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American Grown and Processed
American Grown and Processed
The liver is a very important organ in the body which helps to detoxify metabolites and drugs, plays a major role in carbohydrate, protein, amino acid, and lipid metabolism, and produces bile for the digestive tract. The liver also stores certain fat-soluble vitamins and energy in the form of glycogen. With over 200 individual specific functions, the liver is an organ you cannot live without.
Chronic alcohol consumption is the leading cause of liver disease and my eventually progress to cirrhosis or a form of cancer known as hepatocellular carcinoma. Chronic liver disease is characterized by metabolic dysregulation, enhanced oxidative stress, inflammation, and steatosis (fatty liver). And special immune cells in the liver (called Kupffer cells) undergo changes with chronic alcohol intake which cause them to increase their secretion of cytokines and promote inflammation.
The ability of CBD to help protect the liver and improve liver function has mainly been studied in the context of alcohol-induced liver disease and obesity (discussed below). But there is also evidence that CBD’s antioxidant effects can help protect the liver following ischemia. It may also help protect the liver from hepatotoxicity, as shown with both cadmium (a heavy metal) and cocaine. CBD has also been shown to improve both brain and liver function in a mouse model of hepatic encephalopathy.
In the case of alcohol-related liver problems, CBD has been shown to reduce the injury to the liver caused by binge drinking. CBD also helps to reduce alcohol-induced steatosis (fatty liver) and to attenuate the dysregulation of numerous key genes in fatty acid biosynthesis and oxidation pathways. CBD was also able to reverse the changes the Kupffer cells induced by chronic alcohol use.
The liver also plays a role in glucose and lipid (fat) metabolism. Obesity is also linked with a fatty liver (called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease). Studies with CBD in obese mouse models showed that CBD was able to increase the use of lipids by the liver and thus inhibited the development of steatosis (fatty liver). In fact, CBD may exert beneficial effects on lipid metabolism independently from its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions and has been shown to reduce lipid accumulation in hepatocytes and adipocytes in obese mice. Thus, CBD may act as a protectant against a fatty liver, both in cases of alcohol-induced and non-alcohol induced fatty liver.
In summary, CBD shows promise as a compound that can protect the liver from damage due to metabolic dysregulation as well as protection from oxidative stress and inflammation. Luckily, you can order a bottle of Wai Natural’s purified CBD extract and start protecting your liver today!
