What is the safest painkiller to take when one has liver disease?

In terms of Over the Counter (OTC) medications the correct answer is none of the above in advanced liver conditions.

These medications break down into three main ingredients — aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen. Of the three acetaminophen (Tylenol) is the most dangerous. Acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause of acute liver failure in America. The cause is a reactive metabolite which binds to proteins leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and nuclear DNA fragmentation and ultimately to cell death. Tylenol has the potential toxicity to damage healthy livers, and is even more of a risk to people with liver disease.

Acetaminophen is a common ingredient in many pain relieving medications including Oxycodone, Lortab, Vicodin, Percocet, Nyquil, Anacin 3. It can also be abbreviated on the back of labels as APAP. Many people take its ubiquity as a sign of safeness, which is a mistake.

Both aspirin and ibuprofen are more of a danger in progressed liver cases as they can both lead to increased bleeding, which is a cause of sudden death in liver patients. Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Nuprin), as well as aspirin both inhibit platelet aggregation, though aspirin has a longer lasting inhibition of platelets than ibuprofen. Platelets are the best single marker of the progression of liver disease in Hepatitis C patients (see my dissertation).

The liver has enormous blood flow. If you go to the store and look at liver from a cow it is completely vascularized, it is maroon colored and soft. When the liver gets fibrotic, it gets to be a more orange color and harder. In humans to compensate for reduced blood flow through the liver, the body creates a network of alternative blood vessels called varices. These varices have more of a tendency to bleed than regular blood vessels, and are a major cause of sudden hemorrhage in liver patients.

To sum up, liver patients with portal hypertension, varices, low platelets, or high clotting time should not take either ibuprofen or aspirin, though aspirin has a longer, lasting impact than ibuprofen.  Acetaminophen is far more toxic to the liver than the other choices.

Next blog we will look at alternatives to conventional pain relievers. One hint is that not all of these compounds turn out to be liver friendly as well.

— Dr. Steven Finkbine

We’ve had 4 patients enrolled in studies and all 4 have been undetectable after only 2 weeks of treatment. One of our patients started with a 12.8 million viral load, after 1 week of this drug plus interferon/ribavirin her viral load was 21, on week 2 it was undetectable. The second patient who has decompensated cirrhosis also cleared the virus in one week on a combination of GS-7977, GS-7976, and ribavirin. The doctors that are funneling patients into these studies have in both San Francisco and Florida told patients that this drug is clearing every patient they have watched go through these trials.

GS-7977 is a nucleotide analog. Nucleotides joined together make RNA & DNA,  basic building blocks of life. A nucleotide analog is similar enough to the nucleotides for viruses to incorporate into its strands, but then terminates these daisy chains of life. Typically these drugs do impact bone marrow.

Isomers are molecules with the same chemistry, but different structures. GS-7977 has a brother drug GS-7976. They both convert to the same active triphosphate once in liver cells. GS-7977 is getting more attention as it is easier to manufacture. Studies with the GS-7976 have been terminated as it caused a rise in liver enzymes.

Different arms that included the PSI-7976 were stopped at different junctures. For the patients who had only 4 weeks of therapy, HCV mounted a comeback. Though the patients whose study arm was discontinued after 8 weeks were still clear after re-testing.

A recent study of Genotype 1 non-responders to interferon/ribavirin has been a setback as all 8 of the patients cleared the virus using GS-7977 and ribavirin for 12 weeks, but 6 of the 8 relapsed. This is the hardest group of HCV patients to treat. Trials using GS-7977 as a monotherapy also faced a higher incident of HCV returning. A new round of studies is trying to find the ideal length of time as well as finding the ideal pairing for GS-7977 to prevent patients from relapsing.

PSI-7977 is the first drug that we at Alchemist Lab have ever recommended. For patients without health insurance or riches we recommend enrolling in the next round of studies as when the GS-7977 hits the market the company is going to have charge a high price just to recoup its investment.

]]> http://test.alchemistlab.com/wordpress/2011/10/drug-development/feed/ 0 http://test.alchemistlab.com/wordpress/2011/08/astaxanthin/ http://test.alchemistlab.com/wordpress/2011/08/astaxanthin/#comments Fri, 12 Aug 2011 22:36:36 +0000 Alchemist Lab http://test.alchemistlab.com/wordpress/?p=351 Astaxanthin (asta-ZAN-thin) is the most abundant carotenoid in the marine world. It can be found in many different sea creatures such as salmon, trout, shrimp, and krill giving them their pinkish/orange coloring. Astaxanthin cannot be synthesized by animals and must be consumed in the diet. Fish get it by eating algae.  One more reason to buy wild catch over farmed fish.  The richest commercial source for natural astaxanthin is haematococcus pluvialis microalgae.

Astaxanthin came to my attention as historically I have treated RLS (restless leg syndrome) with high dose krill oil, or by having my patients eat salmon three times a week.  I started musing on why salmon and krill worked for this neurological condition and other beneficial marine supplements did not, and connected that both have a pinkish/orange coloring.  This is what led me to take a close look at astaxanthin.

Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant, having a property similar to lipoic acid in having the ability to cross both the blood-brain barrier as well as the blood-retinal barrier.  It is thought of as a universal antioxidant, being able to reach every cell of the body.

Astaxanthin has many specific uses in the body.  My initial use of it was for neurological conditions including restless leg syndrome.  I now routinely use it to help people feel more solid, when they are overly stressed, which has wide applicability in our culture.

Dr. Nicholas Perricone, one of the leading anti-aging experts, recommends it for reducing wrinkles and age spots, and giving the skin a healthy, beautiful glow.  Many users of astaxanthin report that they can spend more time in the sun without burning than before.

Athletes have discovered astaxanthin for its ability to increase endurance through its beneficial effect on the mitochondria.  The mitochondria are the energy powerhouses of our cells.  It also reduces lactic acid, allowing your muscles to recover more quickly after intense workouts.

Researchers have found that astaxanthin has a liver protective effect when giving it while feeding rats carbon tetrachloride.  It also boosted both glutathione and superoxide dismutaste (SOD) levels in these studies, by helping recycle these important antioxidants.

Astaxanthin is a powerful anti-inflammatory.  It is used for many types of joint, muscle, and connective tissue pain.  It has wide applicability being used for everything from arthritis to tennis elbow.

Astaxanthin frankly has too many uses to go into detail here, but some of its effects include to modulate the immune system, normalize blood pressure, for gum disease, to help prevent heart attacks, treat diabetes, prostate problems, eye conditions.  This is a very important and inexpensive supplement and at our clinic, we are just beginning to give it to patients for a wide variety of complaints, besides neurologic conditions where it is very valuable.

Proanthocyanidins are potent free radical scavengers which relax blood vessels, improving blood flow.  They suppress production of a protein emdothelin-1 that constricts blood vessels.  They also reduce capillary fragility.  In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) one of the factors that contributes to both liver and cardiovascular damage is a concept called Stagnant Blood, where blood flow is inhibited.  POA’s  normalizes platelet adhesion helping blood flow.  In TCM these compounds can be classified as Vitalizing Blood or clearing Stagnant Blood.

Clinically we use Blueberry Extract for a wide variety of vision problems as it improves the light gathering capability of the eye.  Bilberry jam which is closely to the blueberry was given to the RAF (Royal Air Force) pilots to improve their night vision in World War II.  In TCM we would say that Blueberry Extract Brightens the Eyes.  Blueberry Extract also can lower blood sugar, which helps the eyes tremendously in cases of diabetic retinopathy.  This illustrates the unique properties of Blueberry Extract as it can help this condition by blood flow to the eyes, lowering blood sugar, as well as a direct action on the eyes themselves.

Blueberries have some similarities to cranberries and this extract is useful for urinary infections, by reducing the ability of bacteria to adhere to the wall of the bladder. The astringent nature with its tannin content is also very helpful in cases of diarrhea.

Blueberry Extract is a potent inhibitor of HCV RNA expression.  The Japanese researchers believe the mechanism of action is due to the POA’s binding with proteins that are necessary for viral replication.

A very interesting question is whether proanthocyanidins from different sources vary in antiviral strength.  There are many examples of high POA herbs and foods used as antivirals both historically as well as in current research.  One of the factors that the Japanese looked at in their research on HCV is that the proanthocyanidins with a polymerization of between 8 – 9 showed the most inhibitory power.  Polymerization is the number of repeat units in a molecular chain, which alters the characteristics of that substance.  The mDP of the proanthocyandinis from Blueberry Extract was a 7.7, which matches closely with the sweet spot for antiviral strength against HCV.

Obviously there is much research left to do to answer the question of comparing POA compounds..  Previously we have included Grape Seed Extract which is a very high POA product in our REM+.  Pycnogenol is a potent POA medicine derived from a Maritime Pine Tree which we used in early days of Hepatitis and HIV treatments, though it is far more expensive than Blueberry Leaf Extracts or Grape Seed Extracts which are both inexpensive starting points.

Another aspect of the Japanese research is that the purified fraction showed a 63 fold increase in inhibitory activity compared with the initial extract.  At this point the Alternative Medicine Blueberry Extract is the most potent on the market determined by percentage of proanthocynadidins.  This last batch with a minimum of 45% actually tested out at 54%.

Here are the Japanese researchers in their own translated words:

Study Title: Proanthocyanidin from blueberry leaves suppresses expression of subgenomic hepatitis C virus RNA.

Study Abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of chronic liver disease such as chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. While searching for new natural anti-HCV agents in agricultural products, we found a potent inhibitor of HCV RNA expression in extracts of blueberry leaves when examined in an HCV subgenomic replicon cell culture system. This activity was observed in a methanol extract fraction of blueberry leaves and was purified by repeated fractionations in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The final purified fraction showed a 63-fold increase in specific activity compared with the initial methanol extracts and was composed only of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Liquid chromatography/mass-ion trap-time of flight analysis and butanol-HCl hydrolysis analysis of the purified fraction revealed that the blueberry leaf-derived inhibitor was proanthocyanidin. Furthermore, structural analysis using acid thiolysis indicated that the mean degree of polymerization of the purified proanthocyanidin was 7.7, consisting predominantly of epicatechin. Proanthocyanidin with a polymerization degree of 8 to 9 showed the greatest potency at inhibiting the expression of subgenomic HCV RNA. Purified proanthocyanidin showed dose-dependent inhibition of expression of the neomycin-resistant gene and the NS-3 protein gene in the HCV subgenome in replicon cells. While characterizing the mechanism by which proanthocyanidin inhibited HCV subgenome expression, we found that heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 showed affinity to blueberry leaf-derived proanthocyanidin and was indispensable for HCV subgenome expression in replicon cells. These data suggest that proanthocyanidin isolated from blueberry leaves may have potential usefulness as an anti-HCV compound by inhibiting viral replication.

From press release:

A chemical found in blueberry leaves has shown a strong effect in blocking the replication of the Hepatitis C virus, opening up a new avenue for treating chronic HCV infections, which affect 200 million people worldwide and can eventually lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Among the areas of especially high Hepatitis C incidence is the Miyazaki prefecture of southern Japan, a trend that led Hiroaki Kataoka and colleagues at the University of Miyazaki and elsewhere in Japan on a search for better treatment options. Currently, there is no vaccine for HCV, and though a combination drug regimen can clear HCV infection, this treatment is only about 60% effective on average and poses risks of severe side effects.

Kataoka and colleagues believed that since HCV is localized in the liver and can take 20 years or more to develop into disease, a dietary supplement might help slow or stop disease progression. So they screened nearly 300 different agricultural products for potential compounds that suppress HCV replication and uncovered a strong candidate in the leaves of rabbit-eye blueberry (native to the southeastern US).

They purified the compound and identified it as proanthocyandin (a polyphenol similar to the beneficial chemicals found in grapes and wine). While proanthocyandin can be harmful, Kataoka and colleagues noted its effective concentration against HCV was 100 times less than the toxic threshold, and similar chemicals are found in many edible plants, suggesting it should be safe as a dietary supplement. In the meantime, the researchers now hope to explore the detailed mechanisms of how this chemical stops HCV replication.

The mitochondria are the only cellular component other than the nucleus that has its own DNA, which gives it the ability to replicate and increase its numbers inside cells. Unlike cellular DNA, mitochondrial DNA has few defenses against free radicals, are dependent upon antioxidants for protection. PQQ is a very potent antioxidant.

One popular biological theory today based on animal research is that the mitochondria, both number and quality determine longevity. In one study researchers looked at the muscle tissue of a 90 year old man and found 95% of the mitochondria were damaged. The two most mitochondrial rich organs are the brain and the heart. PQQ promises renewal for both these organs which has enormous implications for longevity as well as quality of life.

It also beneficially interacts with neurotransmitters by modulating the NMDA receptor site. The NMDA site is the mechanism that overstimulates neurons and is implicated in seizures as well as many neurodegenerative diseases. It has a neuroprotective effect including mitigating the effects of mercury as well as oxidopamine, which is used to induce Parkinson’s Disease in test animals. PQQ also has been shown to promote memory, cognition, and attention in both animals and humans. It stimulates both the production and the release of nerve growth factor, which has a beneficial affect in healing herpes simplex infections, as well as renewing and organizing the brain.

PQQ is also very useful in both strokes and heart attacks. Researchers at UC San Francisco showed the PQQ is a superior treatment post MI (Myocardial Infarction) than the standard clinical pharmaceutical metoprolol. In animal studies giving PQQ just prior to inducing strokes significantly reduces the amount of brain damage.

PQQ is found throughout the plant kingdom as well as in human milk. People are not capable of synthesizing it, leading some to call it a new vitamin. Some would place in the B vitamin family. Others believe that we should adhere to the original standard of only giving vitamin status when the deprivation of that nutrient will lead directly to a specific disease, like Vitamin C and scurvy.
About a third of our patients that we given PQQ to have had enormous improvements of energy. We have seen pronounced results in cardiac cases, as well as in advanced HCV cases. A typical comment has been ‘I haven’t had  this much energy in a long, long time’.

PQQ will be $18, which is 25% off through the end of May.

I first used this product with my own mother last fall.  She was waking up in the middle of the night, with chest pounding unevenly, afraid that she was dying.  All and I mean all medical tests showed her heart was fine, though her IRA’s were all heavily damaged.  My normal repertoire of anxiety remedies helped some, but essentially failed to quiet the beast, so I tried Zen.  According to my mother it is a pleasant experience with absolutely no harshness, no side effects that works very well.

L-Theanine is an amino acid found almost exclusively in nature in tea plants (Camellia Sinensis). Now it can also be produced by enzymatic process. Research has demonstrated at least two different mechanisms for the sense of relaxation that L-Theanine produces.  First it directly stimulates the production of alpha brain waves, creating a state of deep relaxation and mental alertness typical to what can be achieved by meditation.  Second it helps make the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA.  GABA in turn influences the levels of both dopamine and serotonin.

GABA is the most important and widespread inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. One of the four main neurotransmitters, it keeps the others in check. It regulates neuronal excitability as well as it increases muscle tone; quieter nerves, stronger muscles. Too much excitation can lead to restlessness, irritability, insomnia, and even seizures.  Other symptoms that can be caused by GABA deficiency are headaches, hypertension, palpitations, low libido, and heart disorders.  If you like Valium or some of the other Benzos you will love Zen.  GABA is also involved in the production of endorphins, brain chemicals that create the sense of well-being.

Here are some food items that are strong enough to have a therapeutic effect. This originally ran as a newsletter for Thanksgiving a few years back, but was so popular we decided to bring it back

#1 Mung beans contain a natural protease inhibitor and have a long use in detoxifying poisons in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Mung or the Latin Vigna Radiata is one of the herbs used in the Hepatitis Recovery Formula

Here is a kichari mung bean recipe from Michael Tierra L. Ac.

My favorite recipe is soaking split mung dahl for an hour and then wash the dahl well. Then simmer till the dahl dissolves well. Bake a winter squash of your choice and scoop out the flesh minus the seeds and skin. Then blend with ginger, miso, tumeric, and coconut milk. I will often add in a small lemon as well. Delicious and very liver friendly.

#2 Milk Thistle Seeds: These can be bought by the pound, or better yet harvested yourself, bring gloves. Grind them in your coffee grinder and stir fry (stir fry is without oil or butter, where you stir quite often to keep from burning) and add sea salt. The Japanese make gomasio, goma is sesame seeds and sio is sea salt and use it as a condiment. Milk Thistle Seeds make a delicious, nutty condiment and that is much tastier than gomasio.

#3 Shitake Mushrooms contain lentinan which is a beta-glucan with powerful effects on hepatitis and many other diseases, including cancer. The current Hep C Powder has a base of Shitake Extract that is 25% lentinan. According to the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center lentinan is used for cancer, high cholesterol, strengthening the immune system, and treating infections. It also raises white blood cell counts and increases helper t-cells. Shitake contains many other ingredients with active properties as well.

#4 Whey protein both contains lactoferrin as well as builds glutathione levels. Glutathione is the main anti-oxidant found inside liver cells and whey protein as well as raw dairy are your best dietary sources. Lactoferrin upregulates the immune system, regulates iron, and is a direct anti-viral that interferes with the ability of HCV to dock onto hepatocytes.

#5 Coconut is chockful of medium chained fatty acids, including both Lauric and Caprylic that are strongly anti-infective. Its finest use is when there is poor thyroid function, fatigue, and low body temperature. It cranks up metabolism and fights infections that hamper the thyroid. Many years ago before the advent of protease inhibitors to treat HIV, one young man dying of AIDS decided to spend his remaining few months living on a South Pacific island. Once there he proceeded to eat at least one fresh young coconut every day. To everyone’s astonishment he went on to recover his health. This story which was printed in a newsletter that our clinic always received stuck in my mind about coconut’s potential in treating infections.

#6 Artichokes contain cynarin which promotes the flow of bile. Having stronger bile flow strengthens the digestion as bile emulsifies the fat that you eat. Also bile is made out of cholesterol and increasing bile flow lowers the amount of stored cholesterol. Artichoke as a member of the thistle family also helps control blood sugar levels.

#7 Selenium rich foods include Brazil Nuts, each nut containing approximately 75 mcg of selenium. Broccoli, onions, leeks, and garlic all accumulate selenium, mostly the methylselenocysteine type which in the studies of different types of selenium to inhibit cancer, it is the most effective as well as the safest. The basic idea is that selenium is to Hep C, what vitamin c is to colds. If you have an HCV infection your body needs more selenium than the average person. This is because HCV encodes selenoproteins depleting the cells of selenium. Researchers believe that when selenium is gone from cells, the virus will spread from cell to cell looking for it. Some call adequate selenium ‘viral birth control’ preventing viruses from spreading. Dr. Passwater, who has studied selenium for 20 years recommended 200 mcg daily for every 40 pounds of bodyweight for Hepatitis C patients.

#8 Lecithin contains phosphatidyl choline which is a phospholipid that is a building block for cell membranes. Because the liver has so many diverse functions, its cells contain more organelles all of which need cellular membranes. Lecithin also contains phosphatidyl serine which promotes the productions of nerve growth hormone which helps heal neurons. It also balances out the effect of cortisol on the brain, preserving memory and organizing the brain in the face of stress. PS & PC helps renew and flush out cell membranes keeping cells healthier and less prone to viral invasion. You can buy lecithin granules at health food stores and sprinkle a tablespoon on salads and other foods.

#9 Chlorella helps the body produce interferon which upregulates immunity. It is high in Vitamin K which strengthens platelets as well as many other nutrients. It detoxifies heavy metals including mercury, which have a pro-inflammatory action on liver enzymes. The only negative caveat on chlorella for Hepatitis C patients is that it is rich many nutrients including iron, so it is not recommended for those with high iron or ferritin.

#10 I know that many of you may be disappointed that red wine is not on this list for its resveratrol levels, but the final choice goes to juicing. My favorite recipe for liver health  fennel, apples, lemon (including peel if organic)and watercress if organic or cilantro.

Liver Health Juice 
1 lemon
5 apples
1  fennel bulb
1 bunch of cilantro, watercress, or parsley
Add in 1/3 of the total juice amount with water, otherwise it is
too strong for some. This is a delicious drink. Very energizing!

The study found that 13% of the HCV patients they looked at also had neurological issues. The researchers led by Chris Power saw that HCV in the brain triggers inflammation and damaged neurons responsibe for motor functions, concentration, and memory.  Further they saw that the virus inhibited a process in the brain called autophagy.  This is how cells get rid of unwanted proteins.  This causes further brain damage. Most brain and neurological deficits in hepatitis C patients has been previously ascribed to ammonia accumulation, though this research clearly shows that is not the entire picture.  The liver primarily clears ammonia and when its functions are diminished ammonia can build up in the brain poisoning neurons.  Ammonia is a by-product of protein digestion.

The Alchemist Lab treatment of neurological issues in hepatitis C patients starts with L-Ornithine L-Aspartate to clear ammonia.  The basic process in the liver that clears ammonia is called the urea cycle or alternatively the ornithine cycle.  This is a very effective product.

We also use Calcium and Lithium Orotates which help tighten up the blood brain barrier.  The Orotates have a secondary action of clearing ammonia.

To help heal neurons we use Phosphatidyl Serine which helps induce the production of Nerve Growth Hormone, which typically peaks by age two in humans.  PS also balances out the effect of cortisol on the brain.  Prolonged high levels of cortisol which is a major stress hormone has been found to damage the brain.

We utilize Membrane Complex which helps repair the myelin sheath of neurons.  Krill Oil has a highly unusual lipid structure allowing the krill to live in freezing waters. This allows it to be incorporated into the cell membrane which is home base for affecting the nervous system.

We also use Acetyl Glutathione for all neurological complaints.  This detoxifies the body including the brain.  One patient described taking Glutathione as ‘melting the rust off of his brain’.

I often image Hepatitis C as a smoldering or awakened fire. Prehistorically in the Paleozoic Era, oxygen levels were much higher than they are today, making fires much more frequent. Excess iron feeds the fire by generating oxidative stress.

Anemia is a deficiency of hemoglobin in the blood. It is theorized that because iron deficient anemia was highly problematic in our evolution, our bodies were crafted to conserve iron. Except for menstruation/ blood loss as well as breast feeding there are no control mechanisms for high iron levels. Breast milk contains lactoferrin (milk iron) which regulates iron levels.

The liver is the major storage organ for iron. In hemochromatosis, a hereditary genetic condition that causes excess iron levels the liver can become cirrhotic simply by high iron levels. For patients with Hepatitis C and iron overload this puts double stress on the liver. High iron fuels oxidative stress by generating free radicals.

HCV does not directly damage hepatocytes. The cellular response to try to kill the invading virus generates reactive oxygen species (ROS). The lysosomes, which are the little chemical factories found in each cell are what produce the ROS. Both excess iron and other heavy metals such as lead and mercury share this primary mechanism as well, they all generate oxidative stress. I have also observed that Hepatitis C patients who have had their lead and mercury chelated from their bodies, their liver enzymes went down.

Calcium and Lithium Orotates stabilize lysosomes membranes and quiet down ROS productions. Many anti-oxidants are also very important in treating Hepatitis C to mitigate the liver damage, these include Glutathione, Lipoic Acid, Milk Thistle, Resveratrol, Selenium among others. Glutathione is the major intracellular anti-oxidant found in the liver.

Let’s talk about iron tests, so you can correctly understand your bloodwork:
Serum iron measures the level of iron in your blood.
Serum ferritin indicates the amount of stored iron in your body.
Ferritin is the main storage protein for iron inside of cells.

Total Iron Binding Capacity TIBC measures the amount of transferrin that you have. Transferrin is a blood protein that transports iron from the gut, where it is absorbed from food. When iron stores arelow, the body will make more transferrin. If there is too much iron being absorbed, the body will reduce production of transferrin. On average about 1/3 of the transferrin in the body is being used to transport iron. Our bodies have an excess iron-binding capacity. This is called the Unsaturated Iron Binding Capacity (UIBC). UIBC plus serum iron equal TIBC.

How do we naturally regulate excess iron? The first key is lactoferrin. Here at Alchemist Lab we use Apolactoferrin which is iron reduced. Lactoferrin naturally both regulates and contains iron. I only recommend the iron reduced form!! I have seen enormous success in using Apolactoferrin for high iron in Hep C patients. IP6 did not work for my patients, though I have been told by some people that it worked for them. I no longer use it. If something does not produce tangible results I discard it.

Lactoferrin has a further virtue in that also acts as a direct anti-viral. It interferes with E2, a protein found on the lipid coat of HCV that allows it to dock onto hepatocytes.

Although you might consider this a controversial statement, understanding it is actually quite simple:  Both corn syrup and alcohol are metabolized by similar pathways in the liver.

This article focuses on the results of the intake of high levels of corn syrup, which is highly concentrated fructose. Fruit also contains fructose, but fruit also contains fiber that slows the absorption of fructose. Flooding the body with fructose beyond its adaptive mechanisms is what causes problems; not eating fruit.

Fructose is metabolized by the liver and is stored as fat in amounts that common table sugar (glucose) is not. Glucose metabolism is bottlenecked by a regulatory enzyme that raises insulin, which elevates leptin levels, which in turn suppressive appetite. Both alcohol and high fructose lack the regulatory framework that governs glucose metabolism.

Recent animal studies have confirmed that high fructose consumption leads directly to fatty liver. Research in adult humans consuming fructose-sweetened beverages for just ten weeks found that they gained belly fat, raised triglycerides, and became more insulin resistant.

Excessive fructose increases uric acid, which in turn raises blood pressure.  Uric acid inhibits nitric oxide which is a prime mechanism for lowering blood pressure.

Fructose also increases inflammation in the liver by initiating an enzyme that is appropriately named “Junk 1.”

The Hepatitis C virus rides on a carrier of vLDL (very low density lipoproteins), which is how it moves from cell to cell.  At the very end of the fructose pathway is vLDL, where fructose produces high levels of bad cholesterols.

Therefore, at Alchemist Lab, we prescribe:

Lowering or fully eliminating products containing high-fructose corn syrup from your diet.

Eating more fruits and vegetables as a means of getting your natural source of both fructose and fiber.

Taking Naringenin (the substance that makes grapefruit taste bitter) to inhibit the formation of vLDL, which in turn reduces high levels of bad cholesterols and helps keep bad cholesterol levels lowered.