Liver Support: A Review of Ingredients
Healthmasters’ Liver Support was developed with one idea in mind: healthy liver function.
The liver is tasked with a wide range of responsibilities, including processing carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and micronutrients and breaking down and eliminating alcohol, toxins, hormones, and medications. Some health care professionals even believe that the health of the body depends on the health of the liver.
In this article, we will review this product’s four ingredients and how they each promote healthy liver function. *
Selenium
Selenium is a useful, natural element that is vital for healing liver disease, reversing cirrhosis, and healing hepatitis. Selenium has several functions in the liver. For example, selenium has protective and detoxifying effects against liver enzymes [1]. Selenium maintains the liver’s glutathione antioxidant system because it is a powerful antioxidant [2]. Also, selenium promotes overall liver tissue health and elasticity [3].
Studies have found selenium to be beneficial against liver cirrhosis [4] [5], helpful for alcoholic liver injury [6] [7], non-fatty liver disease [8], liver tumors [9], and liver cancer [10] because of its powerful antioxidative effects. Overall, selenium powerfully promotes liver health.
In Healthmasters’ Liver Support, selenium is in the form as L-selenomethionine, which is the most bioavailable and absorbable form of selenium.
Milk Thistle Extract
Milk thistle extract is generally known to be very beneficial for liver health because of its active ingredient, silymarin. Studies support this notion.
Silymarin promotes liver health by supporting antioxidant activity, neutralizing toxins, and protecting the genetic material of hepatocyte cells, which are the chief functional cells of the liver. Also, silymarin endorses the production of cellular glutathione, a compound that is active in the antioxidant and detoxification systems.
A 2006 study investigated the effects of silymarin in the liver. Researchers found the compound to have many forces, including maintaining healthy levels of fat peroxidation and fibrous tissue formation, supporting a healthy immune response and the natural response to inflammation, and promoting protein synthesis and healthy regeneration of liver tissue [11].
The compound has been clinically tested as well.
In a 2009 randomized, placebo-controlled trial researchers evaluated the efficacy of using silymarin to aid symptoms, signs, and laboratory test results in individuals with acute clinical hepatitis, regardless of etiology. After conducting their study, researchers concluded, “Our results suggest that standard recommended doses of silymarin are safe and may be potentially effective in improving symptoms of acute clinical hepatitis” [12].
A collection of studies have found silymarin to be beneficial for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [13] [14] [15] [16] [17], hepatitis C [18] [19], and liver cancer [20] [21] [22].
Moreover, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, milk thistle improves liver function and increases survival in people with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis [23].
Healthmasters’ Liver Support contains a high-potent milk thistle extract that is 80% silymarin.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA)
ALA is a very effective antioxidant that reduces liver fibrosis associated with liver inflammation, can support liver regeneration, and can reverse liver cirrhosis, which conventional medicine that was previously impossible [24] [25] [26].
Also, like silymarin, ALA supports the production of cellular glutathione. ALA also helps to regenerate antioxidant vitamins E and C, helps maintain the ratio of reduced to oxidized CoQ10 in the mitochondria, and helps support healthy levels of nitric oxide in the liver and kidneys [27].
Studies have also found ALA to have beneficial effects in chemically-induced liver damage [28] [29] [30], liver and pancreatic cancer [31], and fatty liver disease [32].
Because of ALA’s powerful action, it has many potent, liver-supporting effects.
N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC)
NAC is a derivative of the sulfur-containing amino acid L-cysteine and also primarily promotes the synthesis of glutathione. In addition to playing a pivotal role in the body’s antioxidant and detoxification systems, glutathione also supports a strong defense against environmental pollutants that damage the liver, gamma-radiation, and other potential toxins [33].
Studies have also found that NAC plays a beneficial role in chemically-induced liver damage [34] [35] and organ transplant success [36].
Conclusion
Each of these four ingredients was specifically chosen because of their liver-supporting roles. These ingredients promote healthy glutathione production, antioxidant defense, and inflammation support to support well-balanced liver health.
If you have any questions about Healthmasters’ Liver Support, please feel free to call our office at 800.726.1834.
References:
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5793112/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30288658
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17122412
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24191312
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9746205
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31028195
[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29862408
[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20188144
[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26522247
[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20380634
[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17213517
[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19303273
[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29245314
[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23087748
[15] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28419855
[16] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27158393
[17] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28454924
[18] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27842532
[19] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29135373
[20] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16675592
[21] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26189518
[22] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26011349
[24] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9607614
[25] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28177698
[26] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27827802
[27] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18068886
[28] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29500983
[29] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30632398
[30] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29233029
[31] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20042414
[32] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20153726
[33] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18289923
[34] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21175036
[35] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29605069
[36] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19010165
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
