Liver Protection

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Since so many guys are always asking about taking orals I figured I would post a few tips to keep your liver healthy and yourself in doing so. If I miss anything please add on to the list.

1. ALA- great supplement for helping liver function; medical reports proving its success. dosages vary, I say 1gram when on.
2. NAC- supports liver function and production of L-glutathione
3. L-glutathione- a natural protein that protects cells from free radicals; some say it is ineffective orally but it is cheap
4. Milk Thistle (silymarin)- great herbal supplement for helping restore healthy liver func; can be taken year round
5.Vitamin C and E- helpful antioxidants
6.Water- drink plently of water it helps flush your system
7.Do not drink alcohol

Blends/brands worth trying: Liv52, tyler liver detox,MRM liver protection

hope this is helpful

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Some of the symptoms and signs of liver disease are:
-An abnormal discoloration of the skin and eyes. This is called jaundice and is often the first indication of liver disease.
-Dark urine
-Gray, yellow, or light-colored stools
-Fatigue or a decrease in endurance
-Nausea, vomiting, and/or loss of appetite. Sometimes when the disease blocks the flow of blood through the liver, there will be blood in the vomit or in the stool.
-Abdominal swelling caused by ascites or an accumulation of fluid in the abdomen
-Unusual change in weight, either an increase or decrease
-Abdominal pain
-Sleep disturbances, confusion, and coma, caused by the accumulation of toxins in the brain, occur in severe or end-stage liver disease

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Milk Thistle
Milk thistle for the treatment of liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Jacobs BP, Dennehy C, Ramirez G, Sapp J, Lawrence VA.

Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA. jacobsb@ocim.ucsf.edu

PURPOSE: Milk thistle, an herbal compound, is the dietary supplement taken most frequently by patients with chronic liver disease. We performed a systematic review of the literature to determine the efficacy and safety of this herb for the treatment of liver disease. METHODS: We searched English and non-English reports through July 1999 using thirteen databases and reference lists, and contacting manufacturers and technical experts. Reviewers independently screened all reports to identify randomized placebo-controlled trials that evaluated milk thistle for the treatment of liver disease. Outcomes of primary interest included mortality, histological findings on liver biopsy specimens, serum aminotransferase and albumin levels, and prothrombin times. RESULTS: Fourteen trials met inclusion criteria. Four trials reported outcomes for mortality among 433 participants. The overall summary odds ratio for mortality in the milk thistle group compared with placebo was 0.8 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.5 to 1.5; P = 0.6). Three trials assessed histology on liver biopsy; study quality was inversely associated with the likelihood of histological benefit for milk thistle compared with placebo. There were no differences in serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, or albumin levels, or prothrombin times, among participants assigned to milk thistle compared with those assigned to placebo. The only statistically significant difference was a greater reduction in alanine aminotransferase levels among patients with chronic liver disease assigned to milk thistle (-9 IU/L, 95% CI: -18 to -1 IU/L; P = 0.05), but this reduction was of negligible clinical importance and no longer statistically significant after limiting analyses to studies of longer duration or of higher quality. The frequency of adverse effects was low and, in clinical trials, indistinguishable from placebo. CONCLUSION: Treatment with milk thistle appears to be safe and well tolerated. We found no reduction in mortality, in improvements in histology at liver biopsy, or in biochemical markers of liver function among patients with chronic liver disease. Data are too limited to exclude a substantial benefit or harm of milk thistle on mortality, and also to support recommending this herbal compound for the treatment of liver disease.







The use of silymarin in the treatment of liver diseases.

Saller R, Meier R, Brignoli R.

Abteilung Naturheilkunde, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland.

The high prevalence of liver diseases such as chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis underscores the need for efficient and cost-effective treatments. The potential benefit of silymarin (extracted from the seeds of Silybum marianum or milk thistle) in the treatment of liver diseases remains a controversial issue. Therefore, the objective of this review is to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of silymarin by application of systematic approach. 525 references were found in the databases, of which 84 papers were retained for closer examination and 36 were deemed suitable for detailed analysis. Silymarin has metabolic and cell-regulating effects at concentrations found in clinical conditions, namely carrier-mediated regulation of cell membrane permeability, inhibition of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway, scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) of the R-OH type and action on DNA-expression, for example, via suppression of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB. Pooled data from case record studies involving 452 patients with Amanita phalloides poisoning show a highly significant difference in mortality in favour of silibinin [the main isomer contained in silymarin] (mortality 9.8% vs 18.3% with standard treatment; p < 0.01). The available trials in patients with toxic (e.g. solvents) or iatrogenic (e.g. antispychotic or tacrine) liver diseases, which are mostly outdated and underpowered, do not enable any valid conclusions to be drawn on the value of silymarin. The exception is an improved clinical tolerance of tacrine. In spite of some positive results in patients with acute viral hepatitis, no formally valid conclusion can be drawn regarding the value of silymarin in the treatment of these infections. Although there were no clinical end-points in the four trials considered in patients with alcoholic liver disease, histological findings were reported as improved in two out of two trials, improvement of prothrombin time was significant (two trials pooled) and liver transaminase levels were consistently lower in the silymarin-treated groups. Therefore, silymarin may be of use as an adjuvant in the therapy of alcoholic liver disease. Analysis was performed on five trials with a total of 602 patients with liver cirrhosis. The evidence shows that, compared with placebo, silymarin produces a nonsignificant reduction of total mortality by -4.2% [odds ratio (OR) 0.75 (0.5 - 1.1)]; but that, on the other hand, the use of silymarin leads to a significant reduction in liver-related mortality of-7% [OR: 0.54 (0.3 - 0.9); p < 0.01]. An individual trial reported a reduction in the number of patients with encephalopathy of -8.7% (p = 0.06). In one study of patients with cirrhosis-related diabetes mellitus, the insulin requirement was reduced by -25% (p < 0.01). We conclude that available evidence suggests that silymarin may play a role in the therapy of (alcoholic) liver cirrhosis. Silymarin is has a good safety record and only rare case reports of gastrointestinal disturbances and allergic skin rashes have been published. This review does not aim to replace future prospective trials aiming to provide the 'final' evidence of the efficacy of silymarin.

[Crazee_786]

so milk thistle is pretty much worthless?

i'm considering not taking it, since I have also read it inhibits protein synthesis....

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NAC is the way to go.

[DarkFalcon]

NAC is the way to go.

What's the recommended dosage? The only source I saw was 1g ED.

[Crazee_786]

ya 1g daily is a good amount. u can go up to 1.5g ED if u want (NAC)

[bluehazard]

ya 1g daily is a good amount. u can go up to 1.5g ED if u want (NAC)

All at once or divided up?

[Number69]

Yeah I'm pretty sure it was Dave Palumbo in MD that said milk thistle inhibits protein synthesis so if you're just maintaining between heavy cycles it would be OK. The best thing for liver protection is to take injectables over orals IMO!