Liver. Old School Supplement
by Freak

"Liver tabs. Man, these two words, probably more than any other, conjure up bodybuilding nutrition from the 60s and 70s. It does for me. Bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenneger, Frank Zane, Dave Draper, and Vince Gironda lived on them and let me tell ya, these guys knew something about bodybuilding. But in this day and age, liver tabs are a throwback. Liver tabs are ****ing old school. But what’s old school don’t mean obsolete–anyone here at Animalpak.com can tell you that. Liver iain't obsolete. In fact, top bodybuilding pros still use liver today. Liver ain’t glamorous, but it flat out works.

Back in the old days, liver was considered by many lifters to be a panacea. Bodybuilders thought it could do everything. Truth is, it can’t. Nothing can. Not only that, desiccated liver is no “miracle” supplement that’s gonna add 25 or 50 pounds to your bench press overnight. So for all you guys out there looking for the next “big” thing, this ain’t it. But if you’re looking for a solid nutritional supplement, one that should be part of your core nutritional arsenal along with protein and Animal Pak, this is it. In my honest opinion, liver tabs are a must.

Now a lot of so-called “experts” today think desiccated liver tabs are bull****. They’ll point to a lack of a significant body of research. They’ll point out it’s been around for a long, long time. They say there are more inexpensive ways to get protein. Well these things are true. Even so, it don’t mean liver is worthless. Far from it. Those critics who bring these charges, guess what? These are the same guys who’ve never used liver before, cuz if they did, they’d be singing a different tune.

Truth is, the vast majority of bodybuilding supplements have little or no science behind them at all. Period. The supplement industry is built on the myth of science, not science itself. Don’t get me wrong. Supplements and our knowledge of nutrition have come a long, long way in thirty years. Even so, in the supplement industry, it’s more about fiction and hype, not truth and science.

Fact is, very precious few supplements have any legitimate clinical studies to support them. Protein. Aminos. Creatine. These are among the rare few that have been studied. Now this doesn’t mean that all supplements today are worthless. Many are good, but many don’t have studies behind them. The point is, just because there isn’t a lot of science don’t mean something doesn’t work. And just because something’s been around a while doesn’t mean it’s worthless. If you’re selling ****, then it ain’t gonna sell for long.

On the other hand, if something’s been around for thirty or so years, you gotta ask yourself why. Maybe cuz it actually works? Consider Atkins as a case in point. He first presented his ideas in the 1970s and his ideas never caught on. He was ridiculed by the medical establishment. Today, his theories are gaining ground. Studies are even beginning to show his diet works. Bodybuilders, of course, have been following a ketogenic diet for decades, but the point is, sometimes it takes a while for everyone else to catch up.

Bottom line, who you gonna trust? You gonna put your faith in some skinny-assed marketing guys who tout their supplements as being “scientifically” or “clinically” proven to help you build muscle faster? Or you gonna trust thousands upon thousands of real lifters who have used a supplement for years and years with success? It’s your call. I know what mine is.

So what’s so good about liver? For starters, many have called liver the most perfect food. It’s rich in amino acids, vitamins, minerals, nucleic acids, lipotropics, antioxidants, cytochrome P450 (an enzyme involved in steroid production and detoxification), and other important nutrients. Liver has been used by bodybuilders and powerlifters for decades to increase strength, enhance appetites, reduce recovery times and fatigue, support liver function, and detoxify the body. It’s also an effective blood builder. Liver helps increase red blood cell count. Plus, it’s one of the best sources of heme iron.

Desiccated liver contain heme iron, one of the most bioavailable forms around. Synthetic or elemental iron can lead to overdosing. Overdosing is far less likely with natural iron. With non-heme iron, you might expect an absorption rate of 1-3%. With heme iron, you could expect 35% absorption or more. Liver tabs can also exert “hematinic activity” – the ability of a substance to improve the quality of the blood, including the hemoglobin level and the number of erythrocytes. That’s why liver has been called a “blood builder”.

All this is important because blood is what delivers oxygen and nutrients to your working muscles. If you got a problem with iron and blood, it can all lead to to fatigue, decreased energy levels, and reduced physical performance. Studies have clearly shown that even slight iron-deficiency can lead to a reduced work capacity.

Liver also contains nucleic acids. For years, people thought the body could make enough nucleic acids via de novo nucleotide synthetic pathways. Under certain circumstances, this ain’t the case. There are times when the body needs more: when the body is undergoing rapid growth, limited food supply, and metabolic stress. In other words, when you’re training hard to either gain mass or shed fat. Under these tough conditions, metabolic demand exceeds the capacity of de novo synthesis and nucleic acids become conditionally essential nutrients. This is one of the reasons that liver can have a real effect on improving recovery rates.

Liver is one of the best sources of B vitamins in food. For the athlete, B vitamins are among the most important of all the vitamins. B vitamins play a key role in energy production. If you are low here, your energy levels can suffer. This is bad news in the gym. B vitamins are also needed in carbohydrate metabolism, fat utilization, cell function, proper enzyme function, the regulation of blood sugar, antioxidant function, and detoxification reactions. The list goes on and on.

So liver is important. But like I said earlier, it ain’t no panacea. Liver will never replace good old protein powder. From an economical point of view, it can’t and it shouldn’t. It’s easier and cheaper to take a scoop of protein powder than it is to gulp down a handful of liver tabs. So you don’t take liver in place of protein. It’s not either or. You can take both. Besides, you don’t take liver for protein. You get it for aminos and other goodies.

Liver tabs, in my opinion, should be a regular part of your supplement program. Now there are a couple of different liver products out there. If you’re looking to try it out, choose a good one. Good liver tabs start with good liver: exclusively grass-fed, prized cattle from Argentina. These prized Argentinian cattle are raised without the use of steroids, hormones, pesticides or other such contaminants. So you get a liver that’s healthy, clean and pure. You also gotta check to make sure the liver is certified BSE-free.

Me and a lotta the guys I train with use Universal's Uni-Liver for all the reasons above. Along with Animal Pak, I don’t leave home without Uni-Liver. Competitive bodybuilders may take anywhere from 9-18 per day. As each 30 grain tab has 1600mg of protein, you can get upwards of 29 extra grams of protein per day. Bottom line: if you’re looking for a miracle in a bottle, you ain’t gonna find it here. Fact is, you ain't gonna find it anywhere... But if you’re looking to add a little something extra to your program, liver is as good as it gets."

From Animalpak.com: Article Details

U-Rep, this the last time I read this article, or any other post you or another Animal makes about Uni-Liver. I am off to order mine to see for myself.

I should have this article memorized by now. LOL

Unilivers a staple of mine. Vitamin B's, protein, amino acids...good stuff

U-Rep. Question for you. Beverly International also makes a liver tab supp. Can you explain the difference in the two? I've used Beverly before but with all their stuff it's expensive. I'm sure you get this from time to time.

Even if your stuff is 1/2 as good as beverly it's worth it to switch over because you guys have 500 for like $11 and 500 of theirs is about $32. Then I'm also helping out a board sponsor, which always makes me feel better

I personally like LIV.52. Its proven to work and has worked for me.

Originally Posted by The_Reverend

I personally like LIV.52. Its proven to work and has worked for me.

Um....yea these are "liver tabs" not things that protect/improve your actual liver

Originally Posted by Distilled Water

U-Rep. Question for you. Beverly International also makes a liver tab supp. Can you explain the difference in the two? I've used Beverly before but with all their stuff it's expensive. I'm sure you get this from time to time.

Even if your stuff is 1/2 as good as beverly it's worth it to switch over because you guys have 500 for like $11 and 500 of theirs is about $32. Then I'm also helping out a board sponsor, which always makes me feel better

Please let me know how that goes if you decide to do it, I have heard people claim the Beverly tabs digest better / are more "potent", but I'd really like your take on it if you give it a shot. I used UniLiver (the 500 count jar) for 2 years when I was starting out ...... used to take like 15 a day, was an extra 24gs of protein I think, I felt like it made a diff, especially when smaller / starting out....

Originally Posted by Distilled Water

U-Rep. Question for you. Beverly International also makes a liver tab supp. Can you explain the difference in the two? I've used Beverly before but with all their stuff it's expensive. I'm sure you get this from time to time.

Even if your stuff is 1/2 as good as beverly it's worth it to switch over because you guys have 500 for like $11 and 500 of theirs is about $32. Then I'm also helping out a board sponsor, which always makes me feel better

Honestly, I can't comment on Beverly's product. For that, get in touch with them. I'm a rep for Universal and with a competing product, so my answers could easily create a conflict of interest, dig? Sorry about that bro.

I can vouch for the quality of Uni-Liver. It's one of my Four Pillars of supplementation. It uses only Argentinian cattle that are grass fed. As with all Universal supps, Uni-Liver comes with a full 100% guarantee. Is it worth it? Run a bottle and let me know. It's pretty cheap.

Originally Posted by BigCasino

Please let me know how that goes if you decide to do it, I have heard people claim the Beverly tabs digest better / are more "potent", but I'd really like your take on it if you give it a shot. I used UniLiver (the 500 count jar) for 2 years when I was starting out ...... used to take like 15 a day, was an extra 24gs of protein I think, I felt like it made a diff, especially when smaller / starting out....

I don't know about this "potency" thing. A good liver tab should start with good raw materials. You take that a punch a tab. It's pretty simple and straightforward I think. I can feel when I'm off Uni-Liver for any period of time. It's weird.

Uni-liver is also a staple for me, right along with my protein and BCAAs

awhile ago i saw someone did an experiment (and review i think) of liver tabs and how the different brands dissolved...
i can't remember where i saw it though.

regardless of that stuff, i tried Uni-Liver for myself and have never looked back.
i've never had any problems digesting them and i take 4-6 w/ each meal.
they're great, not just for the protein and aminos, but for the other nutrients.

i've come to appreciate them even more while i have been cutting.
they're a good way to get those nutrients that you might lack a little bit while dieting.

Originally Posted by Universal Rep

Honestly, I can't comment on Beverly's product. For that, get in touch with them. I'm a rep for Universal and with a competing product, so my answers could easily create a conflict of interest, dig? Sorry about that bro.

I can vouch for the quality of Uni-Liver. It's one of my Four Pillars of supplementation. It uses only Argentinian cattle that are grass fed. As with all Universal supps, Uni-Liver comes with a full 100% guarantee. Is it worth it? Run a bottle and let me know. It's pretty cheap.

As a rep myself I understand where your coming from and I respect that. I just had to ask. I will give these a try in my next NP order. I have no problem puttin over $11 for a try. Thanks for the background and you should see these and animal pack as a part of my upcoming arsenal.

Originally Posted by Distilled Water

As a rep myself I understand where your coming from and I respect that. I just had to ask. I will give these a try in my next NP order. I have no problem puttin over $11 for a try. Thanks for the background and you should see these and animal pack as a part of my upcoming arsenal.

It's part of the way we roll.

Sweet. Let me know if ya have any questions or comments, DW.

Finally got on board with the Uni-Liver, will be here in a week.

Going to sound like a dumb question coming, but I notice most people take 4-6 with each meal. Thats 24-36 a day on an average 6 meal plan.

Swallowing the pills aint a problem, but is it extra benificial to take that many. Label says 2-4, but up to 6. I figured I would do the 2 pills, with all of my meals. 12 pills daily. Yet after reading what most do, 12 seems low.

Originally Posted by atrain11b

Finally got on board with the Uni-Liver, will be here in a week.

Going to sound like a dumb question coming, but I notice most people take 4-6 with each meal. Thats 24-36 a day on an average 6 meal plan.

Swallowing the pills aint a problem, but is it extra benificial to take that many. Label says 2-4, but up to 6. I figured I would do the 2 pills, with all of my meals. 12 pills daily. Yet after reading what most do, 12 seems low.

As always, start with less. Then, if you feel you need more, you can add it later.

I've not read to much research on this product so forgive me for the ignorance of this question. What benefits will I see by taking these on a daily basis with my other animal supps?

Originally Posted by JOHNJESSICA20

I've not read to much research on this product so forgive me for the ignorance of this question. What benefits will I see by taking these on a daily basis with my other animal supps?

It's really kinda hard to explain--better feeling of wellness, more energy, often, increased appetites, etc.

Originally Posted by JOHNJESSICA20

I've not read to much research on this product so forgive me for the ignorance of this question. What benefits will I see by taking these on a daily basis with my other animal supps?

It's one of those things that the old hard-core bodybuilding did , and when Animal/Universal came to AM the 500 tabs for $11.50 got me interested http://www.nutraplanet.com/product/u...-500-tabs.html .

Originally Posted by Steveoph

It's one of those things that the old hard-core bodybuilding did , and when Animal/Universal came to AM the 500 tabs for $11.50 got me interested http://www.nutraplanet.com/product/u...-500-tabs.html .

Old school don't mean obsolete. Every time I open a bottle, it's like a blast from the price. And the price is nice.

I always use dessicated liver tabs, i recover quicker when i take them, i have more energy, i get better pumps, and they provide great protein, i love them and have used them as a staple since i started training, great stuff!!!!

I have used them for years. They are definately worth it to me. Especially for the B vitamins.

I'm sold placed order....

Originally Posted by Universal Rep

Old school don't mean obsolete. Every time I open a bottle, it's like a blast from the price. And the price is nice.

Some things are tried, tested and true This thread has me thinking about picking up some on my next order. At the price, it's hard to say no. Probably the same cost as the B vitamins alone lol.

Originally Posted by Steveoph

Some things are tried, tested and true This thread has me thinking about picking up some on my next order. At the price, it's hard to say no. Probably the same cost as the B vitamins alone lol.

Yeah, the price alone def makes you really take a long hard look...

could they be used as an optional nightime protein source, or is the rate of digesability too fast for that?

Got mine last Friday, BIG pills. Too early to say much about them though

Originally Posted by rxp1997

could they be used as an optional nightime protein source, or is the rate of digesability too fast for that?

I suppose they could. They are pretty much liver from Argentininan cattle that have been flash frozen and powdered. So the protein should be pretty much intact, meaning digestibility typical to the whole liver. I don't believe the powdering or freezing would break any of the amino chains in any significant way.

Originally Posted by Dizmal

Got mine last Friday, BIG pills. Too early to say much about them though

Let us know how you like 'em after a few weeks.

Universal Rep- Do you feel you need to chew them up in order to get the most out of them?

I get in at least 16 Uni-Liver tabs, per day... (4 at 4 times per day...)