The health of each one of us depends on how well our body neutralises and removes toxins. With exposure to the countless toxins found in the air, water, processed foods, body care products, and popular stimulants we are in desperate need of an effective detox. One of the main ways that the body eliminates toxins is through the liver.
Key Functions of the Liver
Liver is an extremely important organ. Without liver we can’t survive as it is responsible for performing over 500 vital functions including the following:
- Filtration of blood and detoxification
- Bile production and digestion of fat
- Storing vitamins (A, D, E, K, B12) and minerals (iron and copper)
- Glucose processing and storage
- Regulation of amino acids (proteins)
- Regulation of blood clotting
- Helping resist infections
Most Common Liver Problems
Unfortunately, modern lifestyle, unhealthy diet, high levels of toxins, and regular use of stimulants and medication force liver to overwork leading to its dysfunction.
Liver problems are very common and include the following:
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver is increasingly common, especially in Western nations. It is affecting people who drink little to no alcohol. It is not clear why some people accumulate more fat in the liver than others.
However, the regular consumption of foods containing refined sugar, high glucose/fructose syrup (found in many products), white flour products, sodas, fruit juices, and refined carbohydrates greatly contribute to the development of fatty liver.
Liver always converts excess sugar to fat and stores it. Fructose seems to be more dangerous than glucose because part of glucose is used to produce energy while excess is converted to fat. Fructose, on the other hand, is almost entirely converted to fat and stored in the liver.
- Alcohol-related fatty liver (alcoholic fatty liver disease) is caused by regular intake of alcohol. Even if you drink every day for two or three weeks you may start developing fatty liver. This is so because the liver turns excess glucose from alcohol into fat and accumulates it.
- Gallstones (liver stones) are stones formed in the gallbladder out of bile components (especially cholesterol). Most gallstones don’t cause any symptoms but if they block one of the bile ducts, they can cause severe pain.
- Liver cirrhosis develops when liver cells are damaged due to toxic overload, fatty liver disease, viral infections (hepatitis), bad diet, medications, and frequent use of stimulants. The scar tissue gradually leads to liver failure which usually requires liver transplant.
- Hepatitis A, B and C caused by viral infections.
- Autoimmune hepatitis. In this condition the patient’s own immune system attacks the liver cells causing inflammation and damage.
- Jaundice appears as a yellow discolouration in the skin and eyes. It is a result of a high level of bilirubin, a yellow bile pigment. It may have many causes, including hepatitis, gallstones and liver cancer.
- Liver cancer
Key Causes of Liver Problems
The following are regarded as the key causes of liver problems:
- Deficiency of Antioxidants, B vitamins, vitamin D, and other vital nutrients
- Consumption of high glucose/fructose syrup (present in many processed foods and drinks), refined sugar, fruit juices, and other refined products
- High levels of toxins in food, water and skincare products
- Regular use of alcohol, caffeine and other stimulants
- Prescribed and over the counter medication
- High levels of homocysteine in the liver
- Fried food and overheated fats
- Viral infections and weak immunity
- Circulatory deficiency (sluggish blood circulation)
- Chronic illness
- Dehydration (drinking insufficient amount of clean water)
- Ageing and hereditary causes
Nutritional Supplement to Support Liver Health
Fortunately, there are many effective ways to improve detoxification and health of the liver. You can do it by consuming more fresh raw vegetables and reducing intake of processed and fried foods. Very important is also avoiding alcohol, caffeine, as well as refined products, especially sugar, fruit juices, and high fructose/glucose syrup.
In addition, you can greatly improve your efforts to support your liver and detoxification by taking right nutritional supplements such as Livercare.
Livercare contains 17 carefully selected ingredients including Vitamins, Minerals, Antioxidants, Milk Thistle, Dandelion, Turmeric, Artichoke, L-cysteine, and Lipotropic (fat-burning) Factors (Methionine, Choline and Inositol).
The key benefits of using Livercare include:
- Reduction of the build-up of toxins in the liver
- Assisting the body in production of new liver cells
- Preventing accumulation of fat in the liver
- Helping to stimulate bile flow to improve digestion and preventing the formation of bile stones
- Supporting liver function and digestion of foods
- Helping to lower cholesterol (cholesterol is the key ingredient of liver stones)
- Helping to lower homocysteine levels (high levels of homocysteine contribute to liver problems)
- Promoting general health
One of the active ingredients of Livercare is Milk Thistle which is well-known for its excellent liver health supporting properties. Milk Thistle, with its key active ingredient, Silymarin, can provide the following benefits:
- Has potent antioxidant properties
- Helps reduce lipid peroxidation
- Helps rejuvenate liver cells damaged by toxins and alcohol
- Promotes liver detoxification
- Supports normal digestion by stimulating enzyme formation and increasing bile production
- Helps reduce free radical production in the liver
- Potentially acts as a “toxic blockade agent”
- Helps maintain normal blood glucose levels (very important for liver health)
- Has natural anti-inflammatory properties
- Helps lower cholesterol
Other ingredients of Livercare help provide the following benefits:
Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and Folic Acid help to lower levels of homocysteine. Maintaining low histamine levels is important because homocysteine was found to contribute to the liver inflammation and liver fibrosis.
L-Cysteine and L-Methionine are amino acids that are rich in Sulphur. Sulphur increases Glutathione (body’s most powerful antioxidant). By increasing glutathione they help prevent liver damage. Liver dysfunction is strongly associated with Glutathione deficiency.
Choline and Inositol (lipotropic B-vitamins) help burn fat and reduce accumulation of fat in the liver. In this way they reduce the risk of fatty liver disease and other liver problems. Additionally, Choline supplies methyl groups needed for detoxification and normal metabolic functions in the liver.
Artichoke, Barberry and Dandelion aid digestion of fatty foods and support liver by detoxifying it. They also help increase bile secretion and flow (important also in the prevention of gallstones and liver stones). In addition, they also help lower cholesterol (by excreting it with bile).
Curcumin 3 (from Turmeric) stimulates the production of glutathione (body’s strongest antioxidant). It helps reduce triglyceride and cholesterol deposits in the liver. Curcumin also stimulates secretion of bile improving digestion of fatty foods and helps prevent alcohol induced liver toxicity.
Livercare is beneficial for people who need liver support in liver detoxification and regeneration due to poor dietary habits and regular use of stimulants, such as alcohol.
Related Articles
- Causes and Prevention of Gallstones (Liver Stones)
- Three Phases of Liver Detox
- Diet & Nutritional Supplements for Fatty Liver
Sources
- Vitamin B12, folate could help treat severe non-alcoholic fatty liver disease:
- B vitamins could help treat severe nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (medicalnewstoday.com)
- Amino acids, l-Cysteine and l-Methionine, Attenuate Activation of Rat Stellate Cells in Primary Culture:
- Amino acids, L-Cysteine and L-Methionine, Attenuate Activation of Rat Stellate Cells in Primary Culture - PMC (nih.gov)
- The role of curcumin in liver diseases
- Efficacy of artichoke leaf extract in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- Effects of Artichoke Supplementation on Liver Enzymes
- Choline’s role in maintaining liver function
- Milk thistle: https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/milk-thistle
- 7 Science-Based Benefits of Milk Thistle:
- Inositol and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- Dandelion prevents liver fibrosis, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress in rats
- Protective Effects of Taraxacum officinale L. (Dandelion) Root Extract in Experimental Acute on Chronic Liver Failure:
- Barberry: The Herb that Cleanses Your Gut, Liver and Gallbladder
Any information or product suggested on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition. Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Consult your primary healthcare physician before using any supplements or making any changes to your regime.
