Lower Cholesterol And Boost Liver Function With The Ayurvedic Herb Guggul

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From a group I belong to - Hawk

 

 

Lower Cholesterol And Boost Liver Function With The

Ayurvedic Herb Guggul

 

Written by EditorsChoice

Friday, 28 September 2007

 

Guggul is gum resin that can be used to lower cholesterol and boost

your liver function, though it has been used for thousands of years in

India to treat a number of diseases and conditions. However, its mode

of action is completely different to that of most other cholesterol

lowering agents.

 

The active ingredient is known as guggulsterone, which is a plant

sterol that increases the amount of body cholesterol into bile acids

by the liver. Bile acids are an essential part of our digestion

system, working to emulsify the oils and fats we eat and covert them

into a form suitable for transferring to the blood and use elsewhere

in the body. They also help the body make use of fat soluble vitamins

such as vitamins A and E.

 

The resin used in this Ayurvedic remedy comes from the stem of a tree

called Mukul myrrh that grows throughout India. Ayurvedic medicine is

said to have originated from ancient Hindu texts, but is now thought

to have evolved over thousands of years. The basis of the medicine is

contained in two Sanskrit texts written on palm leaves and form the

basis of modern Ayurvedic training. Guggul has been used for millennia

in the treatment of skin conditions, rheumatism, arthritis, cardio-

vascular problems and high cholesterol.

 

Being an oily fat, cholesterol is not soluble in blood plasma and

hence cannot be carried around the body without a carrier. These

carriers are known as low density lipoproteins and high density

lipoproteins.

 

The LDL carries cholesterol to where it is needed by the body, and is

a sticky substance that can also deposit cholesterol in the arteries

that are carrying it. This can form a hard coating on the inside of

the arteries called plaque, and effectively narrow them and harden

them up.

 

This atherosclerosis, as it is called, is a dangerous condition, and

if a blood clot encounters the narrow part of an artery so affected it

can be blocked. If in the heart, then this can cause a heart attack,

and if in the brain it can give rise to a stroke, both potentially

fatal conditions.

 

HDL, on the other hand, carries excess cholesterol back to the liver

for destruction or conversion to bile, and is a free flowing liquid

material known as 'good cholesterol'. Cholesterol is needed by the

body and so cannot be eliminated completely. That would be even more

dangerous. One of the major functions of cholesterol in the liver is

in the production of bile that is used by your digestive process to

emulsify fats. Any compound that could also carry out this vital

function would mean that liver would have less cholesterol to manufacture.

 

Your body receives a dietary supply of cholesterol from fatty animal

sources such as meat, fats, eggs and dairy products such as cheese and

butter. There is no cholesterol in purely vegetable foods. However,

that does not mean that vegans have no cholesterol, since as stated

earlier, it is an essential substance in the body's metabolism. In

fact, the liver is able to generate all the cholesterol you need, and

that which is taken in your diet is superfluous.

 

The liver can manufacture cholesterol from the trans and saturated

fats in your diet, and there are several sources of these. Included

among them are popcorn, vegetable shortening such as found in cookies

and donuts and other manufactured bakery products made from

hydrogenated margarines and oils widely used in the bakery industry.

Also from rapeseed and palm oils and coconuts. Saturated fats are also

contained in French fries and similar fried foods using certain

vegetable oils, and also potato chips. Even vegetarians and vegans can

suffer from high cholesterol levels.

 

Cholesterol is manufactured in the liver and taken up by LDL for

distribution by the blood. However, a large proportion of that

cholesterol is used by the liver to manufacture bile, essential for

digestion of fats. This bile is stored in the gall bladder, and

released into the upper intestine on the ingestion of fatty food. The

bile acids and fats pass down the intestine, where the fats are

emulsified into a form suitable for absorption by the body.

 

The bile acids are then absorbed in the final part of the ileum by

proteins that carry them back to the liver where they are recirculated

into the bile. Once the level of bile acids in the body reaches a

certain level, a chemical known as the Farnesoid X Receptor

(FXR) stops the liver from converting cholesterol into bile. Although

only 5% of the bile is excreted from the body and needs replaced, this

still accounts for 50% of the body's usage of cholesterol.

 

The production of bile from cholesterol operates on a closed loop

system, with a feedback that maintains a constant level of bile

acids. The feedback is controlled by FXR that detects the current

level of bile acids and represses the enzyme (CYP7A1) that stimulates

bile manufacture until a minimum level has been reached when the

CYP7A1 is re-activated.

 

By blocking the action of FXR, the guggulsterone in guggul continues

the conversion of cholesterol to bile acids by the liver without

interruption. The liver has to use more LDL cholesterol for this and

so reduces the overall amount of cholesterol in the body, specifically

the LDL type.

 

A double blind study in India showed a total cholesterol reduction of

11.7%, including a 12.7% reduction in LDL and a 12% reduction in blood

fat (triglyceride) levels, and other studies have indicated a total

cholesterol reduction of up to 27% and triglycerides of up to 30%. The

Indians believe guggul to be so effective that is has been approved as

a treatment for high cholesterol by the Indian government. The

connection with FXR has been confirmed by testing with mice with and

without FXR.

 

Another factor in high cholesterol levels is that an under-active

thyroid can interfere with the liver's ability to process cholesterol.

Guggul stimulates then production of thyroid hormones, and so can help

to reduce excessive LDL cholesterol in the blood cause through a low

level of thyroid hormone production.

 

Overall, then, this Ayurvedic remedy for many ills can help anyone who

needs to reduce the level of cholesterol and triglycerides in their

blood. Recommended dosages are about 1500 mg twice daily, though if

you are also taking statins or are under treatment for cancer you

should first consult your doctor, as you should with all natural

remedies that are new to you.

 

Article Source:

http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/lower-cholesterol-and-boost-liver-fu\\nction-with-the-ayurvedic-herb-guggul-222031.html

 

 

 

 

 

Radiating

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE & Truth

To ALL who share our circle, our

universe, our love, our trust.

May

I always be found worthy.

Gratitude

& Thankfulness to All of Us

aSoaringHawk

Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the

first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with joy & glory.

Thank you for YOU, ALL!

[Guest guest]

I always look forward to your informative emails....thank you and God bless you. JeannieSoaring Hawk <aSoaringHawk wrote: From a group I belong to - Hawk Lower Cholesterol And Boost Liver Function With The Ayurvedic Herb GuggulWritten by EditorsChoiceFriday, 28 September 2007Guggul is gum resin that can be used to lower cholesterol and boostyour liver function, though it has been used for

thousands of years inIndia to treat a number of diseases and conditions. However, its modeof action is completely different to that of most other cholesterollowering agents.The active ingredient is known as guggulsterone, which is a plantsterol that increases the amount of body cholesterol into bile acidsby the liver. Bile acids are an essential part of our digestionsystem, working to emulsify the oils and fats we eat and covert theminto a form suitable for transferring to the blood and use elsewherein the body. They also help the body make use of fat soluble vitaminssuch as vitamins A and E.The resin used in this Ayurvedic remedy comes from the stem of a treecalled Mukul myrrh that grows throughout India. Ayurvedic medicine issaid to have originated from ancient Hindu texts, but is now thoughtto have evolved over thousands of years. The basis of the medicine iscontained in two Sanskrit texts written on

palm leaves and form thebasis of modern Ayurvedic training. Guggul has been used for millenniain the treatment of skin conditions, rheumatism, arthritis, cardio-vascular problems and high cholesterol.Being an oily fat, cholesterol is not soluble in blood plasma andhence cannot be carried around the body without a carrier. Thesecarriers are known as low density lipoproteins and high densitylipoproteins.The LDL carries cholesterol to where it is needed by the body, and isa sticky substance that can also deposit cholesterol in the arteriesthat are carrying it. This can form a hard coating on the inside ofthe arteries called plaque, and effectively narrow them and hardenthem up.This atherosclerosis, as it is called, is a dangerous condition, andif a blood clot encounters the narrow part of an artery so affected itcan be blocked. If in the heart, then this can cause a heart attack,and if in the brain it

can give rise to a stroke, both potentiallyfatal conditions.HDL, on the other hand, carries excess cholesterol back to the liverfor destruction or conversion to bile, and is a free flowing liquidmaterial known as 'good cholesterol'. Cholesterol is needed by thebody and so cannot be eliminated completely. That would be even moredangerous. One of the major functions of cholesterol in the liver isin the production of bile that is used by your digestive process toemulsify fats. Any compound that could also carry out this vitalfunction would mean that liver would have less cholesterol to manufacture.Your body receives a dietary supply of cholesterol from fatty animalsources such as meat, fats, eggs and dairy products such as cheese andbutter. There is no cholesterol in purely vegetable foods. However,that does not mean that vegans have no cholesterol, since as statedearlier, it is an essential substance in the

body's metabolism. Infact, the liver is able to generate all the cholesterol you need, andthat which is taken in your diet is superfluous.The liver can manufacture cholesterol from the trans and saturatedfats in your diet, and there are several sources of these. Includedamong them are popcorn, vegetable shortening such as found in cookiesand donuts and other manufactured bakery products made fromhydrogenated margarines and oils widely used in the bakery industry.Also from rapeseed and palm oils and coconuts. Saturated fats are alsocontained in French fries and similar fried foods using certainvegetable oils, and also potato chips. Even vegetarians and vegans cansuffer from high cholesterol levels.Cholesterol is manufactured in the liver and taken up by LDL fordistribution by the blood. However, a large proportion of thatcholesterol is used by the liver to manufacture bile, essential fordigestion of fats.

This bile is stored in the gall bladder, andreleased into the upper intestine on the ingestion of fatty food. Thebile acids and fats pass down the intestine, where the fats areemulsified into a form suitable for absorption by the body.The bile acids are then absorbed in the final part of the ileum byproteins that carry them back to the liver where they are recirculatedinto the bile. Once the level of bile acids in the body reaches acertain level, a chemical known as the Farnesoid X Receptor(FXR) stops the liver from converting cholesterol into bile. Althoughonly 5% of the bile is excreted from the body and needs replaced, thisstill accounts for 50% of the body's usage of cholesterol.The production of bile from cholesterol operates on a closed loopsystem, with a feedback that maintains a constant level of bileacids. The feedback is controlled by FXR that detects the currentlevel of bile acids and represses the

enzyme (CYP7A1) that stimulatesbile manufacture until a minimum level has been reached when theCYP7A1 is re-activated.By blocking the action of FXR, the guggulsterone in guggul continuesthe conversion of cholesterol to bile acids by the liver withoutinterruption. The liver has to use more LDL cholesterol for this andso reduces the overall amount of cholesterol in the body, specificallythe LDL type.A double blind study in India showed a total cholesterol reduction of11.7%, including a 12.7% reduction in LDL and a 12% reduction in bloodfat (triglyceride) levels, and other studies have indicated a totalcholesterol reduction of up to 27% and triglycerides of up to 30%. TheIndians believe guggul to be so effective that is has been approved asa treatment for high cholesterol by the Indian government. Theconnection with FXR has been confirmed by testing with mice with andwithout FXR.Another factor in high

cholesterol levels is that an under-activethyroid can interfere with the liver's ability to process cholesterol.Guggul stimulates then production of thyroid hormones, and so can helpto reduce excessive LDL cholesterol in the blood cause through a lowlevel of thyroid hormone production.Overall, then, this Ayurvedic remedy for many ills can help anyone whoneeds to reduce the level of cholesterol and triglycerides in theirblood. Recommended dosages are about 1500 mg twice daily, though ifyou are also taking statins or are under treatment for cancer youshould first consult your doctor, as you should with all naturalremedies that are new to you.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/lower-cholesterol-and-boost-liver-fu\\nction-with-the-ayurvedic-herb-guggul-222031.html Radiating UNCONDITIONAL LOVE & Truth To ALL who share our circle, our universe, our love, our trust. May I always be found worthy. Gratitude & Thankfulness to All of Us aSoaringHawk Look at everything as though

you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with joy & glory. Thank you for YOU, ALL!

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