Liver intoxication
The liver is an organ that performs most of the metabolic functions of the organism. The abuse of drugs and an unsuitable diet can poison it and cause unwanted symptoms and decompensation; in the long term, hepatic intoxication can give rise to the pathogenesis of even serious diseases, such as liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Detox diet
The nutritional aspects that negatively affect liver health are linked to the quality, quantity and composition of foods; the excess of saturated fats, carbohydrates (above all simple and refined), ethyl alcohol or the total caloric excess determine the enlargement of the liver due to fatty steatosis. To detoxify the liver with nutrition it is first of all necessary to guarantee:
- Adequacy of energy intake
- Reduction of alcohol and portions of alcoholic beverages consumption
- Percentage of lipids that should be around 30% of total calories
- Good quality of lipids and low cholesterol intake
- Total percentage of carbohydrates and in particular of simple carbohydrates which must not exceed 55-60% of total calories
- Intake of simple refined carbohydrates equal to or less than 12%
- Reduced load and glycemic index of meals
They do not help detoxify the liver: food additives, excess protein and abuse of added fructose. These components do not significantly affect the pathogenesis of fatty steatosis, but are still responsible for other mechanisms of hepatic overload.
In case of intense organ suffering it is advisable to undertake a low-calorie diet, characterized by the consumption of frequent and reduced meals, without ethyl alcohol, with a prevalence of mono and polyunsaturated fats (25-30% of total calories), with a modest load and reduced glycemic index, which completely abolishes foods containing refined sugars and junk foods.
In the most important cases, hypoallergenic therapies based on rice proteins have been tested for a total duration of 10 weeks; the results on the target organ are good but, obviously, a similar eating behavior cannot be continued further due to the lack of numerous nutritional principles. Also worthy of note is the therapy proposed by Dr. Jeffry Bland based on a "low toxin diet" , rich in n-acetyl-cysteine (NAC - anti-free radical) and favoring the endogenous synthesis of glutathione (endogenous antioxidant deriving from Niacin).
Detox supplements
If necessary, detoxifying the liver by radically modifying the diet is essential; unfortunately, when the cause of hepatic impairment derives from drug abuse, an alteration of the enzymatic function and compromise of the specific cellular integrity can occur. The enzymes involved are:
- Bioactivation enzymes that catalyze redox, reduction and hydrolysis reactions
- Detoxification enzymes that catalyze conjugation reactions
In this case, to detoxify the liver, in addition to suspending drug therapy (if possible), it could be useful to assist liver healing by optimizing nutrition through the use of some food supplements.
Drugs with hepato-toxic action act by promoting the synthesis of intrinsic hepatotoxins, but above all by providing extrinsic hepatotoxins: electrophilic metabolites and free radicals. Liver detoxification can therefore be facilitated by consuming antioxidant-rich foods or supplements.
The most used foods and supplements recommended in liver detoxification are:
- green tea and artichokes, thanks to the high content of polyphenols,
- milk thistle, containing silymarin (silybin + silidianin + silicristin), which increases the activity of the RNA ribosome through nucleolar polymerase A with a regenerative effect.
Bibliography:
- Treatise on internal medicine. Volume 3 - G. Crepaldi, A. Baritussio - Piccin -
- Total well-being. Learn about the healing mechanisms of your body to live better - Joseph Pizzorno - New techniques - pages 153: 157
- Eat that passes you. A revolutionary look at food to live healthier and longer - Filippo Ongaro - Piemme - pages 221-222.
