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Liver support capsule

Although the liver is the largest solid organ in the body, most of us tend to give it little thought and know little about what it actually does. However, if you want build muscle, recover more quickly from exercise, improve endurance, have more energy and generally feel well, it is vital that your liver is functioning optimally. This is because it is involved in more than 500 essential functions.

These include:

The liver is the major organ of detoxification. It helps to filter and remove compounds from the body, such as certain hormones and external substances ranging from drugs and alcohol to food additives, agricultural chemicals and air pollution. 

The liver is the regulator of fat metabolism.  Bile produced by the liver breaks down fats, allowing them to be used for energy production. 

The liver helps to ensure that the level of glucose in the blood remains constant. If blood glucose levels increase, the liver removes glucose from blood and stores it in the form of glycogen. If blood glucose levels become too low, the liver breaks down glycogen to release glucose into the blood. The liver can also synthesise glucose from amino acids and from glycerol (a component of fat). It can even synthesise glucose from lactate, a substance produced by muscle tissue during anaerobic metabolism which is often viewed as a waste product.

The liver plays an important role in the metabolism of proteins. When excess protein intake occurs, a process known as deamination is used to break down amino acids for energy. The liver converts the toxic by-products of this process to urea which can safely diffuse into the blood and then be excreted in urine. The liver also produces a protein known as albumin. This helps to maintain fluid balance in the body and prevent blood vessels from leaking.  It also plays a role in tissue growth and repair tissue by transporting nutrients and steroid hormones around the body.

The liver converts human growth hormone into various growth factors, such as insulin-like growth factor, or IGF 1. Sometimes known as somatomedin C, IGF1 is a hormone similar to insulin which plays an important role in childhood growth and has a powerful anabolic effect in adults.

The liver stores vitamins A, D, E, K, and B12, and the minerals iron and copper, which are released into the blood when needed.

The liver produces bile, a substance which helps the breakdown and absorption of fats, and cholesterol. As bile increases the absorption of fats, it plays an important role in the absorption of  fat-soluble substances, such as the vitamins A, D, E, and K.  Bile serves also as the route of excretion for bilirubin, a by-product of the breakdown of haemoglobin.

With the help of vitamin K, the liver produces proteins known as clotting factors that are essential for blood clotting. As bile is essential for the absorption of vitamin K, if the liver does not produce sufficient bile, blood clotting becomes compromised.

The liver plays an important role in the immune system via the large number of Kupffer cells contained within it. These capture and digest bacteria, fungi, parasites, worn-out blood cells, and cellular debris.

The liver plays a role in the maintenance of blood pressure by producing and secreting a hormone known as angiotensinogen. This helps to raise blood pressure by narrowing the blood vessels.

Maintaining a healthy liver

The liver performs all of these functions with the help of substances known as enzymes, which speed up chemical reactions in the body. When the liver is damaged or unable to function properly, these enzymes leak into the bloodstream and can then be detected by blood tests.

The liver’s ability to perform its various functions can be diminished if it becomes damaged, or overworked and exhausted. For example, if it is forced to deal with high levels of toxins in the body, it will find it more difficult to perform its other roles, such as producing IGF1, and metabolising fat and carbohydrate.

There are a number of things we can do to help maintain our liver function. For example, not consuming too much fat, moderating our alcohol intake, avoiding illicit substances and maintaining healthy body fat levels.

Although exercise can also help to maintain liver health, strenuous exercise, such as resistance training and distance running, can place additional stress on the liver, resulting in an elevation in enzyme levels.

Similarly, consuming sufficient protein is vital to liver health, as it prevents the build-up of fat and helps the liver to repair itself; however, as the process of metabolising protein produces toxins that the liver that must deal with, very high protein intakes can also put additional strain on the liver.

It’s difficult to live a life that is completely free of toxins, which is why a liver support supplement can be beneficial.  These are potent combinations of natural substances designed to promote good liver health.

 Liver support capsule

The substances contained in the Liver support capsule have been shown scientifically to provide a number of benefits for liver health. These include, but are not limited to: