Liver Protection Questions

[Snarf]

As a backgrounder, I work for a pharmaceutical manufacturer and am involved with a drug that has a high incidence of hepatic toxicities so I am very familiar with the concerns a physician would have in using a hepatotoxic drug and the steps they would take to manage both clinical and laboratory adverse events.

I have researched this somewhat online and cannot find any clinical evidence that prophylactic use of any agent will protect your liver from these toxicities or once they have occured that any agent will help reverse the damage or at least normalize laboratory LFT values.

There are a variety of OTC supplements available that claim to do these things, but are we just taking a pill to make ourselves feel better becuase we are worried about these side effects? If they do work, can anyone explain their mode of action?

I tend to be very conservative on my stacks to minimize any liver involvement and would love to find something to give me more protection but I am skeptical about these supplements.

Peace and chicken grease!

 

[BullGod]

My limited understanding is that when the liver metabolizes a drug, it causes a depletion in certain enzymes. I think certain supplements help restore these enzymes. Specifically, anything that increases glutathione is thought to help restore enzymes lost in the liver due to metabolization of toxins.

At least that is my understanding, but I would also be interested in more info. as I strictly run oral 17AA cycles and religiously supplement with liver aids.

 

[buffdoc]

FThe most foolproof way to protect the liver is to avoid orals and Winny.
The theory behind "liver protection" is antioxidant protection, just like w/ any cell or tissue. Glutathione is a big player in the liver. This is one reason that MT, NAC, ALA etc are considered essential.
Evidence? You can find it for or against the use of these supplements, just like with anything else.

 

[drveejay11]

Well said Buffdoc . To add to what Buff said, MT also has been proven to actually efficiently regenerate new liver cells

 

[Snarf]

I don' t think that is quite right.

Basically, when you get a Liver Funtion Test (LFT) it is largely measuring liver enzymes (ALT and AST). If these values are elevated it means that there is some cell destruction within the liver that is causing these enzymes to be released into the bloodstream. Therefore, serum liver enzyme levels are a good marker for liver cell damage.

I do not think the exogenous oral supplementation of these enzymes will have any beneficial affect. First, most would be simply digested and not reach the bloodstream, and what did reach the blood would not be in enough concentrations within the liver to have any affect. And they would certainly not be able to repair the cell damage or even slow it down.

 

[Snarf]

Any idea where you saw the Milk Thistle reference that it regenerates liver cells?

I can potentially see the benefits of the anti-oxidants but am not sure this will protect liver cells from hepatotoxic drugs. Is this an oxidative event? My understanding is that anti-oxidants are fighting free radicals and this would not be related to the liver damage we are discussing.