An adult’s liver weighs about one and a half kilograms, and at rest, approximately 1.5-2 liters of blood flows through it per minute. In our body, it acts as a kind of watchful censor. Any substance that enters the body from the digestive system must pass through this organ. Therefore, after each meal, the liver is literally flooded with nutrients, but also harmful substances.
Why is the liver a particularly important organ?
The liver plays a key role in the metabolism of polysaccharides, fats and proteins. It is estimated that over 500 metabolic processes take place in them, e.g. synthesis of certain molecules, formation of vitamins from provitamins, breakdown of complex substances, blood purification, detoxification, including inactivation of some hormones and drugs. Liver it also plays an important role in the formation of blood and the breakdown of its breakdown products. This organ has an extraordinary ability to regenerate.
For our liver to function properly, we should try not to overload it with inappropriate food, smoking, excessive amounts of alcohol and chemicals that can enter our body not only through the digestive system, but also when breathing through the lungs or touching it. through the skin. It is worth knowing that some medicinal herbs have a positive effect on liver function.
What does medicinal thistle or milk thistle contain and how does it support the liver?
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is one of the most effective herbs for the liver. It is a powerful thistle-like plant that has a highly branched stem and sharply serrated, notched leaves with white spots. At the end of the branching stem are large flower heads with red-purple flowers and spiny leaves with long spines. The medicinal part of milk thistle is the seed, which is obtained together with the peel, because the active substances are found under the seed’s peel. Milk thistle comes from the Mediterranean and is cultivated here.
This herb has been valued since ancient times. Dioscorides recommended it for spleen diseases and jaundice. Mathioli in his herbarium (1562) called it Kardus Marie, or thistle. It mainly mentions the use of the root of this herb. He recommended a decoction of milk thistle for dropsy and jaundice, described its diuretic properties and considered it a suitable remedy for kidney stones. According to Mathioli, an elixir made from milk thistle leaves and seeds was good for side pain.
What active compounds are found in Milk Thistle
Milk thistle contains compounds collectively called silymarin. These are the flavonoids silybin, isosylibin, silidianin and silycristin. Most of these substances are contained in the seeds, which are used to prepare medicinal teas in folk medicine. They can also be added to dishes, preferably after grinding in a mortar for better release of active substances. Silymarin flavonoids protect the liver parenchyma and stabilize liver cell membranes.
What is the beneficial effect of silymarin on the liver?
Silymarin has a positive effect on liver function and supports its regeneration. It is indicated during detoxification treatment, which can be a heavy burden on the liver. Silymarin is also recommended for people who smoke or drink alcohol a lot, as well as those who eat improperly. All these habits put a heavy burden on the liver.
Milk thistle extract – silymarin – what to use?
Silymarin is recommended as an adjuvant in the treatment of jaundice, followed by gallstones, acute and chronic hepatitis, steatosis (fatty liver disease), and even cirrhosis. It can also be used prophylactically when working with toxic substances or when taking medications that burden the liver.
Who and when do we recommend silymarin?
- For people taking medications that damage the liver.
- As an adjunctive therapy for alcohol-related liver damage.
- As an adjunct therapy for liver damage caused by viruses.
- For those who at work are exposed to substances that pose an extreme burden on the liver detoxification function.
What active ingredients should a good liver supplement contain?
In addition to milk thistle seed extract (preferably standardized for the presence of silymarin and silybin), a good liver supplement should contain phospholipids or their active ingredient – cholinewhich contributes to maintaining proper fat metabolism and supports the functioning of the liver. In addition, choline has a beneficial effect on maintaining proper homocysteine metabolism, which has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system.
It is worth knowing that they play an important role in cleansing and detoxifying the liver amino acids. In popular liver tablets you can find single amino acids, e.g. L-ornithineaccelerating the body’s detoxification processes. However, other amino acids also have an equally beneficial effect, such as: L-arginine, L-cysteine, L-methionine Whether L-carnitine.
Minerals that support liver function, such as: chrome and selenium. Chromium contributes to maintaining the proper metabolism of macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates, proteins), and selenium is an effective antioxidant that participates in the proper functioning of the immune system.
Why is it worth choosing Calivita Liver Aid liver capsules?
Liver Aid by Calivita is an innovative supplement that supports the functioning of the liver, its regeneration, detoxification and cleansing of the body. This unique supplement contains a combination of 11 natural active ingredients for the best support of your liver. In one capsule of the product you will find milk thistle seed extract (standardized for silymarin and silybin), choline, 5 amino acids, chromium, selenium and important alpha-ketoglutaric acid and alpha-lipoic acid.