Volume 1
Issue 20
Health First Alert
Volume 1 / Issue 22
is diagnosed by blood testing that evaluates liver
functions.
Protect your
Liver . . .
Unless addressed, NAFLD can develop into a more
serious liver disease known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or fatty liver disease. One-in-five
cases of NAFLD progress to NASH. NASH can further
develop into cirrhosis of the liver which hardens and
scars the liver, inhibiting normal function. Cirrhosis
is also commonly associated with liver damage from
alcohol consumption and can lead to morbidity.
One of the difficulties for those with NAFLD is that there
are no effective non-surgical treatments. Weight loss by
lifestyle changes or surgery and insulin sensitizers can
help, but options are limited.
Protecting the liver through lifestyle.
You can help protect your liver in the following ways:
1.Avoid intake of toxic substances. The less toxic substances you take in, the less strain on your liver.
2.Avoid processed foods, especially fatty foods high
in hydrogenated fats. Too much fat intake contributes to the accumulation of fat in the liver.
3.Avoid overeating. Overeating causes liver fatigue.
and it will protect you.
A patented plant-based ingredient is showing great potential
for liver protection.
Another major function of the liver is in regulating
The liver is one of the most important organs in the
body. It is unique, being the only organ that can regenerate itself to repair damage and can even regrow
if partially removed. On a daily basis, it is involved in
our metabolism and protects us from toxic substances.
But despite its resiliency, the liver itself also needs to
be protected. A healthy diet and a patented natural
ingredient are two ways to help protect the liver and
keep it functioning effectively for years to come.
What does the liver do?
The liver’s most well-known role is to detoxify toxic substances in the body. Pesticides, preservatives, alcohol
and metabolic waste are diluted by less toxic substances in the liver to prepare them for safe excretion by the
kidneys and bowel. The liver also breaks down hormones
like estrogen after they have completed their work.
The liver –
important for
detoxification and
metabolism.
the body’s metabolism. The liver helps to digest fats
through the production of bile. Bile is stored in the gallbladder ready to be used as required and assists in
the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and
calcium. Fats are oxidized by the liver for energy production. Further, the liver takes absorbed vitamins from
the blood and stores them for use in periods of stress.
“. . . Siliphos® “significantly
improves the clinical
plasma parameters of
liver damage . . .”
You can see why the liver’s optimal performance is so
important to our daily energy levels.
Liver issues & NAFLD.
4.Avoid drugs. Drugs, alcohol and caffeine put additional strain on the liver.
When one is unable to protect the liver through a
healthy lifestyle or has already sustained liver damage,
extra support may be needed to boost the liver’s performance. A powerful natural plant-based medicine may
deliver that extra support.
Milk thistle – The “go-to” herb for the liver.
In Canada, milk thistle has become the most commonly
used natural product for liver issues. Milk thistle is often
recommended by herbalists and has been in use for
centuries. Silymarin is typically cited as the active
component in milk thistle for liver benefits. What most
do not know, is that silymarin is a mixture of many
different flavolignans. The three major components of
are silydianin, silybin and silychristin. Of the three, it is
silybin that is considered the most potent and effective
for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and liver-protecting
benefits. Unfortunately, getting the full benefits of silybin
from milk thistle is difficult as it is so poorly absorbed
by the body. Great potential for liver health exists if the
bioavailability issues of silybin could be addressed.
Silybin is the most medicinally effective of all the
flavolignans found in
the plant
milk thistle
Most people might assume that alcohol consumption
would be the primary health issue related to the liver.
Surprisingly, it is not. The most common liver condition
in the Western world is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
or NAFLD. NAFLD is the accumulation of fat in the
liver, which can lead to chronic inflammation of the liver
and eventually liver damage. NAFLD is associated with
insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity and metabolic
syndrome. As these maladies increase in the population due to an unhealthy Western diet and lifestyle,
so does NAFLD. Over 40% of diabetics have NAFLD.
NAFLD is a disease with very few symptoms, making
it difficult to diagnose. The most common symptoms
are fatigue, malaise and abdominal discomfort. NAFLD
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(article continued from page 1)
Siliphos® - beyond milk thistle.
In attempting to make a more effective silybin formula
through improved absorption, the Italian nutraceutical
company Indena applied its patented Phytosome ®
technology to the problem. As with several other poorly
absorbed plant-based medicinals such as curcumin,
Indena was able to complex the active medicinal silybin
with phosphatidylcholine from lecithin for added protection from water and an increased absorption in intestinal
cells. When the complex of 33% silybin and 67% phosphatidylcholine was compared against silybin alone,
tests showed over a 4-fold increased bioavailability in
the blood and a 10-fold increased presence in bile.1,2
By being more available to the body for a longer period
of time than silybin alone, Siliphos® can deliver greater
health benefits. Further, the phosphatidylcholine carrier
itself also has liver protective properties.
Siliphos has been studied clinically for its liver health
benefits for over a decade. A recent study from 2011
looked at Siliphos®’s ability to protect the liver from the
effects of NAFLD. Key markers for liver health in NAFLD
patients were observed before and after Siliphos ®
supplementation. Comparisons showed an improvement in enzyme and fibrosis markers indicating liver
function and a reduction in insulin-resistance for the
Siliphos ® patients. This led researchers to conclude
that Siliphos® “significantly improves the clinical plasma
parameters of liver damage and insulin resistance in
patients suffering from NAFLD. Given the incidence of
NAFLD in overweight patients, Silphos® qualifies as a
primary option for the prevention of liver damage associated with metabolic syndrome and the progression
of NAFLD and NASH.”3
®
Another recent study conducted on children with
leukemia, demonstrated Siliphos ®’s ability to protect
the liver. Liver toxicity is a major side-effect of treating
leukemia with chemotherapy. In fact, this toxicity is the
main cause of withdrawal from chemotherapy treatments. Children administered with Siliphos® during the
chemotherapy experienced no liver damage during
treatment and the effectiveness of the chemotherapy
was not diminished.4
LI V ER SUPREME
Recommended use:
Hepatoprotectant/liver protectant. Helps to support liver function.
Recommended dose:
Adults: Take 2 capsules per day or as directed by a health care practitioner.
Medicinal ingredients:
Each vegetable capsule contains:
Siliphos® (Milk thistle (silybum marianum, fruit)). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115.2 mg
– 80% silybin
Dandelion (taraxacum officinale, root) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 mg
Alpha Lipoic Acid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 mg
Non-medicinal ingredients:
Phospholipids, silicon dioxide, cellulose, magnesium stearate,
hypromellose.
Recommended duration of use:
Use for a minimum of three weeks to see beneficial effects.
Risk information:
Consult a health care practitioner if symptoms persist or worsen.
Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you are pregnant or
breastfeeding or if you have diabetes.
Contraindications:
Do not use if you have liver or gall bladder disorders, and/or bowel obstruction. Discontinue use if you
develop symptoms of liver trouble.
Known adverse reactions:
Hypersensitivity, such as allergy, has been known to occur; in which case, discontinue.
Free from artificial flavours, artificial colours, corn, gluten, wheat, lactose, dairy, preservatives, added
sugar and yeast.
Ingredient Formula Rationale
Siliphos® silybin
Siliphos® is a patented form of silybin from milk thistle. It combines silybin in a synergistic
Phytosome® complex with phosphatidylcholine that allows silybin, the most powerful but
most poorly absorbed flavolignan in milk thistle, to be protected from water and pass into
the bloodstream and liver faster and for a longer period of time.
Research show that Siliphos® makes silybin over 4 times more available in the blood and
10 times more available in the liver than taking silybin through a typical milk thistle extract.
Siliphos® has been studied for absorption, liver protection during chemotherapy and helps
prevent liver damage and further progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
NAFLD is the most common liver disease globally and is characterized by inflammation
of the liver due to obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Silybin itself has also been studied for liver regeneration and liver cleansing and protection
from alcohol-related liver damage.
In two daily capsules, Liver Supreme delivers the clinically-researched amount of Siliphos®
silybin that was used in the major NAFLD study.
Dandelion root
Liver detoxification support.
Alpha lipoic acid
Antioxidant support. Relieves liver-related fatigue.
Past clinical trials have shown Siliphos® to be effective
against the effects of alcohol intake and hepatitis.
Patients with alcoholic hepatitis had their liver enzyme
levels return to normal much faster when using Siliphos®
than regular silybin.5
Changing one’s lifestyle can help protect the liver, undoubtedly. But for those at risk of NAFLD or alcohol-related liver issues, clearly Siliphos® holds great promise
in protecting the liver without side-effects.
Phytosome® Technology
REFERENCES
1. Barzaghi, N Crema F, Gatti G, et al. “Pharmokinetic studies on IdB 1016,
a silybin-phosphatidylcholine complex, in healthy human subjects.”
European Journal of Drug Metabol. Pharmokinet.1990; 15; 333-338.
2. Morazzoni, P. Montalbetti A., Malandrino S., Pifferi G., European
Journal of Drug Metabol. Pharmokinet. 18, 289 (1993).
Phytosome® technology is used to make poorly absorbed plant-source actives
(like curcumin and silybin) more available in the body.
Phytosome ®
complexed
silybin
Phytosome® complexes the plant-source active with phosphatidylcholine which:
3. Loguercio, Carmela et al. “Silybin combined with phosphatidylcholine and
vitamin E in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized
controlled trial.” Free Radical Biology and Medicine. February 5, 2012.
4. Ladas, Elena J. MS, RD et al. “A randomized, controlled, double-blind,
pilot study of milk thistle for treatment of hepatotoxicity in childhood
acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)”. Cancer. January 15, 2010.
5. Kidd, Parris, PhD. and Kathleen Head. “A review of the bioavailability and
clinical efficacy of milk thistle phytosome: A silybin-phoshatidylcholin complex
(Siliphos ®).” Alternative Medicine Review. Volume 10, Number 3. 2005. Pg. 197.
1) Protects the plant material from water.
Cell
wall
2) Allows the plant actives to more easily pass through cell walls for absorption.
The end result is that the silybin in Siliphos® is almost 5 times more available in the
blood and 10 times more available in the liver, so that the many benefits of silybin from
milk thistle can be fully realized.
Health First ® products available exclusively at:
Siliphos ® and Phytosome ®
are trademarks of Indena S.p.A.
www.healthfirst.ca