Free shipping above GBP 25
Delivery within 2 working days
100 day money back guarantee
Buy more, save more – Save up to 20% discount
Certain nutritional supplements can contribute to liver detoxification by helping to remove stubborn organic pollutants from the body, which can have negative effects on health and well-being. Many popular diet methods also include liver cleansing to accelerate weight loss and increase vitality.
Preparations for liver detoxification help protect and detoxify the liver, lower elevated liver values and support liver regeneration.
The liver is the largest and heaviest organ in the body and has a wide range of critical homeostatic functions in carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism. Liver cells, or hepatocytes, are specialised cells that are responsible for performing the function of the liver.
Some of these functions include the breakdown of red blood cells, synthesis of proteins and hormones, producing bile, glycogen (energy) storage, and detoxification of metabolites.
The liver must cope with a number of potentially harmful factors from the diet, alcohol consumption, and the surrounding environment and although the liver has a strong regenerative capacity, it is sensitive to damage and prone to diseases.
The most common form of liver disease is hepatic steatosis, which is characterised by the excessive accumulation of fat in the cells of the liver. This is caused by overeating, diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption, taking medication, accumulation of toxins and toxins, protein deficiency, genetically determined disorders of lipid metabolism, pregnancy or operations such as removal of the liver or operations in which parts of the small intestine are switched off. If alcohol abuse is absent, then hepatic steatosis is clinically termed as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
NAFLD is present in most obese people and this can develop into more serious forms of the disease, including inflammatory steatohepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver. NAFLD and diabetes usually occur simultaneously and together are risks factors for progressive liver diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and increased mortality.
The most common cause of cirrhosis is long-term alcohol abuse. In the first stage of alcohol abuse there is an accumulation of toxins and a fatty liver. If alcohol consumption and thus the condition of fatty liver persists, the liver cells rearranged with fat perish and a scarred connective tissue (liver fibrosis) develops, which limits the liver functions and can no longer be reversed. With advanced scarring and storage of connective tissue, cirrhosis of the liver (shrink liver) occurs and the liver loses more and more functionality, including liver failure. Inflammation of the liver (Virsu hepatitis) or taking medication can also lead to fatty liver and consequently to liver cirrhosis.
Free radicals are atoms of oxygen and nitrogen that are unstable and highly reactive. They are a normal part of biology and are naturally generated during most reactions associated with energy metabolism. To counteract this, the body has an anti-oxidative network designed to protect the cells of the body from these free radicals.
Oxidative stress is when there is an imbalance between the production of these radicals and their elimination by the body's anti-oxidative network. This is important because the oxidative state of the liver is intimately associated with the health of the liver and the initiation of liver diseases.
Oxidative stress is pathologically associated with many chronic liver diseases such as alcoholic liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. During oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage cell membranes and DNA and activate the innate immune system and inflammation.
Liver detox supplements can help provide essential nutrients that can be used to help prevent or treat liver diseases such as NAFLD.
Liver detoxification is often incorporated to counteract the damage caused by overindulgence at the weekend or over the holidays. The increase in alcohol, fatty and rich foods, can stress the liver meaning it does not function as optimally as possible.
Liver detoxification often includes antioxidants that prevent damage caused by free radicals. Alternatively, liver detox supplements help the liver to cleanse itself of toxins and organic pollutants that build up and cause damage to the liver cells.
Many natural plants have been shown to be beneficial to the health of the liver. These bioactive compounds are described as hepatoprotective and are often shown to contain either water-soluble antioxidants, such as polyphenols and flavonoid compounds, or liver cleansers such as those found in milk thistle.
Plant-based extracts for liver detoxification can
Milk thistle is a flowering herb that is related to the daisy. It is a common herbal supplement for many liver diseases and has been used since the Greco-Roman times for treating liver problems such as jaundice, hepatitis and gallbladder stones.
Milk thistle extract contains silymarin, which is a complex of compounds known as flavonolignans. Of these, silybin is the major component and represents between 50-70% of the silymarin complex. Silybin is a potent antioxidant that has been shown to inhibit ROS formation as well as actively scavenge other reactive species.
Silybin has also been shown to have an impact on inflammation by interfering with genetic factors that are involved in inflammation. Specifically, silybin inhibits inflammatory processes that play an important role in regulating the immune response to infections.
Furthermore, scientists have also shown that silybin interferes with the action of the hormone, insulin. Silybin inhibits the uptake of glucose to fat cells in the liver and thereby reduces the production of reactive oxygen species as well as preventing a fatty liver.
These are the multiple benefits of a milk thistle supplement:
Schisandra chinensis is a medicinal plant used in modern Chinese medicine as a functional food that has a broad range of health-benefitting properties. The schisandra plant produces berries that have been described to offer a remedy against dysentery, insomnia, amnesia, and dyspnea (difficulty in breathing).
Schisandra is enriched in antioxidants, which is beneficial against diseases associated with oxidative stress. Research has shown that schisandra is hepatoprotective and can help prevent acute liver damage caused by oxidative stress.
There is also a lot of evidence showing that schisandra can suppress the release of pro-inflammatory molecules that are associated with many inflammatory diseases. This includes suppression of inflammatory agents released by the immune system in response to various disease-associated inflammatory processes.
The following list highlights the benefits of schisandra supplements:
The B-vitamins are a group of eight vitamins that are essential for optimal health and well-being. Each individual B vitamin is involved in a range of metabolic processes where they act as co-factors or co-enzymes.
Each B vitamin is unique, but has closely related functions associated with energy production. Vitamin B complex supplements help optimise these important cellular reactions and ensure that organs such as the brain, heart, and liver, function properly.
In the liver, metabolic reactions are catalysed by specific enzymes and assisted by B-vitamins, which act as co-factors or co-enzymes and help to drive the reaction forward. Without these B-vitamins there are serious negative health consequences for the liver.
Supplemental B-vitamins can help the liver to perform at its maximum as well as to protect the liver from damage caused by overindulgence in alcohol and fatty foods. Vitamin B3 (niacin) in particular has been suggested to prevent liver damage associated with NAFLD.
Advantages of B-vitamins for liver cleansing are:
N-acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) is the acetylated form of the amino acid cysteine. The amino acid cysteine contains a sulphur group. In the case of NAC, this sulphur group stimulates the synthesis of glutathione, a naturally potent and bioactive antioxidant found in the body.
NAC has been used as a therapeutic for many diseases, including respiratory illnesses, heart diseases and cancer. It has also been shown to have clinical benefits in the treatment of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity, or liver injury caused by a paracetamol overdose.
In addition, NAC has been shown to be an effective chelation agent (or binding agent) of heavy metal ions. In cases of heavy metal poisoning, NAC helps to protect the liver and kidneys from damage by increasing the excretion of these metals in the urine.
Therefore, supplemental NAC has two main mechanisms of action when it comes to protecting the liver. Firstly, it promotes the synthesis of one of the body's key antioxidants, glutathione, and secondly, it promotes detoxification.
N-acetyl-Cysteine benefits:
Lipoic acid, or alpha-lipoic acid, is a naturally occurring fatty acid that is perceived to have health benefits against chronic lifestyle diseases such as obesity and type II diabetes. Lipoic acid is predominately found in the mitochondria of all cells and is an important co-factor for many enzymes involved in the energy metabolism of the cell.
Lipoic acid is a popular choice of supplement due to its benefits against inflammation and oxidation, both of which are implicated in liver disease and diabetes.
Lipoic acid is water and fat-soluble and can easily cross the cell membrane where it has been shown to restore glutathione concentrations within the cell. Lipoic acid plays a critical role in stimulating glutathione synthesis, which itself has powerful antioxidant properties.
Lipoic acid has been demonstrated to have unique anti-oxidative properties through many different mechanisms. These include, firstly, the chelation of metals such as zinc, lead, and copper, which can accumulate and result in oxidative damage.
Secondly, lipoic acid has also been shown to have a low redox potential and can therefore quench free radicals by readily donating electrons to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species throughout the body.
Lipoic acid supplementation come with the following health benefits:
Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) has historically been used as a remedy for digestive and bowel issues. It is native to European countries around the Mediterranean and its leaves are often used to prepare herbal teas or herbal medicinal products.
More recently, artichoke extracts have been shown to have potent hepatoprotective properties through its antioxidant activity, cholesterol lowering ability and its ability to improve bile-flow in the liver.
The therapeutic effect on liver health has been shown to significantly reduce fat and cholesterol levels in the liver as well as protect the liver from oxidative stress.
Together, supplemental artichoke extracts improve liver function and prevent liver injury through the following benefits:
Liver detox supplements offer a natural alternative to effectively protect the liver from damage as well as promoting regeneration and improving liver function.
This is good for the following groups of people:
Lipoic acid, schisandra, milk thistle, artichoke, and B vitamins are often combined together to provide a complete liver detox supplement.
Liver detox supplements are scientifically proven to offer an effective and natural alternative to promote the health and well-being of the liver.
Liver detox supplements provide the following benefits:
