Showing some (foundational) love for the liver!

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

by Adam Killpartrick, DC, CNS

The world we live in provides ample opportunity for us to inundate ourselves with toxins and severely tax our livers. Toxins are everywhere and seem to be ever-expanding these days. Some of the most common examples include medications, hormones, agricultural chemicals, food additives, household cleaners, environmental pollutants, bacterial or viral endotoxins, and cellular waste. More enjoyable (for some) ways to beat up your liver would be through alcohol consumption and application of cosmetics (only one of which I partake in on occasion...and it’s not cosmetics).

This is less than ideal and the least we can do as responsible liver owners is to throw a little love the liver’s way. There are many strategies to accomplish this but providing foundational support for the liver can easily be approached from a proactive standpoint and is a great place to start. Two natural compounds, Nacetylcysteine (NAC) and milk thistle, lend outstanding and much needed foundational liver support.*

Let's quickly review, there are two phases to liver detoxification. Phase One converts fat soluble toxicants to intermediary metabolites, which are actually more toxic and reactive than their predecessors. Phase II then converts these toxic intermediaries into water soluble metabolites to be excreted.

The six main pathways of liver detoxification to support and nourish include: Sulfation, Glucuronidation, Glutathione conjugation, Acetylation, Amino acid conjugation, and Methylation. Sulfation, for example, requires sulfur-containing amino acids. Nacetylcysteine (NAC) contains critical sulfur containing molecules, which is why it is considered one of the beneficial nutrients you can take to support detox pathways.* In fact, NAC has both a direct and indirect role in detoxification.* Directly, this nutrient supports healthy expression of the Cytochrome P450 enzymes.* Indirectly, NAC supports healthy levels of intracellular glutathione, thus supporting healthy antioxidant levels.*

Milk thistle is another, perhaps one of the best known supportive botanicals for optimal liver
function. Again, the role of this botanical is multifaceted as well. Milk thistle holds tremendous antioxidant potential which is key in detoxification.* Milk thistle is known to provide antioxidant support, healthy membrane integrity and intercellular protein synthesis, healthy levels of fibrotic activity, and inflammatory and immune support.*

Some of the other great botanicals you can use to provide foundational liver support would be dandelion, schisandra and turmeric. Combining those with cruciferous vegetables makes for an airtight strategy for supporting and throwing some love over to the liver. What are some other strategies you use to show your liver some love?

posted by Innate Response at

7:57 AM

Showing some (foundational) love for the liver!

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