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Detoxify Your Body for Better Health

by Dr. Julian Whitaker

Published 04/30/09

This Herb Boosts and Rejuvenates Your Liver

If I could recommend only one thing to protect and empower your liver, it would be the herb milk thistle (Silybum marianum). The chief constituent in milk thistle, silymarin, is an exceptionally powerful enhancer of liver function and a potent antioxidant-it's estimated to be 10 times as powerful as vitamin E in the liver.

Silymarin stimulates the production of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, and blocks other enzymes involved in free radical activity. But its most important actions are on glutathione, the antioxidant which, as I described, is vital for detoxification. The more glutathione, the better the liver can neutralize toxins. Silymarin not only prevents the depletion of glutathione, it also increases glutathione levels-and thus the liver's detox potential-by up to 35 percent. Finally, silymarin stimulates the production of new liver cells, making it an excellent therapy for treating liver damage caused by toxic chemicals, drugs or alcohol.

Numerous studies have shown that, even in patients with chronic alcoholic liver disease, silymarin can improve measures of lipid peroxidation (free radical damage) and antioxidant status. Months of milk thistle seem to make up for years of indiscretion! This herb can even improve the course of cirrhosis (severe scarring of the liver) and other serious liver conditions. Patients with hepatitis often respond favorably, and intravenous treatments have saved the lives of people poisoned by Amanita phalloides, a highly toxic wild mushroom.

•       If you are on the Whitaker Program of diet, nutritional supplementation, and exercise, you have a leg up on protecting your liver. In addition, I recommend a milk thistle supplement for one month. Look for a product with a standardized extract containing 80 percent silymarin. Take 150-175 mg three times a day with water. You may discontinue this after one month. If you have symptoms of toxic overload, repeat it for one more month. Repeat this whole program two or three times a year.

A combination product is a good way to give your liver a helping hand. I recommend Milk Thistle Extract by Ethical Nutrients 800-692-9400 or Milk Thistle Power from L&H Vitamins 800-221-1152.

Liver Damage from Acetaminophen

One toxin that may be inadvertently poisoning you is a common painkiller-acetaminophen. It is as effective in relieving pain as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and aspirin, without the gastrointestinal side effects. It differs from NSAIDs in that its analgesic effect is produced by direct action on the perception of pain through the central nervous system. However, acetaminophen has its own set of horrors.

As acetaminophen breaks down in the body, about five percent of it is metabolized into a toxin, which is normally neutralized in the liver by glutathione. But when taken in too high a dose, the toxin overwhelms the detoxification process and damages the liver.

Acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause of hospitalization for acute liver failure, and is more common than you would think. If your arthritis pain is severe, you might be tempted to take an extra dose, yet 10-15 grams (the recommended top dose is 4 grams a day) would be life threatening, as would lower doses for individuals with compromised livers or kidneys.

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