What do you know about your liver? Other than the fact if you consume too much alcohol on a daily basis that you can develop liver disease? Of all the organs in the human body, this one has the ability to regenerate itself. This means it is able to reproduce lost tissue! Now at the cellular level this organ is heavily involved in metabolism and how it breaks down carbohydrates, protein and fat. When the body doesn’t have free sugar[glucose] circulating in the blood the liver releases its storage form to keep the body’s sugar levels in a range that is considered in homeostasis[balance].
In protein, the liver helps to make it usable for many functions in muscle repair, immune system function and strengthening your skin, hair and nails. When protein enters the liver it also removes a part of the protein that is considered toxic when circulated throughout the blood system.
Finally, it processes all the fat circulating throughout the body, including the way it breaks down and stores triglycerides. When the body has too much energy, basically eating more than your body can handle, the liver produces more triglycerides that are then exported and stored in surrounding tissues. It’s also involved in the way the body incorporates cholesterol which helps to form many of our hormones and allows us to even absorb food. Just as a fun fact, when your doctor tells you to add more whole grains to your diet to lower your cholesterol, it is because whole grains have the ability to grab extra cholesterol, bring it back to your liver so that you can get rid of it through excretion.
In essence, the liver is the body's natural filter! Now, why should I go into all this detail about the liver?! Since there are so many supplements out there tooting “liver detox” it behooves us to understand a little bit about what the liver already does for us. However, are there supplements out there that can support our liver's function? Let’s take a look at it from a science standpoint to see if one in particular called ‘Perfect Origins LivLean’ is in fact beneficial.
Summary of Perfect Origins LivLean Review
| What's Liv Lean Support? | Liver health, detoxification, healthy metabolism, immune function, blood sugar levels |
| Supplement Type: | Capsules |
| Mainly Marketed As: | Weight loss supplement |
| Ingredients Used: | LivLean claims they use the highest quality all-natural ingredients |
| Pricing: | One-time purchase: $57, Monthly subscription: $42 |
| Created by: | Perfect Origins |
About the Brand Perfect Origins
This brand focuses their efforts to help you find the root cause of your health problems by utilizing their supplements to support energy levels and create an efficient metabolism. They have a line of products that focus on cleansing and detoxifying the body.
About LivLean
This supplement leads with helping you to lose that stubborn fat and what we know from the liver, it’s involved in the metabolic pathways for fat breakdown. Therefore, it states it supports liver detoxification, supports a healthy metabolism, supports immune function and assists in optimal blood sugar levels. There are a total of 16 ingredients found in LivLean which include Green Tea extract, Greenselect Phytosome, milk thistle, selenium, and turmeric. It should be mentioned that it’s unclear who exactly helped to create and forumate this supplement.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Contains ingredients that may support liver functioning for those living with certain medical conditions
Cons
- It’s unclear who exactly created this Liver Support Supplement
- There is limited research on most of the ingredients with research pointing towards those with medical conditions versus a generally healthy individual
- Not FDA approved or regulated
Claimed Benefits
This supplement states it’s been developed to help get rid of that hard to lose fat that has stored excess toxins. It hopes to improve metabolism, immune function and a healthy blood sugar level.
Could Support Liver Health and Detoxification
Knowing already that our liver literally removes toxic substances from the protein breakdown process and even helps get rid of excess cholesterol. Green tea extract has been used for centuries and predominantly and discovered in the Eastern parts of the world, is an herb that is used for liver detoxification. Green tea extract has been helpful in reducing liver enzymes in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease which enables your body to speed up chemical reactions in the protein breakdown. On the other hand, high-dose green tea extract has been linked to acute liver damage. Greenselect Phytosome which is a proprietary form of caffeine-free green tea may help with decreasing body weight, specifically fat mass.
May Help Support Healthy Metabolism
Greenselect Phytosome which is a proprietary form of caffeine-free green tea may help with decreasing body weight specifically with fat mass. However, most studies showed it beneficial when done together with incorporating physical activity and monitoring intake. There is still research that needs to be done to show that this supplement specifically causes weight loss with these ingredients.
Could Improve Immune Function
Turmeric is that deep golden yellow with hints of orange spice that is commonly found in many authentic southern asian cuisines. It has been used as part of herbal medicine for rheumatoid arthritis, urinary tract infections and liver ailments. It’s been heavily researched in animal studies showing it to have anticancer and antimicrobial properties. Including liver protective benefits in rat studies.
May Help Support Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
This supplement states it supports the body's ability to naturally regulate blood sugar levels which then helps prevent fat storage of excess sugar in the blood. Vitamins B6, B12 and Folic Acid are also vitamins added to this supplement to help with blood sugar control. In rat studies, a B6 deficiency appears to impair insulin secretion. Milk thistle is another ingredient used to help with blood sugar levels. In recent studies it helped to reduce HbA1c and fasting blood sugar levels in those living with type 2 diabetes. Another ingredient that may aid in these efforts include alpha lipoic acid.
LivLean’s Key Ingredients Analysis
In addition to the ingredients already mentioned, there are others that are included in this supplement. Take a look at what research is states with the following ingredients.
SilybumMarianum
This is also known as Milk Thistle and has been used to not only help with blood sugar but for treating liver and biliary disorders. This is one of the more studied supplements that has positive effects on those with cirrhosis and liver damage due to alcohol abuse. It also showed a significant reduction in liver-related deaths with treatment.
Selenium
Selenium is an essential trace element that is necessary for a healthy functioning liver. Foods rich in Selenium include brazil nuts, seafood and organ meats. A selenium deficiency is incredibly rare, however those who are suffering from Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have lower levels than normal and supplementation can be beneficial in relieving oxidative stress surrounding fat metabolism.
Turmeric
This spice contains a compound called curcumin which is an antioxidant that benefits the kidney’s. A recent study showed that participants with NAFLD who took 2 grams of turmeric per day for 8 weeks had their liver enzymes drop significantly.
PicrorhizaKurroa
This is a liver tonic that has been used in Ayurvedic medicine. There is research surrounding this plant on its use to treat liver disorders, reduce cholesterol and immunity boosting properties. However, it’s been primarily researched in the lab in-vitro [glass test-tubes].
Alpha Lipoic Acid
This is a healthy-fat that has been shown to support the liver in regenerating itself. It’s also been seen in helping to lower blood sugar levels and improving neuropathy in those living with type 2 diabetes.
Artichoke Leaf Extract
In research, this was supplemented with those living with NAFLD and shown to reduce total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), improve high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides.
Cost and Where to Buy
At the time of writing this article, it can be purchased on Perfect Origins website for a 30-day supply at $57 with it being 29% off if placed on autoship. It is currently unavailable anywhere else with no availability to purchase on Amazon.
Ratings and Customer Reviews Summary
At the time of writing this article, Amazon.com has a 3.8 out of 5 star rating with 127 reviews. There are also no recent reviews within the past 2 years and many of them are disappointed not seeing the results they hoped for and waiting for the results after taking the supplement for more than 30 days.
On Perfect Origins website there are reviews of clients who stated they had tremendous weight loss. Each review also mentioned that the results observed are not associated with the supplement alone and that results will take place only if a healthy diet and exercise program are implemented.
Alternatives To Consider
If you’re weighing in to try a liver supplement there are some other options available on the market. Below are some of the common ones and let's see what’s in each of them!
1st Phorm Liver Detox
This supplement states that it focuses on ingredients that improve liver and kidney function, remove harmful toxins and increases metabolism. Turmeric is one of the prime ingredients used with research indicating that it helps to reduce the liver enzymes associated with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Burdock Root has been used in acetaminophen overdose leading to acute liver failure. There isn’t any research available at the date of this article indicating that it directly supports and or improves liver and kidney function.
GundryMD Complete Liver Support
This supplement states it helps to support nutrient absorption, support the immune system and metabolism. The primary ingredient used is orange peel extract has been studied in weight loss due to its high concentrations of flavones. It’s also shown to be beneficial in helping with lowering blood cholesterol levels and even blood sugar response. However, again, they were conducted in rat studies. To date, there is no research indicating that this specific supplement supports liver functioning.
HUM Nutrition WING MAN
This supplement states that it helps flush liver toxins and support a healthy liver function. Some of the primary ingredients include Milk Thistle extract, Silymarin, Dandelion and Artichoke leaf. What dandelion proposes to do is assist in the liver functioning by acting as a preventative agent for the liver and kidney. This supplement utilizes ingredients that have more research surrounding its uses however more research continues to be needed. To date, there is no research indicating that this specific supplement supports liver function.
The Bottom Line
Truthfully, there is very limited information and research available on the efficacy of most of the ingredients found in this supplement to support general detoxing efforts. Research shows that some of the ingredients can be helpful in fat loss but nothing stating that it can directly improve what LivLean states. It would be beneficial to see more human studies with a longer duration on the efficacy of this supplement in its uses specifically for weight loss.
Most of the research points towards improving those who have diseases or disorders like type 2 diabetes and various liver diseases that require additional supplemental support. Those with healthy livers were not established in any of the research. Not to mention most of the research utilizes animal subjects versus human subjects. It appears that these ingredients are specific to improving someone who has a damaged liver and needs supplementation to help it heal.
Should You Give LivLean a Try?
You should first consult your doctor to see if this is something you want to try and if any of the ingredients would adversely affect your health. Generally speaking if you don’t suffer from any liver condition and know that your liver has the natural ability to detox your body, a supplement may not be needed. If you’re looking for weight loss, start first with maintaining an active movement routine and diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
The Dietitian’s Tips for A Healthy Liver
The best thing you can do to support your liver is to incorporate fiber filled foods into your diet. Fiber is found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. What fiber does is help to lower your cholesterol by attracting fat and cholesterol to it within the small intestines to be excreted. This prevents it from being absorbed into the bloodstream. Also limiting alcohol consumption to meet the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans to no more than 2 drinks for men and 1 drink or less per day for women.
