'Most people who die from liver disease AREN'T alcoholics

- they just drink nearly every day': Experts warn we need a 3-day break each week so the body can recover

• Liver disease is the fifth leading cause of death in men 
• Mike Shallcross is trying to have two consecutive dry days each week 
• Has been a 25% rise in alcohol-related liver disease deaths in last decade 
• Instead of one wine or a beer after work, many of us now have two or three
• Experts: 'These people just top up every day and never give liver a rest'
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By MIKE SHALLCROSS FOR MEN'S HEALTH

PUBLISHED: 16:16, 9 December 2014 | UPDATED: 11:46, 10 December 2014

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Mike Shallcross realised - to his horror - that his daily, social drinking
was putting him at increased risk of alcohol-related liver disease.
He is now trying to have two consecutive 'dry' days each 

Hello my name is Mike, and I'm the sort of guy who could die from liver disease.

I'm not an alcoholic: the seldom-seen-anymore friend fishing on Facebook to be congratulated on his dry anniversary.

I'm not the divorcé at your work who lurches back from lunch with a mouthful of Smints, and gets called into the boss's office the morning after the Christmas party.

Nor the guy on your bus this morning with an open can of electric soup, chemical BO and no particular place to go (why do these folks never have a lie-in?). 

No, I'm none of those people.

But I am the sort of guy who could die from liver disease. And possibly so are you.

The reason? I just love a drink. I don't self-medicate or blot out, I drink to enhance life. I scoff at talk like 'I don't like the taste' or 'It's empty calories'. 

I love that thirst-shattering beer at the end of the working day, the flavoursome explosion of a glass of red with a meal, the bite of a fine dark rum sipped while contemplating a knotty problem. 

Alcohol isn't a crutch for me, it's a pogo stick.

I suppose some might take issue with my phrase 'a drink'. 

A few years ago at an office drinks do I was, er, 'refreshing my glass' when a lippy young week intern remarked: 'Hoovering up are we Shallcross?' 

Lest anyone think that gross impertinence is a career impediment at Men's Health, I should point out that he is now our Associate Style Editor.

But that phrase made me realise I could slip into a dangerous category identified by Andrew Langford, chief executive of the British Liver Trust, as he surveys the – ironically sobering – statistic of a 25 per cent rise in alcohol-related liver disease deaths in the last decade. 

'At the moment liver disease is the 5th biggest killer in the UK. 

If we don't do anything about it by 2025 it will almost certainly be one of the top two, it is a major epidemic.

'The majority of people who die of alcohol-related liver disease are not alcoholics. They drink every day or most days - not getting slaughtered, but just drinking that bit too much. 

If you are going to drink, you must take two to three consecutive days off
every weekto give your liver a chance to rejuvenate – regardless of how
much you're drinking, say experts from the British Liver Trust 

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'Instead of having a glass of wine or a beer after work they're having two or three. Just topping up every day and never giving their liver a rest.'

Does that make them alcoholics, heavy drinkers, chronic drinkers or just normal? 

We can sit here and split hairs all day, but ultimately my opinion, your opinion, even the finger-wagging of your GP doesn't matter. 

They are not categories your liver recognises. It doesn't care whether you necked those five pints with a crowd of mates to wet a baby's head, or whether you drank them alone to numb the pain of an argument. 

'If you are going to drink, you must take two to three consecutive days off every week to give your liver a chance to rejuvenate – regardless of how much you're drinking.

The important word here is 'consecutive' 

It's not about judgements, just biology.

And liver disease can develop slowly, but its endgame can be apocalyptic.

It's not a question of lying in hospital with yellow skin and a glorified tummy ache. 

Besides its function of filtering out the toxins from drink and drugs, the organ is also vital for hormone balance, blood clotting, and protecting certain parts of the body from infection. 

Remove its protection, and things will start going to shit very rapidly. 

Believe me, you don't want to see what happens to brain function when the liver can no longer dispose of bilirubin, a by-product of dead blood cells.

There are other culprits when it comes to liver disease: obesity is a factor, as is the prevalence of viral hepatitis and, to some little extent, steroid abuse. 

But booze is drawing most fire for the moment. 'In the last 35 years we've allowed alcohol to become a commodity,' says Mr Langford.

HOW WELL YOU DO YOU KNOW YOUR LIVER?  

Your liver is the size of: 

a. An iPhone b. A grapefruit c. A rugby ball

Answer: C - a rugby ball

It is surprisingly large. It's the second largest organ (after your skin) weighs 1.3kg and at any one time will contain 10 per cent of the blood in your body

Which of the following is an early sign of liver disease? 

a. An aching liver b. Floating faeces c. Dark urine 

Answer: B&C - Floating faeces and dark urine 

'The liver doesn't have any nerve endings so if it gets damaged there won't be any be any pain,' says Andrew Langford, of the British Liver Trust.

'If your urine is darker on a regular basis, even when you're hydrated, or if you regularly have floating poo, that can be a sign your liver isn't absorbing fat.'

True or false: fatty liver disease is incurable 

False. The liver is a resilient organ, and fatty liver disease, which can be diagnosed with a blood test, is reversible with two weeks' abstinence. Watch your step though, move onto either of the next two steps of ARLD, alcoholic  hepatitis or cirrhosis, and you will have to give up alcohol permanently to save your life.

'In the 70s it would have been fairly unusual for my mum to have had alcohol in her shopping, whereas now a bottle of wine goes into the basket along with the milk, eggs and bread.'

You can see how it works. Not so many years ago, drinkers comprised discrete guilds. 

Some people propped up the saloon bar, others drank wine or spirits at home, purchased by the single bottle. 

Now we can enjoy back-to-back football in pubs that once shut on Sunday afternoons before heading home to tuck into that wine club case of mixed reds (a product perfectly balanced in the middle-class chasm between aspiration and fear – we talk eruditely about Italian grape varieties while worrying about how quickly that rack is emptying itself). 

Our any time, any place, anywhere attitude to booze puts everyone at risk.

So what is our strategy. Assuming that complete abstinence is out, you could try a month off – a dry January for example. 

Mr Langford welcomes this with some qualification. 'Anything that gets people to look at their drinking is a good idea,' he says.

'But you're wasting your time if you go back to old habits for the other 11 months.'

Langford has a simple prescription: 'If you are going to drink, you must take two to three consecutive days off every week to give your liver a chance to rejuvenate – regardless of how much you're drinking,' he says.

'The important word here is 'consecutive'. It needs at least 48 hours to start repairing itself.' 

To this end the BLT has just brought out an app, Spruce, which helps you stick to your dry days.

The Imperial War Museum recently exhibited a rare example of a WW1 propaganda poster which made sense.

'Don't Take Alcoholic Drinks on Mondays', it exhorted, a gesture of solidarity with 'the great sacrifices freely made by our sailors and soldiers'.

I'm going to go one better, and stick to grapefruit juice on Mondays and Tuesdays, in solidarity with a truly long-suffering organ. After all, we've all been putting this guy through a lot. Care to join me? 

Thanks to the British Liver Trust. Go to (www.loveyourliver.org.uk) the link for the SPRUCE app: www.spruceapp.co.uk 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2866930/Most-people-die-liver-disease-AREN-T-alcoholics-just-drink-nearly-day-Experts-warn-need-3-day-break-week-body-recover.html

What Your Pee Says About Your Health

Dark Urine? Smelly Urine? Frequent Urination? What Your Pee Says About Your Health

July 1, 2012

You would be surprised by how much information can be gleaned from the urine that you produce each day (one to two quarts, on average). For example, the simple “dipstick” urine test that doctors often use to check for a urinary tract infection also can help them diagnose kidney disease, diabetes, cancer and other conditions. But there is more.

What you may not realize: If you know what to look for, you can tell a lot about your health just by being aware of the physical characteristics of your urine—such as color, smell and frequency. What to watch out for…

 

COLOR

When you’re healthy and drinking enough water, your urine should be mainly clear or straw-colored with just a hint of yellow. The yellow color comes from urochrome, a pigment produced by the breakdown of a protein in red blood cells.

Urine is naturally darker in the morning because you don’t drink water while you sleep. If a color change persists, however, it could be a problem. For example…

Brown or dark brown. Pay attention if your urine is dark for more than a week.

What this usually means: Liver disease. The liver normally breaks down and excretes bilirubin, a pigment that’s produced by the turnover of red blood cells. Patients with liver disease accumulate bilirubin. This initially will cause jaundice, a yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes. As more bilirubin accumulates, it can cause the urine to become brown. A combination of dark-colored urine and jaundice means that liver disease might be getting worse. See your doctor right away.

Dark-colored urine also can be a side effect of some antibiotics, laxatives and muscle relaxants.
Eating large amounts of fava beans, rhubarb or aloe can cause brown urine as well. In some cases, dark-colored urine can signal kidney failure.

Red or pink. Urine that’s tinged with red or pink could simply mean that you have been eating beets. (The medical term for beet-induced urine changes is beeturia). Or it could mean that you’re urinating blood.

The amount of blood will affect the color. If the urine resembles cabernet wine, you’re bleeding a lot…urine that’s pinkish or just slightly red contains only traces of blood. A microscopic amount of blood won’t be visible—it can be detected only with a laboratory test.

What this usually means: Blood in the urine is always a problem. Make an appointment to see your doctor. If you see blood and it also hurts when you urinate, you could have an infection—in the urethra, bladder or kidney or even a malignancy in the bladder, for example. Bleeding without pain also can indicate these conditions.

Green. Though rare, a person’s urine can turn a greenish color.

What this usually means: Green urine can appear when you’ve consumed a chemical dye—from food coloring, for example, or from taking medications such as amitriptyline (Elavil), an antidepressant, or indomethacin (Indocin), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. In some cases, urine with a greenish tint can signal a urinary tract infection with certain bacteria (such as pseudomonas) that affect the color.

If your urine is greenish, increase fluid intake to see if it clears. If it doesn’t in two days, see your doctor or a urologist.

ODOR

If you’re healthy, your urine should be highly diluted, consisting of about 95% water, with only small amounts of dissolved chemical compounds and metabolic by-products. It typically has no—or only a faint—odor.

Of course everyone is familiar with the effect that asparagus and some other foods, such as onions or fish, have on the smell of one’s urine. This strong “rotten” smell is due to the chemical compounds in certain foods, particularly molecules that are not completely broken down by the body. The smell usually disappears within a day or so.

Some other less common urine smells include…

Ammonia-like. If your urine is concentrated, with a larger-than-normal amount of urea (a chemical compound in urine), you might smell an aroma that resembles ammonia. Or you might just notice that it has a stronger smell than usual.

What this usually means: Dehydration. The less water you drink, the higher the concentration of urea and other substances—and the stronger the smell. You can diagnose this yourself by drinking, say, one extra glass of water an hour for several hours to add water to your urine. The strong urine smell will probably disappear within a few hours. If it does not, see your doctor.

Foul-smelling. If your urine smells foul or unusual in any way for more than a few days, pay attention to the odor.

What this usually means: If it’s not caused by a food that you’ve eaten, it could signal an infection in the bladder or kidneys. Less often, it’s due to a metabolic disorder that reduces the body’s ability to fully break down foods during digestion.

Uncontrolled diabetes can cause an abnormally sweet odor, and penicillin can cause a distinctive medicinal odor.

Even if you have no other symptoms, such as pain while urinating, but your urine continues to have an unusually strong smell for more than a couple of days, talk to your doctor.

FOAMY OR BUBBLY

It’s natural to see foam in the toilet when you really have to go and have a heavy stream. But urine that’s consistently foamy or bubbly could mean that you’re losing protein.

What this usually means: Kidney disease. Large amounts of protein in the urine is one of the main signs of chronic kidney disease. See your doctor right away.

MUCUS OR CLOUDY

Mucus in urine could indicate inflammation in the urinary tract.

What this usually means: Urinary tract infection. See your doctor.

Cloudy urine also can be related to infection but often is just an indication that your urine is alkaline, which is harmless at low levels.

VOLUME AND FREQUENCY

The average adult typically urinates four to eight times in 24 hours. A change in the frequency of your urinary habits, including getting up more than twice a night to urinate, or an increase or decrease in the amount that you urinate, warrants attention.

What this usually means: An increase in the frequency of urination, along with an increase in volume, is one of the telltale signs of diabetes.

If the amount of urine seems the same but you’re urinating more often, you could have a urinary tract infection. If this is the case, you’ll probably have very strong urges to urinate even when just a small amount comes out.

Frequency of urination and/or urinary urgency in the absence of a urinary tract infection can indicate an overactive bladder.

In men, enlargement of the prostate gland can trigger urinary urgency. Patients with neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, can also have this symptom.

Don’t worry if there’s been a decrease in the amount or frequency of urination. You probably just need to drink more water. If this doesn’t help, see your doctor.

Source: Jonathan M. Vapnek, MD, a urologist and clinical associate professor of urology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. A member of the American Urological Association, he’s been named by New York Magazine as one of New York City’s best urologists. Dr. Vapnek has authored or coauthored more than 35 papers on urological topics.

http://www.bottomlinepublications.com/content/article/health-a-healing/dark-urine-smelly-urine-frequent-urination-what-your-pee-says-about-you

... Blood Test of Liver Enzymes

Can You Diagnose Liver Problems From a Blood Test of Liver Enzymes?

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Dec 13, 2010 | By Stephen Christensen



Photo Credit Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images

          

Your liver is a metabolically active organ that detoxifies the foods you eat, breaks down and recycles aging red blood cells, processes glucose and manufactures cholesterol, hormones, clotting proteins and other important molecules. To perform its many tasks, the liver relies on an array of enzymes. When the liver is damaged, some of these enzymes leak into the bloodstream, where they can be measured.

 

Enzymes Aren't Specific

 

Specific liver injuries are associated with the release of particular enzymes. However, because these enzymes are present in all parts of the liver, and because some of these enzymes are also found in other organs, it is sometimes difficult to pinpoint the exact site or cause of injury from blood tests alone. According to the "Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy," laboratory tests must often be combined with imaging studies or even liver biopsy to confirm a diagnosis.

 

Types of Liver Injury

 

Because your liver lies at the crossroads of so many metabolic pathways, it is susceptible to a multitude of injuries. Toxic and infectious agents can acutely damage or even destroy its cells. Viruses or toxins can create a chronic state of inflammation within its tissues. Obstruction of blood flow or bile through its myriad vessels and ducts can generate congestion and provoke cellular damage. Depending on the extent and cause of these injuries, the liver will release different enzymes, in addition to other substances, in varying amounts.

 

Tests for Cellular Damage

 

Transaminases, also known as aminotransferases, are enzymes that participate in the production of amino acids, which are building blocks for proteins. Two specific transaminases, alanine transaminase, or ALT, and aspartate transaminase, or AST, are sensitive indicators of liver injury. ALT is more specific for liver injury than AST. Marked elevations of these enzymes, sometimes hundreds of times above normal values, can result from widespread destruction of liver cells. This can occur in acute viral hepatitis or toxic exposures. Lesser elevations of ALT and AST are often seen with chronic inflammatory states, such as chronic hepatitis C or alcoholic liver disease.

 

Tests for Liver Obstruction

 

Bilirubin, a pigment that results from the breakdown of red blood cells, is usually processed in the liver so it can be eliminated through the kidneys or the bowel. Two forms of bilirubin--conjugated and unconjugated--can be measured in the bloodstream. Unconjugated bilirubin levels rise when liver cellular injury impairs the normal processing of bilirubin. Conversely, elevations of conjugated bilirubin often indicate obstruction of the liver's bile drainage system. A more sensitive indicator of obstruction is an enzyme called alkaline phosphatase, but this enzyme is produced by several organs, including bone, so it isn't specific for liver injury. 5´-nucleotidase, yet another enzyme, is both a sensitive and specific indicator of liver obstructive disease.

 

Tests for Liver Synthetic Ability

 

The liver manufactures proteins that clot your blood and prevent hemorrhage in the event of injury. Measurement of clotting times helps to determine the liver's capacity for manufacturing these proteins. Increased clotting times can be ominous indicators of severe or advanced liver disease, such as alcoholic cirrhosis. Albumin, another protein produced by the liver, can be low in certain liver diseases, but albumin levels are affected by a variety of conditions unrelated to liver function.

 

Considerations

 

Liver enzymes must be assessed in the context of a person's overall health status. For example, transient, harmless elevations of liver enzymes may occur during mild viral illnesses or while taking a medication. The ambiguity of liver enzyme interpretation is emphasized in a 2006 article in "American Family Physician," which outlines six disease categories that can induce persistent transaminase elevations. Hence, diagnosis of a specific cause for abnormal liver enzyme levels requires in-depth evaluation.

References

• "The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, 18th Edition: Testing for Hepatic and Biliary Disorders"; Mark H. Beers, M.D., Editor-In-Chief; 2006
• "American Family Physician"; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Bayard M, et al.; 2006

Article reviewed by demand12324 Last updated on: Dec 13, 2010

http://www.livestrong.com/article/332779-can-you-diagnose-liver-problems-from-a-blood-test-of-liver-enzymes/

Love your liver!

You may take your liver for granted, but you couldn't cope without it.

Dr. Sarah Jarvis
21 November 2012

Your liver is a bit of an unsung hero. All day, every day, it works hard to clear the waste products and toxins your body produces, or takes in. It takes up these waste products from your bloodstream, breaks them down and sends them down your bile duct, in a liquid called bile, into your intestine.

This bile helps with digestion. Your liver also controls some infections and helps your blood clot properly. You may take your liver for granted, but you couldn't cope without it!

Liver disease - what happens?

The yellow tinge of jaundice is caused by the build-up of a substance called bilirubin in your bloodstream. It's produced when your red blood cells, which only 'live' for about three months, are broken down. If the cells of your liver are inflamed, or if the exit to your bowel through your bile duct is blocked, it can cause jaundice.

Cirrhosis is a serious condition where the healthy tissue in your liver is replaced with scar tissue. An earlier change is called 'fatty liver'.

Liver disease - what are the preventable causes?

Some inherited problems can cause liver disease. However, the most common preventable causes are:

Alcohol - Most people who drink more to excess (see below) for any length of time will develop fatty liver. This can stop your liver from working efficiently, but it goes away if you stop drinking. If you carry on, your liver can get inflamed. Finally, about one in ten heavy drinkers can go on to get cirrhosis.

Obesity - If you're very overweight, fat can build up in your liver - another kind of 'fatty liver'. This can cause scarring and occasionally cirrhosis.

Hepatitis - This just means inflammation of the liver. Several viral infections cause hepatitis. Hepatitis A, sometimes called Infectious hepatitis, is very easy to catch but almost never causes long-term damage. It's very common in some countries, and a simple vaccination will protect you. Hepatitis B is less easy to catch (usually by sexual or blood contact) but it can sometimes cause cirrhosis. Ask your nurse if you need immunising against this too, if you're going abroad.

Medicines - Some medicines can affect your liver. Usually stopping the medicine will solve the problem. Your doctor can tell you if you need regular blood tests to check.

Liver disease - what can I do?

With a little care, your liver will last you a lifetime. To keep it in tip-top shape:

• Stick to recommended alcohol guidelines - up to two to three alcohol units a day and under 14 units a week of alcohol for women and three to four units a day or 21 units a week for men. A bottle of wine has nine units and a pint of beer about two
• Keep an eye on your weight
• Make an appointment with your nurse at least six weeks before you travel abroad
• Get regular blood tests if you're taking some medicines, including statins.

http://www.patient.co.uk/blogs/sarah-says/2012/11/love-your-liver

Spirulina - to Lower Your Cholesterol, Blood Pressure and...

Just 1 TBSP a Day: An Easy Way to Lower Your Cholesterol, Blood Pressure and...

Posted By Dr. Mercola | July 17 2011 | 301,818views 

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By Dr. Mercola

What if consuming a tablespoon or two per day of a simple food could drastically lower your chances of developing cancer, heart disease or stroke, or of contracting a life-threatening virus such as HIV?

Would your interest be piqued?

There is a unique freshwater plant that has been of enormous interest to nutritional scientists over the past decade, and it shows promise for doing all of the above—and then some. It's one of the most nutrient-packed dynamos of the superfood world.

This simple food is spirulina.

I recently posted a report about the radioprotective effects of spirulina. But its health benefits go far beyond that application. But what exactly is spirulina? You may be surprised!

Spirulina: One of Nature's Near-Perfect Foods

Spirulina is similar to sea vegetables such as dulse, kelp, nori, Kombu, arame, and wakame. Along with its cousin chlorella (another one of my favorites), spirulina is a member of the "blue-green" family—but this family is actually not truly algae.

Although you will often hear the term "blue-green algae," spirulina and its kin are actually cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria are classified as bacteria because their genetic material is not organized in a membrane-bound nucleus. Unlike other bacteria, they have chlorophyll and use the sun as an energy source, in the way plants and algae do.

Spirulina is primarily produced by two species: Arthrospira platensis and Arthrospira maxima.

One of the special traits of spirulina is its rich protein content—it's 50 to 70 percent protein by weight and contains all of the essential amino acids. Records of the Spanish conquistadors suggest that the Aztecs consumed spirulina as a food source, and the Kanembu people of Central Africa harvested it from what is now called Lake Chad.

Wild spirulina grows in the alkaline lakes of Mexico and on the African continent, although it is commercially grown and harvested all over the world. It reproduces quickly, and because the individual organisms tend to clump together, it's easy to harvest. Commercial production of spirulina is estimated to reach 220,000 tons by the year 2020. Japan is the largest producer of spirulina, as well as the largest consumer.

Spirulina Packs Quite a Nutritional Punch

Spirulina is one of the most nutritious and concentrated food sources on the planet. As a result, it's appearing more frequently all the time in natural foods and beverages, such as green foods and drinks, energy bars and oral supplements.

Spirulina consistently boasts an amazing protein level of 60 percent on average—even better than red meat, which is about 27 percent protein. And spirulina's protein is biologically complete, containing all of the essential amino acids needed for human health. Spirulina also contains a potent array of other beneficial nutrients, including the following:

B vitamins (including exceptionally high B-12), vitamin K, and other vitamins	Naturally rich in iodine	Minerals (including calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, manganese, potassium, and zinc)
One of best known sources of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, an important fatty acid for heart and joints)	Other essential fatty acids, including sulfolipids, which may be protective against HIV infection of T-helper cells	Phytopigments (phycocyanin, chlorophyll, and carotenoids)
Metallo-thionine compounds (proteins combined with metals that bind heavy radioactive isotopes)	Low in carbohydrates (15-20 percent)	Eighteen different amino acids

(For specific concentrations of the above-mentioned nutrients in spirulina, refer to Table 1 in this spirulina report by S. Thomas of Parry Nutraceuticals.) In addition to this rich nutritional blend, spirulina has the following special properties:

• The proteins in spirulina are of a highly digestible type (83 to 90 percent digestible), due to the fact that it does not have cellulose walls, like yeast and chlorella do. Therefore, the net protein utilization (NPU) is high (between 53 and 61 percent) and requires no cooking to increase the bioavailability of its proteins.
• Studies confirm a very high "protein efficiency ratio" (PER) for spirulina, meaning your body will be able to efficiently use these amino acids.
• Gamma-linolenic acid is rarely this high in ANY food and normally has to be synthesized by your body from linoleic acid. GLA is a precursor to important biochemicals such as prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and thromboxanes, which serve as chemical mediators for inflammatory and immune reactions.
• Spirulina has no fatty acids with uneven carbon numbers and very low-level branched-chain fatty acids—two types of lipids that higher order animals, like you and me, cannot metabolize.
• Spirulina has about the same calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium content as milk, a vitamin E (tocopherol) level comparable to wheat germ, and four times as much vitamin B12 as raw liver!

Research-Based Health Benefits of Spirulina

Now that you have spirulina's nutritional overview, let's take a look at what this unique blue-green cyanobacteria can do for your health. The health benefits of spirulina continue to be widely researched. As a result, there is really no way to cover all of the literature related to its potential benefits because there are so many! There are scientific studies supporting spirulina's potential usefulness in preventing and/or treating the following health conditions:

ARMD (Age-related macular degeneration)	Type 2 Diabetes
Cardiovascular disease, including hypertension	NAFLD (Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease)
Liver health and decreased damage from heavy metal exposure	Cerebrovascular disease (including stroke)
Nutritional diseases, such as iron deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia (B12 deficiency), vitamin A deficiency, and kwashiorkor	Neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's
Protection from HIV and other viruses	Reduced allergy symptoms
Cancer protection	Radiation protection (LINK to recent spirulina radiation article)
Bone marrow and blood health (especially during use of anticancer drugs)	Strengthening immune defenses and modulating inflammatory response
Reduced pain sensitivity by inhibiting prostaglandins, which contribute to pain and inflammation	Reduction of arthritis symptoms
Protection from the damage of ionizing radiation

As you can see, the health benefits of spirulina are truly far-ranging. The remainder of this report will focus on how spirulina can address some of the diseases listed in the above table (the ones shown in bold).

Spirulina and Your Eyes

As the population ages, the prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) is on the rise. ARMD is the deterioration of your macula (the region in your eye that controls acute vision), which typically occurs later in life. ARMD is the leading cause of blindness today.

Your eyes' macular membranes contain several carotenoid pigments called xanthophylls—lutein, zeaxanthin, and possibly astaxanthin, if you're getting it as part of your diet. These special pigments help protect your eyes from damage by slowing down ultraviolet-induced oxidation of lipid membranes, thereby helping prevent degeneration of your macula.

Additionally, xanthophylls may be effective in preventing cataracts. Spirulina provides 3,750 to 6,000 mcg zeaxanthin per serving size (3 grams). Eggs are another excellent source of both lutein and zeaxanthin (200mcg zeaxanthin per yolk). Astaxathin is also another marine based nutrient that is in the carotenoid family and is also a potent preventor of ARMD.

Spirulina and Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is an epidemic in the Western world today. It is really a cluster of related pathologies, including insulin resistance, obesity, dyslipidemia and hypertension. Spirulina has been shown to benefit diabetics in the following ways:

• Reducing systemic inflammation. (Insulin resistance has come to be associated with a state of systemic low-grade inflammation.)
• Favorably altering your lipid profile by reducing serum triglycerides and increasing HDL.
• Improving vasodilation in those who are obese as a result of high fructose diets (which has benefits for diabetics, as well as for those with hypertension and cardiovascular disease).

Spirulina and Your Cardiovascular Health

Diabetes and cardiovascular health are intimately connected, so it's no surprise that spirulina shows great potential for people with cardiovascular disease, in terms of creating better lipid profiles, controlling hypertension, and increasing blood vessel elasticity. Diabetic patients given 2 grams per day of spirulina showed improved glycosylated hemoglobin and better lipid profiles in this 2001 study. And in this study of the Mexican population, 4.5 grams per day of spirulina significantly reduced serum triglyceride levels and total cholesterol, boosted HDL, and reduced blood pressure in test subjects.

It is thought that the lipid action of spirulina may be due to its phycocyanin content, which inhibits pancreatic lipase activity, and this in turn causes higher excretion of triglycerides through your feces.

In one animal study, spirulina prevented hypertension and vasoconstriction in rats fed fructose-rich diets, but rats fed fructose-rich diets without spirulina had those adverse health effects. Hamsters consuming spirulina were protected from developing atherosclerosis in this 2007 study.

Spirulina and Your Liver

The accumulation of fats in your liver is closely associated with metabolic syndrome and strongly raises your risk for dying from cardiovascular disease. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in North America and notoriously difficult to treat, at least with traditional medical measures.

Animal studies suggest spirulina can protect your liver, probably as a result of its high antioxidant properties and its ability to synthesize or release nitric oxide. Studies show that spirulina does the following for your liver:

• Prevents the buildup of triglycerides in your liver
• Inhibits lipid peroxidation
• Reduces liver inflammation
• Protects your liver from damage by heavy metals, like lead and mercury

Spirulina and Your Brain

The third leading cause of death in the U.S. is stroke. Diets high in antioxidants have been shown to lower your risk for stroke. Two studies (one in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the other in the British Journal of Nutrition) showed that Spirulina reduces platelet aggregation, which plays an important role in vascular diseases by reducing your risk for thromboembolism.

In another study, three antioxidant-rich diets (blueberries, spinach, and spirulina) were compared for their neuroprotective effects. Spirulina was found to have the highest neuroprotective effect, possibly due to its ability to squelch free radicals and reduce inflammation.

And in an Oregon State University study of rats that had induced strokes, the group fed spirulina showed brains lesions that were 75 percent smaller than those in control groups.
Oxidative stress is one major source of inflammation, and in your brain, it can result in loss of dopamine neurons and lead to neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. An enzyme complex called NADPH oxidase has been shown to play a role in these diseases, and the phycocyanin in spirulina can suppress NADPH oxidase, lowering your risk for these age-related brain diseases. (I will go into this further in the next section.)

In animal studies, diets enriched with spirulina were found to reverse the inflammation that can lead to diminished neurogenesis (production of new neurons), which is another factor in degenerative diseases of the brain. Bob Capelli, of Cyanotech Corporation said:

"Spirulina has long been associated with immune building and anti-viral properties, eye and brain health and cardiovascular health, but we now see that spirulina also has anti-inflammatory properties through this research on one of the principal constituents in spirulina, phycocyanin. This study isolates the mechanism of action for phycocyanin as an anti-inflammatory."

Let's look a little more at the antioxidant properties of spirulina—in particular, its special pigmented component, phycocyanobilin.

The Spirulina-Bilirubin Connection

Phycocyanobilin contained in spirulina is a close chemical relative of bilirubin. In mammalian cells, phycocyanobilin is converted into phycocyanorubin, a compound nearly identical to bilirubin. Bilirubin is the chemical responsible for the yellow color of bruises, urine, and jaundice and occurs as a breakdown product of your red blood cells (heme). When a newborn baby gets jaundice, he is placed under "bili lights" in the hospital nursery to prevent brain damage (kernicterus), if his bilirubin levels become too high. The lights break down the bilirubin so it can be excreted.

But bilirubin, at appropriate levels, has a strong free radial scavenging effect.
Until recently, scientists were not aware that bilirubin may actually have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and atheroprotective properties—and there is a growing body of scientific and clinical evidence to support this. From an evolutionary/biological perspective, it makes sense that nature would have created a way for your body to break down heme, which can be toxic if it accumulates. 

The way bilirubin is thought to provide these health benefits is through its ability to inhibit NADPH oxidase, a metabolic enzyme that is activated in a large number of pathological conditions and generates a great deal of oxidative stress in your body. In fact, NADPH overactivity appears to play a significant roll in a wide range of adverse health conditions, including but not limited to the following:

• Vascular diseases and vascular complications of other diseases (diabetes, kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, etc.)
• Insulin resistance
• Neurodegenerative disorders, like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
• Many human cancers
• Glaucoma
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Erectile dysfunction  

NADPH seems to be a chemical that can be helpful or harmful, depending on how much of it is circulating at the time, so it needs to be carefully regulated by your body. For example, NADPH oxidase plays a key role in helping your immune system fight bacteria and helps your T-cells to function properly.

It follows then that preventing many chronic diseases would require finding a means of inhibiting or modulating NADPH oxidase.

Bilirubin is now believed to assist with this modulating effect.

People with Gilbert Syndrome comprise 5-10% of the population and illustrate this phenomenon very nicely—they are genetically predisposed to chronically elevated levels of unconjugated bilirubin. These individuals, having two to three times as much bilirubin as the rest of us, enjoy a greatly reduced risk for coronary artery disease, hypertension and carotid atherosclerosis, and these protections are thought to be related to their high bilirubin levels. I happen to be one of those with Gilbert's and did not realize until reviewing the research for this article that my elevated bilirubin levels were actually a major benefit.

Since phycocyanobilin is a very close relative of bilirubin—and spirulina is a great source of phycocyanobilin—spirulina has enormous clinical potential due to its NADPH oxidase inhibiting effect. This is why phycocyanobilin has been the focus of a large amount of research of late. Phycobilin extracts have been shown to inhibit NADPH oxidase activity in human aortic endothelium, aortic smooth muscle, and renal cell cultures. And bilirubin protects against diabetic nephropathy via downregulation of NADPH oxidase in rats.

Concluding Remarks

The scientific evidence for spirulina's health benefits is abundant, frequently showing remarkable clinical results. And spirulina's safety is equally impressive! Rodents show no ill effects when fed diets very high in Spirulina. And remember, it was a major component of the Aztec diet.

Spirulina is even good for your pet (be he dog, cat, bird, fish or reptile) promoting a strong immune system, a healthy coat, heart and joint health, and even fresher breath—which is why I now offer SpiruGreen Superfood for Pets. It appears this is a near-perfect food for everyone in your family—one more natural way to take charge of your health.

Sources:

• JAMA 2007
• Phycocyanobilin: A Natural Revolutionary Approach to Oxidative Stress (Valensa)
• J Med Food 2007
• Pediatrics June 2004
• J Agric Food Chem 2007
• Current Peptide and Protein Science 2003
• Algbiotek
• J Applied Phycology 2007
• Anesthesia & Analgesia 2009
• The Nutritional Aspects of Spirulina by Jacques Falquet
• The Role of Parry Organic Spirulina in Health Management October 2010
• Spirulina for Nutrition
• J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol May 1998
• J Med Food 2005
• J Med Food 2001
• J Nutr Sci 2005
• Cancer Sci May 2009
• UCDMC December 2000
• Mol Med March-April 2008
• Lipids in Health and Disease 2007
• Nutr Res 1998
• Exp Neurol 2005
• British Journal of Nutrition 2006
• J Agric Food Chem 2005
• PLoS One 2010

Related Links:

You Will Suffer - If You Carelessly Make This Eating Mistake

How this Near-Perfect Food Flushes Heavy Toxins from Your Body

Spirulina Used to Save 70 Million Poisoned by Arsenic

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/07/17/spirulina-one-of-natures-nearperfect-foods.aspx