klin. 1978 Jul 14;73(28-29):1060-5.

11.Schuppan D, Gorrell MD, Klein T, Mark M, Afdhal NH. The challenge of developing novel pharmacological therapies for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Liver Int. 2010 Jul;30(6):795-808.

12.Barzaghi N, Crema F, Gatti G, Pifferi G, Perucca E. Pharmacokinetic studies on IdB 1016, a silybin- phosphatidylcholine complex, in healthy human subjects. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet. 1990;15(4):333-38.

13.Benda L, Dittrich H, Ferenzi P, Frank H, Wewalka F. The influence of therapy with silymarin on the survival rate of patients with liver cirrhosis (author’s transl). Wien Klin Wochenschr. 1980 Oct 10;92(19):678-83.

14.Lirussi F, Azzalini L, Orando S, Orlando R, Angelico F. Antioxidant supplements for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and/or steatohepatitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Jan 24(1):CD004996.

15.Bernal-Reyes R, Escudero RB. Treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). A comparative study of ursodeoxycholic acid and alpha-tocopherol. A preliminary report. Rev Gastroenterol Mex. 2002 Apr-Jun;67(2):70-5.

17.Bell H, Bjorneboe A, Eidsvoll B, et al. Reduced concentration of hepatic alpha-tocopherol in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Alcohol Alcohol. 1992 Jan;27(1):39-46.

18.Bahcecioglu IH, Yalniz M, Ilhan N, Ataseven H, Ozercan IH. Levels of serum vitamin A, alpha-tocopherol and malondialdehyde in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: relationship with histopathologic severity. Int J Clin Pract. 2005 Mar;59(3):318-23.

19.Hasegawa T, Yoneda M, Nakamura K, Makino I, Terano A. Plasma transforming growth factor-beta1 level and efficacy of alpha-tocopherol in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: a pilot study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2001 Oct;15(10):1667-72.

20.Federico A, Trappoliere M, Tuccillo C, et al. A new silybin-vitamin E-phospholipid complex improves insulin resistance and liver damage in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: preliminary observations. Gut. 2006 Jun;55(6):901-2.

22.Ukropec J, Reseland JE, Gasperikova D, et al. The hypotriglyceridemic effect of dietary n-3 FA is associated with increased beta-oxidation and reduced leptin expression. Lipids. 2003 Oct;38(10):1023-9.

23.Xin YN, Xuan SY, Zhang JH, Zheng MH, Guan HS. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: a specific liver drug for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Med Hypotheses. 2008 Nov;71(5):820-1.

2.Kaser S, Ebenbichler CF, Tilg H. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Int J Clin Pract. 2010 Jun;64(7):968-83.

16.Medina J, Moreno-Otero R. Pathophysiological basis for antioxidant therapy in chronic liver disease. Drugs. 2005;65(17):2445-61.

21.Martin de Santa Olalla L, Sanchez Muniz FJ, Vaquero MP. N-3 fatty acids in glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Nutr Hosp. 2009 Mar-Apr;24(2):113-27.

24.Kwon do Y, Jung YS, Kim SJ, Park HK, Park JH, Kim YC. Impaired sulfur-amino acid metabolism and oxidative stress in nonalcoholic fatty liver are alleviated by betaine sup

25.Oz HS, Im HJ, Chen TS, de Villiers WJ, McClain CJ. Glutathione-enhancing agents protect against steatohepatitis in a dietary model. J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2006;20(1):39-47.plementation in rats. J Nutr. 2009 Jan;139(1):63-8.

26.Millea PJ. N-acetylcysteine: multiple clinical applications. Am Fam Physician. 2009 Aug 1;

27.Mehta K, Van Thiel DH, Shah N, Mobarhan S. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: pathogenesis and the role of antioxidants. Nutr Rev. 2002 Sep;60(9):289-93.80(3):265-9.

Alpha Science Liver Cleanse			Pure Encapsulations Liposomal Glutathione 60 Softgels				Aor Antioxidan Synergy 120 Veg Capsules
This formula detoxifies and drains toxins from the liver while supporting and regenerating weak tissue. The antioxidant properties of these herbs are made more significant due to the greater than normal level of free radicals generated during the cleansing process... Read more			Offers the key antioxidant glutathione in an enhanced absorption liposomal form.  Purified phosphatidylcholine delivery system offers natural liposomal formation due to the hydrophobic and hydrophilic nature of phospholipids... Read more				Includes the complete "Antioxidant Network," the body's five-member antioxidant defense and recycling system. Most antioxidants lose their protective power once they have quenched a single free radical... Read more
Aor Liver Support 180 Veg Capsules			Thorne MediClear 34.57 Oz				St Francis HepatoDR 250 Ml
Contains ingredients that help to support liver function and contains antioxidants for the maintenance of good health. ...Read more			Rice protein, pea protein, and accessory nutrients to support liver detoxification.MediClear is a rice and pea protein-based dietary supplement...  Read more				Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine to support liver function and as an alterative to help remove accumulated waste products via the kidneys, skin, and mucous membranes... Read more