Opti-Lipotropic/Vita-Lipotropic
Nutrition for the Liver

by Michael Ancharski, N.D.

Formerly Clinical Director of the Outpatient Teaching Clinic

at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine

edited by Dr. M. Moribund (with explanatory notes by the editor)

Editors' note:  This literature piece is written for doctors but the bottom line is that this product is formulated to unclog congested livers, which is among other things, the main cause of PMS & stimulate bile flow.  Since bile is a natural laxative this product is one of the best ways to ensure regularity without habit-forming laxatives.  Please consult your health care practitioner for other uses of Vita or Opti-Lipotropic.

  This product combines five nutritional factors required for the transferal of triglycerides from the liver to the serum with botanical substances that increase bile and cholesterol excretion into the gut. By mobilizing these components the fat content of the liver is reduced. Hepatoprotective components are also included to prevent liver damage and fatty degeneration, and to help restore normal liver function after exposure to toxins.

  Choline is the prototypical lipotropic substance and along with its precursor, the amino acid Methionine, was shown to prevent the development of fatty liver after ethanol or sucrose feedings.¹ 

  Ethanol-(grain alcohol), increases the Choline requirement of livers.²  However, Choline does not prevent fatty liver development in the absence of pyridoxine-(Vitamin B-6).³ Other compounds such as Inositol and Betaine (the oxidation product of Choline) influence Choline’s lipotropic activity. The formation by the liver of Phosphorylcholine which enables Glycoprotein  synthesis is diminished in Choline deficiency.⁴ The im­paired transport of triglycerides from the liver, which is mainly responsible for fatty livers, is due to a restriction of Phosphatidyl Choline synthesis required for lipoprotein formation. Dietary Choline provides the means to over­come this defect.⁵ A decrease in hepatic Phosphatidyl Choline and serum LDL and HDL Phospholipids was found with a Choline-deficient diet compared to Choline-supple­mented controls.⁶ Both soluble plasma lipoproteins and structural lipoproteins of Hepatocyte membranes are affected by alterations of phospholipids in choline-deficiency.⁷ Fatty liver and liver fibrosis with decreased Phosphatides develops after a diet high in fat and deficient in Choline and protein. Though these studies have used rats as subjects the changes are functionally and morpho­logically similar to those caused in humans.⁸  Dietary Choline deficiency also decreases heart and liver Carnitine levels, and the rate of long-chain fatty acid oxidation by these tissues is increased by either Choline and Carnitine.⁹ As sources of labile methyl groups Choline, Methionine, and Betaine are effective via transmethylation.¹⁰

   Beet greens provide a natural source of Betaine.¹¹ Chelidonium-(the herb Celandine) contains Choline¹²  but is also of value because it stimulates bile flow.¹³  Taraxacum-(the herb Dandelion) root also contains choline¹⁵ and has been shown to increase bile secretion.¹⁶ In a clinical study it has also reduced serum cholesterol and urinary bilirubin in 10 out of 12 patients.¹⁷ Berberis species-(the herb Oregon Grape Root or Barberry), including those sometimes separated taxonomically as Mahonia, contain palmatine, and columbamine.^17,18 Berberine increases bilirubin excretion^19,20 and like oxyacanthine and columbamine it stimulates biliary secretion, though berberine is more active than these others.^20,21  Berberine improved toxic hepatitis caused by industrial poisons²⁰ and the other alkaloids except oxyacanthine were shown to help repair chemically-traumatized livers.²² Chelidonium, Taraxacum, and Berberis have been used clinically to treat patients with hepatomegaly, hepatic torpor, jaundice, and other liver disorders.  Silybum-(the herb Milk Thistle), has been traditionally used for jaundice and hepatic congestion, pain, and swellng.^23,24  Silymarin-(a main active ingredient of Silybum or Milk Thistle), derived from Silybum has demonstrated an anti-hepatotoxic effect on chemically-induced hepatitis caused by galactosamine,²⁵ deoxycholate,²⁶ carbon tetrachloride-(cleaning-fluid),²⁶ and thioacetamide,²⁷ and on hepatopathies associated with toxic-metabolic liver damage and occupational exposure to solvents, paints, and glues.²⁹ Silybin, the principle component of Silymarin, prevents decreased hepatic microsomal enzyme activity and fatty liver development following halothane anesthesia.³⁰  In a randomized double-blind study Silymarin produced a significantly higher survival rate for alcoholic cirrhosis.³¹  Silymarin speeds up mitosis and regeneration rate of liver cells³² due to Silybin’s activation of DNA-dependent-RNA polymerase I³³

     Because of the secretion of cholesterol in bile and the entero-hepatic circulation of the cholesterol-based bile salts, the concurrent use of Medicago (the herb alfalfa) tops would greatly enhance their excretion by blocking absorption of the cholesterol and increasing excretion of the bile salts.³⁴ Saponins from alfalfa prevent the rise in serum and liver lipids that accompanies feedings of high fat and choles­terol³⁵ and alfalfa fiber absorbs bile salts or acids with and without its saponins.^36,37 —....*