Q: What is a good anti-oxidant for liver and gall bladder support?
Dr. Henry Cheng: Fatty liver, alcoholic liver and cirrhosis are degenerative in nature. Hepatitis and most gall bladder diseases are infective and inflammatory in origin. Degenerative and inflammatory diseases are mediated by free radicals that can be neutralized by anti-oxidants. An anti-oxidant specific for the liver is glutathione. Glutathione is made of 3 peptide molecules: glutamine, glycine, and cystein. It is required for detoxification processes. Glutathione works best when it is in the reduced form because oxidation and reduction are opposite processes. So if you want a good glutathione preparation, get the Reduced Glutathione from AOR or Thorne Research. You can also increase your body’s glutathione level by taking SAM-e (S-Adenosyl-l-Methionine). SAM-e promotes the synthesis of glutathione, RNA, DNA, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylcholine, and neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, etc. Its action is due to its methylation effect and its role in homocysteine metabolism. Hence, it works best if taken together with anti- homocysteine vitamins like B1, B6, B12, folic acid, and trimethylglycine (e.g. “Vessel Care” by Metagenics).
Henry Cheng is a medical graduate of the University of London, England and is now Natural Products Consultant at Pharmasave Health Centre Downtown Cloverdale.
