Non-alchoholic Fatty Liver Disease

This week we are going to have a look at some research that suggests that Caryophyllene(BCP), may be helpful in treating Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).  So as always, let’s firstly look at what is NAFLD.

The Mayo Clinic says that NAFLD is an umbrella term for a range of liver conditions affecting people who drink little to no alcohol. As the name implies, the main characteristic of NAFLD is too much fat stored in liver cells.

NAFLD is increasingly common around the world, especially in Western nations. In the United States, it is the most common form of chronic liver disease, affecting about one-quarter of the population.

Some individuals with NAFLD can develop nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), an aggressive form of fatty liver disease, which is marked by liver inflammation and may progress to advanced scarring (cirrhosis) and liver failure. This damage is similar to the damage caused by heavy alcohol use.

NAFLD usually causes no signs and symptoms. When it does, they may include:

• Fatigue
• Pain or discomfort in the upper right abdomen

Possible signs and symptoms of NASH and advanced scarring (cirrhosis) include:

• Abdominal swelling (ascites)
• Enlarged blood vessels just beneath the skin’s surface
• Enlarged spleen
• Red palms
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)

So, I think we can agree, NAFLD is not something that you would want to ignore. 

Dr Steve Best says “conditions such as obesity, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and high blood pressure, which make up metabolic syndrome, are among the danger aspects of NAFLD. In preclinical animal research studies, BCP has a cholesterol (LDL)- reducing impact and also increases high density lipoprotein (HDL), reducing liver injury and fibrosis, bring back liver function enzymes and improving antioxidants, therefore suggesting a possible advantage for fatty liver illness”.

Here’s what some researchers had to say back in 2016:

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is currently the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, characterised by excessive hepatic lipid accumulation without significant ethanol consumption. We have performed a screening for medicinal foods that inhibit hepatocytic lipid accumulation through activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is a critical regulator of the hepatic lipid metabolism.   Basically what they found was that the spice, cloves, markedly inhibited palmitate-inducible lipid accumulation in human HepG2 hepatocytes. Analyses of the clove extracts found that BCP, an orally-active cannabinoid, is the principal suppressor of the lipid accumulation, and stimulates the phosphorylation of AMPK and acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1).  (sorry for the scientific jargon!!)

Their conclusion was: Our results suggest that BCP has the potential efficacy in preventing and ameliorating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and its associated metabolic disorders.

Click HERE to read the whole PubMed publication.

I thought this was interesting. Not only does the research suggest that BCP may help with preventing or improving NAFLD, but it specifically mentions BCP from cloves!  In case you missed it, Canna Oils BCP is extracted from cloves!!!

So there you go, another reason why it’s a good idea to add Canna Oils BCP to your daily health routine.

Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20354567
https://drstevebest.org/active-ingredients/caryophyllene/

Disclaimer:  The information in this post is for reference purposes only and not intended to constitute or replace professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified medical professional before making any changes to your diet, medications or lifestyle. Results vary person to person.