“Milk thistle has been the standard for liver health for many years, and there hasn’t been a lot of innovation in the liver health space,” Chase Shryoc, Chief Revenue Officer at Gencor, told NutraIngredients-USA. “We think it’s an overlooked category.”
“We believe it will become a trend in the future,” added Ramasamy Venkatesh, co-founder of Gencor.
Launched at the recent Expo West in Anaheim, 4Liver is a combination of two botanicals extracts with a history or liver health support in ayurveda: Terminalia chebula (fruit) and Sphaeranthus indicus (flower).
The combination is supported by data from a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial with 90 adults with an elevated Fatty Liver Index (FLI). Findings from the study were published towards the end of 2022 in Functional Foods in Health and Disease.
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either the 4Liver combination (300 mg per day), Silymarin (320 mg), or placebo, with the data showing that 4Liver led to significant reductions of 13.81% and 16.08% compared to baseline and placebo, respectively.
Silymarin led to reductions of 7.50% and 7.27% compared to baseline and placebo, respectively, said the researchers.
The herbal combination was also associated with significant reduction in the level of liver enzymes, including ALT, AST, ALP, and GGT, said the researchers. In addition, both the 4Liver and Silymarin groups showed improvements in cholesterol levels, with 4Liver also associated with improvements in triglyceride levels.
The researchers concluded: “The findings of the present proof-of-concept study established the efficacy of [4Liver] supplementation in reducing fatty liver index (FLI) and oxidative stress level, as well as improving lipid profile in non-alcoholic subjects with fatty liver… Also, this botanical formulation is well tolerated.”
An option for subscription products
“We are overjoyed to bring this potent apoptogenic ingredient to our line of tried-and-true herbal and botanical supplement ingredients,” said Venkatesh. “Like many of Gencor’s formulas, all of which undergo rigorous scientific analysis, peer review and clinical testing, 4Liver is another easy, natural option to help individuals detox the liver and improve overall function and adaptation to common stressors on the body.
“For a brand, we see this as more of a subscription product,” he added.
Source: Functional Foods in Health and Disease
2022, Volume 12, Number 7, doi: 10.31989/ffhd.v12i7.958
“A blend of Sphaeranthus indicus flower head and Terminalia chebula fruit extracts reduces fatty liver and improves liver function in non-alcoholic, overweight adults”
Authors: Vamsi Krishna et al.