Once upon a time, fatty liver wasn’t something “normal” folks worried about. Only people who drank too much were at risk.
But those days are LONG over.
Now, even if you avoid booze, you could end up the proud owner of a plump liver.
The typical Western diet is to blame in the majority of cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Plus, experts suspect certain common chemicals such as PCBs play a role in the disease too.
Obesity and type 2 diabetes put you at risk as well. So it’s no surprise that as rates of both shot through the roof, cases of NAFLD did too.
In fact, fatty liver disease is SO common these days it’s easy to ignore. But that could be a BIG mistake.
Fatty liver disease could raise cancer risk
Over time, NAFLD can progress to a far more severe form of the disease called NASH.
Which means it’s more important than ever to take steps to protect your liver. And researchers from Second Military Medical University in Shanghai have just revealed one way we can do just that.
Scientists from SMMU turned to traditional Chinese medicine for a potential solution to fatty liver disease.
They tested an extract of the Schisandra sphenanthera berry, or Five Flavor Fruit, in an animal experiment. Wuzhi capsules made from the Schisandra berry are a common medicinal remedy in China.
Protect your liver with Schisandra berry extract
For the study, the researchers fed a group of mice a diet designed to trigger fatty liver disease. But some of the mice also received a daily dose of a Schisandra berry extract as well.
After five weeks, the difference between the two main groups was remarkable.
At the end of the experiment, the livers of the critters which got the supplement had FAR less…
- fat buildup
- inflammation
- damage
The researchers say the Five Flavor Fruit protected the mice against NAFLD. And there’s every reason to believe Schisandra berry may be able to do the same for us.
Extracts ranging from 50 to 1000 mg a day were tested in the new study. And it appears that 250 mg may be an optimal dose to protect against fatty liver disease.
Schisandra berries, capsules, and both powder and liquid extracts are available online and in health food stores.
But keep in mind supplements imported from China aren’t always tested as thoroughly as products made closer to home. So look for one that’s organic, if possible. And make sure it’s from a maker you trust.
Most people don’t have symptoms with NAFLD. So don’t wait until it’s too late to start thinking about protecting your precious liver.
She is an advocate of self-education and is passionate about the power of group knowledge sharing, like the kind found right here on HealthierTalk.com. Alice loves to share her views on holistic and natural healing as well as her, sometimes contentious, thoughts on the profit-driven inner workings of traditional medicine.
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