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Liver Tabs

What do lions eat first when they make a kill? The liver, and all the other internal goodies. I love liver tabs and I also love eating beef liver and onions. I have a nice big black angus down here in my field awaiting his execution date on October 20th. I can't wait to get back all that good fresh liver, heart, kidneys, lungs and oxtail!

As for toxins I would be willing to bet that there are probably more toxins in all these so called "healthy organic foods" from your local grocery store as they are in liver. Thats why I have my liver, to filter all that stuff out. Give him a little milk thistle and he is good to go.

For the ones that were wandering about the liver and testosterone connection read here:

Vitamin A:
The Forgotten Bodybuilding Nutrient
By Chris Masterjohn

The dense forest of bodybuilding nutrition contains a paradox: the quantity of information available is abundant, but the wisdom of traditional diets to satisfy the primary concerns of bodybuilders is sparse and hard to find. Typical recommendations include very low-fat diets rich in protein foods like salmon and chicken.

You will search in vain through mainstream men's health magazines to find so much as a mention of the importance of vitamin A to bodybuilding. Yet this nutrient is essential to muscle-building and may be the bodybuilder's most potent weapon. Vitamin A is necessary for the utilization of protein and the production of testosterone and other growth factors. In fact, one human study, discussed below, found the administration of vitamin A and iron to have results equivalent to the administration of testosterone itself. Rather than advocating the consumption of vitamin-A rich foods such as liver and natural food-based supplements such as cod liver oil, mainstream men's health writers are advocating diets very high in protein, which deplete vitamin A reserves, leaving one to wonder whether the athletes who resort to over-the-counter steroid supplements might be able to achieve similar results by consuming a traditional diet, rich in vitamin A.

Vitamin A and Testosterone
Abundant animal research indicates the importance of vitamin A to the production of testosterone. Vitamin A crosses the blood-testis barrier in its alcohol form as retinol, where it is stored in the Sertoli cells and converted as needed to its more biologically active form, retinoic acid. Experiments with rats show that greater concentrations of vitamin A in the testes increase basal testosterone secretion, as well as transferrin, which is responsible for the transport of iron; and a variety of growth factors including IGF-binding protein 4 (which transports IGF), androgen-binding protein (which transports androgens), transforming growth factor-beta (which causes cell growth but suppresses cancer) and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (which is responsible for the transport of cholesterol into the mitochondria for its conversion to steroids). Vitamin A also decreases estrogen production in the male testes. Rats that are deficient in vitamin A experience decreased testosterone until the accessory sex organs atrophy, indicating that vitamin A not only aids in, but is essential to, testosterone production.1

One experiment using guinea pigs, which corroborates the many experiments done with rats, found a decrease in plasma testosterone associated with a deficiency in vitamin A.2 A human study comparing the dietary intakes of 155 pairs of male twins found a correlation between testosterone levels and vitamin A intake.3

The most compelling study is one that assigned 102 teenage boys with short stature and delayed puberty into four groups: a control, a testosterone-supplemented group, a vitamin A- and iron-supplemented group, and a group that received both testosterone and the nutritional supplementation. All treatments were effective in inducing growth and puberty, whereas the control group did not gain weight or begin puberty in the same period of time. What is most amazing is that the degree of growth acceleration was similar in the testosterone-treated group and the vitamin A-treated group. Pubertal onset occurred in 9-12 months in the testosterone group, and by 12 months in the vitamin-A group.4

This study suggests two things. The first is that the growth problems these boys experienced could have been avoided if their parents only had known the importance of serving a meal with liver on a weekly basis, as liver is very rich in both vitamin A and iron. The second is that, with equivalent hard work and dedication, athletes and body builders may be able to achieve similar results from their training by taking high-vitamin cod liver oil and eating foods rich in vitamin A on a regular basis as others receive from the common practice of supplementing with testosterone precursors.

Vitamin A and Prostate Cancer
Although some researchers have expressed concern that androgens such as testosterone may be involved in the etiology of prostate cancer, from vitamin A we can expect only more good news. Scientists in one controlled study administered doses of cyproterone acetate, an anti-androgen, and testosterone proprionate, to rats, followed by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, a carcinogen, with one group treated with large doses of vitamin A. The incidence of prostate cancer in the group not treated with vitamin A was 65 percent, while only 18 percent and 20 percent of vitamin A-treated rats experienced dorsolateral and anterior prostate cancer, respectively.5

Vitamin A and Protein Utilization
The utilization of protein requires vitamin A. Several animal studies have shown that liver reserves of vitamin A are depleted by a high dietary intake of protein, while vitamin A increases in non-liver tissues. One explanation for this is that adequate protein is necessary for vitamin A transport. In one study researchers fed radioactively-labeled vitamin A to rats on low-protein and high-protein diets, using the amount of radioactivity present in exhaled gases, urine and feces as a measure of the metabolism of vitamin A, and found that vitamin A is indeed used at a higher rate on a high-protein diet.6

Vitamin A is not only depleted by a high intake of protein, but it is also necessary for the synthesis of new protein, which is the goal of the bodybuilder. Rats fed diets deficient in vitamin A synthesize protein at a lower rate than rats fed adequate vitamin A.7 Cultured skeletal muscle cells increase the amount of protein per cell when exposed to vitamin A and D, but not when exposed to vitamin D alone.8

Eat Your Liver
Bodybuilders and other athletes interested in gaining muscle have an interest in boosting their levels of testosterone and other growth factors and maximizing their utilization of protein and its incorporation into muscle cells. Typical recommendations usually include very high amounts of protein, but exclude foods like liver that are high in vitamin A, and low-fat recommendations all but banish vitamin A entirely from the diet by excluding foods such as full-fat milk. The combination of a high-protein diet that depletes vitamin A and a low-fat diet that fails to provide vitamin A is a clear recipe for deficiency of this vital nutrient. Exercises that elicit a high demand for testosterone, such as squats and deadlifts, are often recommended for muscle growth, but without vitamin A the body cannot meet that demand for testosterone. It's high time for athletes to forget the modern mantras and remember the dietary wisdom of the past, achieving a lean, muscular physique through traditional foods such as liver, egg yolks, full-fat milk, butter from grass-fed cows and cod liver oil.
 
Hey F, can you find where you got that from and restore the references? I see each test had a ref # at the end but the reffs are missing at the end of the article.

This is probably why I do so well on my Carrot laden diet. I eat carrots like a rabbit and I drink pure Carrot juice every day. I know it is a different type of Vit A in that (it's the kind you cannot OD on like you can with mammal Vit A) but I still have noticed serious strength and vigor boosts when I veg up with carrots.
 
just a footnote I missed, for those that my be concerned:

Editor's Note: Many health conscious individuals avoid cod liver oil and other foods rich in vitamin A because of concerns about vitamin A toxicity. Yet, according to the Merck Manual, vitamin A poisoning is rare. In adults, vitamin A toxicity has been reported in Arctic explorers who developed drowsiness, irritability, headaches and vomiting, with subsequent peeling of the skin, within a few hours of ingesting several million units of vitamin A from polar bear or seal liver. These symptoms cleared up with discontinuation of the vitamin A rich food. Other than this unusual example, however, only vitamin A from "megavitamin tablets containing vitamin A. . . when taken for a long time" has induced acute toxicity, that is, 100,000 IU synthetic vitamin A per day taken for many months. Unless you are an Arctic explorer, it is very difficult to develop vitamin A toxicity from food. The putative toxic dose of 100,000 IU per day would be contained in 3 tablespoons of high vitamin cod liver oil, 6 tablespoons of regular cod liver oil, two-and-one-half 100-gram servings of duck liver, 150 grams of beef liver, seven pounds of butter or 309 egg yolks. Bodybuilders undergoing strenuous exercise can consume even higher amounts without adverse effects. For further information see "Vitamin A Saga."
 
The Liver Files!

The Liver Files
Recipes and Lore About Our
Most Important Sacred Food
By Lynn Razaitis
Since history began, "liver has ranked above all other offal as one of the most prized culinary delights. Its heritage is illustrious--whether savored by young warriors after a kill or mixed with truffles and cognac for fine patés de foie gras." So write Margaret Gin and Jana Allen, authors of Innards and Other Variety Meats (San Francisco, 1974).

Practically every cuisine has liver specialties. Some cultures place such a high value on liver that human hands can’t touch it. Special sticks must move it. The Li-Chi, a handbook of rituals published during China’s Han era (202B.C. to 220A.D.), lists liver as one of the Eight Delicacies. Throughout most of recorded time humans have preferred liver over steak by a large margin, regarding it as a source of great strength and as providing almost magical curative powers.

A LONG LIST
So what makes liver so wonderful? Quite simply, it contains more nutrients, gram for gram, than any other food. In summary, liver provides:

An excellent source of high-quality protein
Nature’s most concentrated source of vitamin A
All the B vitamins in abundance, particularly vitamin B12
One of our best sources of folic acid
A highly usable form of iron
Trace elements such as copper, zinc and chromium; liver is our best source of copper
An unidentified anti-fatigue factor
CoQ10, a nutrient that is especially important for cardio-vascular function
A good source of purines, nitrogen-containing compounds that serve as precursors for DNA and RNA.
ANTI-FATIGUE FACTOR
Liver’s as-yet-unidentified anti-fatigue factor makes it a favorite with athletes and bodybuilders. The factor was described by Benjamin K. Ershoff, PhD, in a July 1951 article published in the Proceedings for the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.

Ershoff divided laboratory rats into three groups. The first ate a basic diet, fortified with 11 vitamins. The second ate the same diet, along with an additional supply of vitamin B complex. The third ate the original diet, but instead of vitamin B complex received 10 percent of rations as powdered liver.

A 1975 article published in Prevention magazine described the experiment as follows: "After several weeks, the animals were placed one by one into a drum of cold water from which they could not climb out. They literally were forced to sink or swim. Rats in the first group swam for an average 13.3 minutes before giving up. The second group, which had the added fortifications of B vitamins, swam for an average of 13.4 minutes. Of the last group of rats, the ones receiving liver, three swam for 63, 83 and 87 minutes. The other nine rats in this group were still swimming vigorously at the end of two hours when the test was terminated. Something in the liver had prevented them from becoming exhausted. To this day scientists have not been able to pin a label on this anti-fatigue factor."

IS LIVER DANGEROUS?
In spite of widespread tradition and abundant scientific evidence on the health benefits of liver, conventional nutritionists and government agencies now warn against its consumption. The putative dangers of eating liver stem from two concerns--the assumption that liver contains many toxins and the high level of vitamin A that it provides.

One of the roles of the liver is to neutralize toxins (such as drugs, chemical agents and poisons); but the liver does not store toxins. Poisonous compounds that the body cannot neutralize and eliminate are likely to lodge in the fatty tissues and the nervous system. The liver is not a storage organ for toxins but it is a storage organ for many important nutrients (vitamins A, D, E, K, B12 and folic acid, and minerals such as copper and iron). These nutrients provide the body with some of the tools it needs to get rid of toxins.

Of course, we should consume liver from healthy animals--cattle, lamb, buffalo, hogs, chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese. The best choice is liver from animals that spend their lives outdoors and on pasture. If such a premier food is not available, the next choice is organic chicken, beef and calves liver. If supermarket liver is your only option, the best choice is calves liver, as in the U.S. beef cattle do spend their first months on pasture. Beef liver is more problematical as beef cattle are finished in feed lots. Livers from conventionally raised chicken and hogs are not recommended.

As for concerns about vitamin A, these stem from studies in which moderate doses of synthetic vitamin A were found to cause problems and even contribute to birth defects. But natural vitamin A found in liver is an extremely important nutrient for human health and does not cause problems except in extremely large amounts.

According to the authoritative Merck Manual, acute vitamin A poisoning can occur in children after taking a single dose of synthetic vitamin A in the range of 300,000 IU or a daily dosage of 60,000 IU for a few weeks. The Manual cites two fatalities from acute vitamin A poisoning in children, which manifests as increased intracranial pressure and vomiting. For the vast majority, however, recovery after discontinuation is "spontaneous, with no residual damage."

In adults, according to the Merck Manual, vitamin A toxicity has been reported in Arctic explorers who developed drowsiness, irritability, headaches and vomiting, with subsequent peeling of the skin, within a few hours of ingesting several million units of vitamin A from polar bear or seal liver. Again, these symptoms clear up with discontinuation of the vitamin A-rich food. Other than this unusual example, however, only vitamin A from megavitamin tablets containing vitamin A when taken for a long time has induced acute toxicity, that is, 100,000 IU synthetic vitamin A per day taken for many months.

Thus, unless you are an Arctic explorer, it is very difficult to develop vitamin A toxicity from liver. The putative toxic dose of 100,000 IU per day is contained in two-and-one-half 100-gram servings of duck liver or about three 100-gram servings of beef liver. From the work of Weston Price, we can assume that the amount in primitive diets was about 50,000 IU per day.

As for liver for pregnant women, a study carried out in Rome, Italy, found no congenital malformations among 120 infants exposed to more than 50,000 IU of vitamin A per day (Teratology, Jan 1999 59(1):1-2). A study from Switzerland looked at blood levels of vitamin A in pregnant women and found that a dose of 30,000 IU per day resulted in blood levels that had no association with birth defects (International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research 1998 68(6):411-6). Textbooks on nutrition written before the Second World War recommended that pregnant women eat liver frequently, yet today pregnant women are told to avoid this extremely nutritious food. Don’t eat beef liver, cautions Organic Style magazine in a February 2005 article on diets for pregnant women, ". . . it has high levels of retinol, a vitamin-A derivative that can cause birth defects."

A good recommendation for liver is one 100-gram serving of beef, lamb, bison or duck liver (about 4 ounces) once or twice a week, providing about 50,000 IU vitamin A per serving. Chicken liver, which is lower in vitamin A, may be consumed more frequently. If you experience headaches or joint pains at this level, cut back until the symptoms go away.

Eating Raw Liver. . .
Good Heavens!
Eating raw liver is definitely not a Standard American Dietary (SAD) practice! So why in the world would a sane person even consider eating their liver raw? Most of the reasons are anecdotal with the primary one being that people who do consistently report how good it makes them feel.

Southern hunters have a tradition of eating the liver of their freshly killed deer as a "manly" thing to do.
In Argentina, cowboys eat liver (and meat) raw or very lightly cooked.
People who grew up on farms tell of eating the liver freshly warm from the animal and only lightly cooking it (and all the organs and glands)
Weston Price reported on the consumption of raw liver among African hunter-gatherer tribes. Liver was considered so sacred that they never touched it with their hands, only with their spears. They ate it both raw and cooked.
The physician Max Gerson used raw liver juice, extracted with a special juicer that pressed out the liquid, in his original healing protocol with pancreatic cancer patients. His daughter, Charlotte Gerson, later dropped this part of the protocol because of the unavailability of fresh clean liver without bacterial contamination. Now a crude liver extract injection or desiccated liver tablets are used in the current protocol. However, Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez, a New York doctor who treats cancer holistically, insists that all his patients eat raw liver.
The How-to-do-it
of Eating Raw Liver
This takes some getting used to! There are two basic methods. One calls for freezing the liver for 14 days in large chunks. (Fourteen days will ensure the elimination of pathogens and parasites.) You can then grate the liver on the small holes of a grater and add it to milk or juice, or even hot cereal. A teaspoon or two of grated raw liver can be added to baby’s egg yolk, or even to mashed vegetables.

The second method turns liver into pills! Cut fresh liver into pea-sized pieces and freeze for 14 days. Swallow like vitamin pills.
For both methods, the liver should be of the highest quality available and very fresh.

RECIPES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
You don’t find recipes for liver in many modern cookbooks but scan the internet and you will find liver recipes from cuisines around the world.

A wonderful site that features medieval European recipes is florilegium.org, where participants provide translations and comments on recipes in old cookbooks. Here we learn that long before the anti-cholesterol campaign, Europeans made liver into dumplings, terrines, sausages and "puddings," and used it as a filling in meat pies and pasties. (According to one contributor, an outstanding example of a liver-filled pasty includes chicken livers, hearts, gizzards and sour cherries.)

Ancient cookbooks even describe the use of liver to thicken sauces, apparently by pressing raw puréed liver through a fine strainer and adding it to sauce that was then carefully heated but not boiled. (During Lent, fish livers served to thicken sauces!) As long as the liver flavor does not overpower the flavor of the sauce, this could be a good way to get liver into your family without them ever knowing it!

A liver recipe from a 1529 Spanish cookbook goes like this: "Take onions and cut them very small, like fingers, and fry them gently with fatty bacon; and then take the liver of a kid or a lamb or a goat and cut them into slices the size of a half walnut, and fry it gently with the onion until the liver loses its color; then take a crustless piece of toasted bread soaked in white vinegar and grind it well, and dissolve it with sweet white wine; and then strain it through a woolen cloth; and then cast it over the onion and the liver, all together in the casserole; and cast in ground cinnamon; and cook until it is well thickened and when it is cooked, prepare dishes."

A great, high-cholesterol liver dish from an ancient Middle Eastern cookbook has been translated by Betty Cook. Note the inclusion of wonderful spices, not normally associated with liver.

Mufarraka
14 ounces chicken livers
14 ounces chicken gizzards
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sesame oil for frying
1/4 cup lemon juice

Bring 3 cups water to a boil with 1/8 teaspoon salt, add gizzards and simmer 50 minutes. Near the end of this time, bring another 3 cups water and 1/8 teaspoon salt to a boil and cook livers in it 3 minutes. Drain both, cut into 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch pieces, put into a bowl and mix with egg yolks and spices. Heat oil and fry the mixture about 4 minutes, sprinkle with lemon juice and serve.

SCANDINAVIA
The website foodiesite.com provides this intriguing recipe for liver paté from Scandinavia. Unlike the French versions, Scandinavian patés don’t usually contain alcohol or garlic and they have a smoother texture.

Liver Paté
8-10 Portions

300 g calf’s liver or pig’s liver
300 g lean pork meat, such as pork fillet
300 g pork fat
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons unbleached white flour
300 ml milk
1 egg
pinch ground cloves
pinch ground all spice
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Note: 300 grams is slightly less than 3/4 pound and 300 ml is 1 1/4 cups.

Dice the liver, lean pork meat and fat into small pieces. Set aside 75 g of the pork fat and place it in an oven dish in a low oven. Cook the fat until it has melted down. Lightly grease the sides and base of the paté container. A standard loaf tin works well.

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Mince the onion, liver, pork and remaining pork fat through a mincer (meat grinder) 3-4 times until smooth.

Melt butter in a saucepan over a moderate heat. Add the flour to the butter and cook it for a couple of minutes. Slowly add the milk while stirring until you have a thick smooth sauce. Add the minced liver mixture and stir it until well combined. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Mix in the egg, ground cloves, all spice and a little salt and pepper.
Pour the paté mixture into the greased loaf pan, place in a baking pan and fill the pan 3/4 high with hot water. Place the paté on the center shelf in the pre-heated oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours. To test for doneness, insert a thin knife or skewer into the center of the paté. When the paté is ready, it should come out clear. (The center of the paté should reach at least 170°F. If you have a meat thermometer use this to test if it is ready).
Remove the paté from the oven when cooked and leave it to cool in the container. When cooled, turn the paté out onto a plate and serve it as part of a smorgasbord or use it for smorresbrod (open sandwiches) or as a starter or canapé. Mustard, cress, gherkins, grapes and chutney all make good accompaniments

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
A delicious liver recipe from Russia is found at ruscuisine.com.

Liver with Sour Cream
Serves 4

2 1/2 pounds liver (calf, pork or beef), sliced
2 onions, chopped
1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter
2 cup beef stock
2 tablespoons dill, freshly chopped
2 tablespoons unbleached white flour
sea salt and pepper to taste

Wash, pat dry, and sprinkle each piece of liver with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, fry on each side in butter and remove. Sauté the onions until golden brown and then layer both liver and onions in a deep pot. Deglaze the pan with beef stock, stir well and add the sour cream, stir, then add to the liver and onions. Mix well and cover. Cook slowly over low-heat for 20 minutes. Uncover, stir well, re-cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove liver from pot, arrange on individual plates and pour sauce over the slices. Sprinkle with the dill. This is very good when served with boiled or fried potatoes or rice.

LIVER FROM JAPAN
The Japanese consider liver an important food for pregnant women. The following recipe is adapted from one posted at japanesefood.about.com.

Nira Reba
Serves 4

1/2 pound pork liver
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 bunch nira (Chinese chives)
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake (rice wine)
1 tablespoon water and 1 teaspoon potato starch
lard for frying

Cut liver into bite-sized pieces and marinate in a mixture of soy sauce, sake and ginger for 20 minutes. Remove liver from the sauce, pat dry and dredge in arrowroot. Heat lard in a deep pan and fry the liver pieces.Remove liver to a heated plate. Chop nira into short pieces and sauté in a frying pan. Add deep-fried liver and sauté with nira. Add the sauce used for marinating liver to the frying pan and stir well. Add the mixture of water and potato starch, stir quickly and remove from heat. Serve immediately.

Lynn Razaitis, our chapter leader for Atlanta, Georgia, teaches high school biology in a public inner city school. She has found liver to be invaluable in helping her to overcome health problems and deal with the stress of her job.






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Liver Comparison Chart
From: Nutrition Almanac, by John D. Kirschmann

Beef Lamb Veal Chicken Duck Goose Turkey
Amount 1lb 1lb 1lb 1 1 1 1
Weight: gm 454 454 454 32 44 94 102
Vitamin A 199130 229070 102060 6576 17559 29138 18403
Vitamin B1
1.16 1.81 .9 .044 - .528 .062
Vitamin B2 14.79 14.9 12.3 .628 - .838 2.21
Vitamin B6 14 1.36 3.04 .24 - .72 .78
Vitamin B12 363 472 272 7.35 23.7 - 64.6
Biotin 454 454 - - - - -
Niacin 61.6 76.5 51.8 2.96 - 6.11 10.35
Pantothen
Acid 35 32.7 36.3 1.98 - - 7.81
Folic Acid .99 .99 - 236 - - 752
Vitamin C 140 152 161 10.8 - - 4.6
Vitamin E 6.36 - - - - - -
Calcium 36 45 36 3 5 40 7
Copper 12.7 25 36 .126 2.62 7.07 .512
Iron 29.5 49.4 39.9 2.74 13.4 - 11
Magnesium 59 64 73 6 - 23 21
Manganese 1.23 1.04 - .083 - - .294
Phosphorus 1597 1583 1510 87 118 245 319
Potassium 1275 916 1275 73 - 216 303
Selenium 206 - - - - - -
Sodium 617 236 331 25 - 132 98
Zinc 17 - 17 .98 - - 2.53
Total Fat 17.5 19.6 21.3 1.23 2.04 4.03 4.05
Saturated Fat 6.8 6.9 - 42 .63 1.49 1.28
Unsaturated Fat 5 6.63 - .5 .59 1 1.73
Cholesterol 1360 1361 1361 140 227 - 475


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Liver Files Part-2

A CURE FOR ANEMIA
Pernicious anemia is a debilitating disease caused by B12 deficiency. Until 1926, the only treatment for the disease was blood transfusions. Shortly thereafter, Drs. Whipple, Murphy and Minot received the Nobel Price for their discovery of liver therapy for the disease. Dr. William P. Murphy recalls the discovery of the therapy:

"Dr. George Whipple of the University of Rochester had demonstrated that liver caused a rapid replacement of blood in dogs made anemic by bleeding. From his idea, we proposed that liver might be useful in treating pernicious anemia, even though this anemia was totally different from the one induced in dogs.

"With these observations, it became important to prove the efficacy of liver. But in those days, getting permission to do studies was not such an easy matter. The chief physician of Peter Bent Brigham Hospital was quite skeptical, but gave me permission with the understanding that a transfusion would never be withheld from a patient who needed one.

"I started one of my patients on liver therapy. This patient, a man in his forties, was critically ill and partially comatose. In spite of his condition, I was able to explain to him that liver might be distinctly useful to him. We found that if a patient were fed half a pound of liver per day, it would take about five days to show an increase in red blood count.

"But this man seemed more ill on the fifth day. According to the policy laid down, my patient was a candidate for a transfusion. I stayed up very late that night trying to decide to give him the liver. It was a miserable night, but around midnight I noticed that his red blood cell count had increased slightly. That gave me courage to go on with the liver. When I saw his blood count go up, I went home and collapsed into bed, slept very poorly and was back at the hospital at seven o’clock the next morning.

"I approached his room with fear and trembling, and cautiously peaked around the corner to see if he was still alive. To my great surprise and relief he sat up in bed and cheerfully asked, "What time is breakfast?" His blood count was at the maximum and he not only survived but lived many years. With that success, the staff became cooperative.

"Later, patients didn’t have to choke down liver but could receive extracts and still later, vitamin B12. . ."

For those who want to prevent pernicious anemia from ever occurring, the best course of action is to eat liver once a week, as our ancestors usually did.



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SOME FAVORITE WAYS TO PREPARE LIVER
Here are some suggestions from members of the Native Nutrition discussion group.

Marinate slices of liver in the fridge overnight in lemon juice or water with vinegar, plus lots of garlic and bay laurel leaf. After marinating, pat dry and fry in olive oil and/or lard and/or butter until well done (really brown on the outside and slightly rose inside). (Kidneys work well with this recipe also.) The key is marinating to take away any unpleasant taste. Florabela
The liver needs to come from a fairly young animal and be free of hormones and organically raised. Cover the liver with flour on both sides and bake with a little butter or ghee for several minutes at very low heat, otherwise it will be hard. Add a handful of sliced onion, a little vinegar and water. Increase the heat to 350 degrees for a few minutes then cook for about 20 minutes at a low heat. You can add fresh mushrooms and at the end a bit of salt. It’s usually served with noodles or rice. However any vegetable dish would work. Pia
My favorite cooked liver recipe is to slice the liver thin (no more than 1/4th inch) then dredge it in a mixture of almond flour, salt and lots of pepper. (Almond flour is just a replacement for those who don’t eat grains.). Fry on both sides in ghee or lard. I usually cook up the whole liver at one time then either heat up the leftovers during the week, or snack on it cold. It’s a great substitute for a power bar or other on-the-go meal. Sally R
Marinate the sliced liver in red wine vinegar and a couple teaspoons of honey for about 1 hour. Slice up 1-2 onions and fry in lots of tallow and butter for about 1/2 hour until onions are small and brown. Remove the onions and toss in the liver with a bit of the wine/honey mix. Fry quickly, turning frequently, and serve hot with onions and wine sauce and a side of kim chi. Paul B
The key to delicious liver is lots of garlic. Use lard to sauté it, and add some olive oil when it’s closer to done. Don’t overcook it. First saute 1 onion and at least 5 cloves of garlic with plenty of herbs and spices, whatever you like. Slice the liver up nice and thin, cook for about 5 minutes and flip around once a minute. Cook some bacon at the same time and cut into small pieces to serve on top of the liver along with the onions and garlic. Chris M
This is my mom’s delicious Jewish chopped liver recipe that "doesn’t taste like liver much at all!" Slice onion and sauté in fat until golden. Throw into a food processor. Saute 3/4 pound of chicken livers in same pan until pink inside. Let cool and put into same food processor with onions. Add 2 hardboiled eggs to food processor. Process onion, liver and eggs to a consistency you like but not too fine. Keep some lumpiness. Add salt and pepper to taste. Daphne
Cut liver into small pieces and roll it in beaten egg then in nut flour (finely ground crispy nuts). Fry in hot coconut oil and salt and pepper to taste. It’s out of this world! Cheryl K
An old but excellent recipe: Bake 1 pound beef or chicken livers and then chop up. Chop up 2 hard boiled eggs. Mix chopped eggs and liver with 1 medium cooked chopped onion (sautéed is fine). Mash and mix together with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate before eating. Robin L
Cut liver into strips, about 3 inches long and 1/2 inch wide, and marinate in lemon juice. Pat dry. Chop up some onions and cook them in bacon fat and remove. Cook liver in the fat until almost solidly pink because once it turns brown, the liver flavor is stronger. This is delicious with a big serving of kale and butter and a pile of fermented carrots. Lisa
Sauté onions in a little butter or coconut oil, then toss in the liver (cut into big hunks) and cook for several minutes. Process onions and liver in a food processor and process until it’s all just minced. Then combine it with a hamburger dish (casserole, spaghetti sauce, etc.). Lynn E
Liver is delicious with a gravy or sauce. Marinate liver in lemon juice or vinegar for several hours and pat dry. Cook quickly in hot lard and set aside in a warm oven. You can make a gravy by stirring some unbleached white flour in the remaining fat and adding beef stock. Whisk until smooth and boil down a bit. You can make a clear buttery sauce by adding some wine or brandy to the fat and adding beef or chicken stock. Boil down, skimming as necessary, until it thickens a bit and then whisk in several tablespoons softened butter. Season with salt and pepper. Finally, you can make a tart sauce by sautéing capers and chopped shallots in the hot fat. (Be sure to rinse the capers well and pat dry before doing this.) Deglaze with a little white wine and add beef stock. Boil down until sauce thickens. Sally Fallon

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RAW LIVER DRINK
The following raw liver drink was developed by the author and fellow WAPF member Becky Mauldin. Says Lynn, "I find that nothing works as well for giving strength when I am under stress. I am a teacher and use it when things start getting hectic at school. My husband has also found it very helpful for dealing with stress."

1/2 - 1 ounce grassfed liver, cut into tiny chunks and frozen (it must be still frozen to blend well)
1 cup organic tomato juice
juice of 1/2 lime
dash hot sauce
1-2 raw pastured egg yolks
2-4 tablespoons fermented young coconut juice
1 tablespoon raw cream
1/4 teaspoon Concentrace mineral solution
1-2 teaspoons bee pollen (optional)

Blend everything together in a blender. You can follow with some fresh papaya if the drink gives you a livery aftertaste. You can also soak the liver chunks in sour milk or lemon juice before freezing to reduce the strong flavor.
 
Hoomgar said:
Hey F, can you find where you got that from and restore the references? I see each test had a ref # at the end but the reffs are missing at the end of the article.

This is probably why I do so well on my Carrot laden diet. I eat carrots like a rabbit and I drink pure Carrot juice every day. I know it is a different type of Vit A in that (it's the kind you cannot OD on like you can with mammal Vit A) but I still have noticed serious strength and vigor boosts when I veg up with carrots.
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Sure thing HG,

REFERENCES

Livera, et al., "Regulation and Perturbation of Testicular Functions by Vitamin A" (Review), Reproduction (2002) 124, 173-180
Nayyar, et. al., "Alterations in binding characteristics of peripheral benzodiazepine receptors in testes by vitamin A deficiency in guinea pigs," Mol Cell Biochem. 2000 Aug;211(1-2):47-50
Bishop, et. al., "The effect of nutritional factors on sex hormone levels in male twins," Genet Epidemiol. 1988;5(1):43-59.
Zadik, et. al., "Vitamin A and iron supplementation is as efficient as hormonal therapy in constitutionally delayed children," Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2004 Jun; 60(6):682-7.
McCormick, et. al., "Chemoprevention of rat prostate carcinogenesis by 9-cis-retinoic acid," Cancer Res. 1999 Feb 1;59(3):521-4.
Furusho, et. al., "Tissue specific-distribution and metabolism of vitamin A are affected by dietary protein levels in rats," Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 1998;68(5):287-92
Narbonne, et. al., "Protein metabolism in vitamin A deficient rats. II. Protein synthesis in striated muscle," Ann Nutr Aliment. 1978;32(1):59-75.
Stio, et. al., "Synergistic effect of vitamin D derivatives and retinoids on C2C12 skeletal muscle cells," IUBMB Life. 2002 Mar;53(3):175-81
 
Hoaky crap! Information over load! Why do I have a strange craving for Liver and Onions all of a sudden?


:D
 
Fabulous One said:
Sure thing HG,

REFERENCES

Livera, et al., "Regulation and Perturbation of Testicular Functions by Vitamin A" (Review), Reproduction (2002) 124, 173-180
Nayyar, et. al., "Alterations in binding characteristics of peripheral benzodiazepine receptors in testes by vitamin A deficiency in guinea pigs," Mol Cell Biochem. 2000 Aug;211(1-2):47-50
Bishop, et. al., "The effect of nutritional factors on sex hormone levels in male twins," Genet Epidemiol. 1988;5(1):43-59.
Zadik, et. al., "Vitamin A and iron supplementation is as efficient as hormonal therapy in constitutionally delayed children," Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2004 Jun; 60(6):682-7.
McCormick, et. al., "Chemoprevention of rat prostate carcinogenesis by 9-cis-retinoic acid," Cancer Res. 1999 Feb 1;59(3):521-4.
Furusho, et. al., "Tissue specific-distribution and metabolism of vitamin A are affected by dietary protein levels in rats," Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 1998;68(5):287-92
Narbonne, et. al., "Protein metabolism in vitamin A deficient rats. II. Protein synthesis in striated muscle," Ann Nutr Aliment. 1978;32(1):59-75.
Stio, et. al., "Synergistic effect of vitamin D derivatives and retinoids on C2C12 skeletal muscle cells," IUBMB Life. 2002 Mar;53(3):175-81
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Good job mate. Anytime you post research on one of these boards always include the reffs. If not, so many people will read and discount it all if they cannot verify the info. I'm one of them :)

Hg
 
Just figured I would try and see if I could actually find any information on what kind of toxicity the liver actually has when consumed.

This is all I came up with:

Calf's liver is less likely to have the accumulations of toxins such as pesticides, hormones and antibiotics found in the liver of older animals. Selecting organic calf's liver provides the greatest assurance that the liver is free of these toxins. Calf's liver also is more tender and has better flavor than beef liver.

liver also containes Purines, a naturally-ccurring substances found in plants, animals, and humans. In some individuals who are susceptible to purine-related problems, excessive intake of these substances can cause health problems. Since purines can be broken down to form uric acid, excess accumulation of purines in the body can lead to excess accumulation of uric acid. The health condition called "gout" and the formation of kidney stones from uric acid are two examples of uric acid-related problems that can be related to excessive intake of purine-containing foods. For this reason, individuals with kidney problems or gout may want to limit or avoid intake of purine-containing foods such as liver.

THats it!! no big danger warning or anything.
 
4 a meal, every meal, for about 2 years now. It's a staple of my regimen and there is a small, but noticeable difference in my energy & recovery levels.
 
ya all is i got to say is i have put an inch on mi arms with 2 tubs of 500ct liver tabs
i take 35-50 tabs aday yah iknow its alot but holy crap once u get into the high doseing the strength and mood and genral good health feellings become ever present
 
Liver tabs even fit great in your pocket to get in all your aminos in between meals while on campus. :head:
 
I had to just pop in and say my views here, i love dessicated liver, on cycle or off, on cycle they help with lethargy, and of course the active enzyme cytochrome p-450 has been proved to help the liver when under stress, plus the natural haemoglobin iron doesnt cancel out any vitamin E you might consume, Off cycle i take 30 a day, always 6 before a workout 6 during and 6 after and that for me improves recovery keeps me anabolic, and gives me a nice sense of well being, i also find my circulation is improved and im more vascular, Plus the b vitamins in dessicated liver are vital for bodybuilders looking to grow.. I love the stuff!!! Russian
 
russianstar said:
I had to just pop in and say my views here, i love dessicated liver, on cycle or off, on cycle they help with lethargy, and of course the active enzyme cytochrome p-450 has been proved to help the liver when under stress, plus the natural haemoglobin iron doesnt cancel out any vitamin E you might consume, Off cycle i take 30 a day, always 6 before a workout 6 during and 6 after and that for me improves recovery keeps me anabolic, and gives me a nice sense of well being, i also find my circulation is improved and im more vascular, Plus the b vitamins in dessicated liver are vital for bodybuilders looking to grow.. I love the stuff!!! Russian
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just reminded me to hit my afternoon 6, thanks. :head:
 
yeah i was helping the other kid with his math lol
but yah i take them in doses of 10 tabs at a time 4 or 5 times aday depending on how sore i am, the more sore the more LIVERRRR!!!
 
quick question in regards to the size of these things . . .

are they any bigger than Optimum Nutrition Amino 2222 Tablets ?

. . . anyone know what I'm talkin about . . . .
 
I'm kind of leery of this supplement. It seems that most people are experiencing flatulence while taking it. And usually that comes from unabsorbed nutrients producing gas which is then discharged. I can a) assume your product is not digested in most peoples' stomachs or b) assume that some of it is digested, but not all.

i used to have problems with excessive gas about a year back. that was until i realized that a lot of my non-meat/non-powder proteins were not being completed (i.e., i would have a big bowl of beans with some meat...need rice/corn/nuts/etc. to complete that mountain of beans, or else most of the protein just sits and turns to gassiness). why does this supplement make people flatulent?
 
Manimalia said:
I'm kind of leery of this supplement. It seems that most people are experiencing flatulence while taking it. And usually that comes from unabsorbed nutrients producing gas which is then discharged. I can a) assume your product is not digested in most peoples' stomachs or b) assume that some of it is digested, but not all.

i used to have problems with excessive gas about a year back. that was until i realized that a lot of my non-meat/non-powder proteins were not being completed (i.e., i would have a big bowl of beans with some meat...need rice/corn/nuts/etc. to complete that mountain of beans, or else most of the protein just sits and turns to gassiness). why does this supplement make people flatulent?
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I've heard that the flatulence only last a few weeks or so, and then it's gone as the body adjusts but everyone is different and I haven't tried UniLiver yet so I'll let their reps respond more fully. Here's a thread where several people mentioned their experiences Invalid Link Removed .
 
My gas has definitely subsided. Much too my horror :sad::lol:

As said, I noticed that about after a month and a half I just didn't fart as much and if I did, it wasn't that signature smell.
 
I only gas on Uni-Livers if I take them on an empty stomach or if I take too many of them with too little food (like pop 6 post workout with a shake). Other than that no gas from them.
 
Dizmal said:
My gas has definitely subsided. Much too my horror :sad::lol:

As said, I noticed that about after a month and a half I just didn't fart as much and if I did, it wasn't that signature smell.
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You've lost your "secret weapon"--the one that allows you to clear out a small to medium-sized room it sounds like. I've never owned that weapon...
 
bump for an answer. i am interested in this product. it's convenient/cheap as all get out, and its profile is impressive in conjunction with the price/convenience. in short, looks to be a fine product. i am curious, though, as to the flatulence.
 
Manimalia said:
bump for an answer. i am interested in this product. it's convenient/cheap as all get out, and its profile is impressive in conjunction with the price/convenience. in short, looks to be a fine product. i am curious, though, as to the flatulence.
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u know mi friend we may never know as the peculur actions of its flatulence causing effects! :gas:
 
Manimalia said:
bump for an answer. i am interested in this product. it's convenient/cheap as all get out, and its profile is impressive in conjunction with the price/convenience. in short, looks to be a fine product. i am curious, though, as to the flatulence.
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Im not a rep so I cant really say for sure bu yes the price is cheap and the only other company on the market with something similar, to my knowledge, is Beverly.

With that said Beverly creatine is what $20 for like 300gr and you can get 1,000gr for $14. Not exactly very cost effective IMO. For 500 of the Ultra 40's is about $38 so there ya go.

I've been using them for a few weeks now and I can't really tell a difference in the two other than the Beverly's had a shiny clear coat finish to them :lol:
 
Hoomgar said:
I checked with the lab for you on that bro. The Vitamin A in liver is naturally occurring so it will vary a bit from batch to batch but Uni-Liver will yield somewhere around 66IU per tablet.
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Stupid question but... Vitamin A is fat soluble, so if the liver that's being pressed into the tabs are stripped of fat and connective tissue before being flash frozen, does that mean a good chunk of the Vitamin A is being taken out of the liver? Do you think the guys at the lab would be able to tell you that?

I was wondering if that's maybe why the label doesn't list Vitamin A on it.

Also, the Uni-liver is 3.2g of protein per 2 tabs (has whey in it too?) and the Beverly Nutrition has 2g of protein per tab. So 800g of protein vs 1000g of protein. Of course you're paying about 3x the amount for Beverly tabs.

I'm probably being picky about the whey being in the Uni-Liver but I just like to find out a lot before I buy something new and then there's the whole process of deciding on brands. I must've read hours worth of stuff on ZMA over the course of a couple days before I decided to buy it.
 
iDShaDoW said:
Stupid question but... Vitamin A is fat soluble, so if the liver that's being pressed into the tabs are stripped of fat and connective tissue before being flash frozen, does that mean a good chunk of the Vitamin A is being taken out of the liver? Do you think the guys at the lab would be able to tell you that?

I was wondering if that's maybe why the label doesn't list Vitamin A on it.

Also, the Uni-liver is 3.2g of protein per 2 tabs (has whey in it too?) and the Beverly Nutrition has 2g of protein per tab. So 800g of protein vs 1000g of protein. Of course you're paying about 3x the amount for Beverly tabs.

I'm probably being picky about the whey being in the Uni-Liver but I just like to find out a lot before I buy something new and then there's the whole process of deciding on brands. I must've read hours worth of stuff on ZMA over the course of a couple days before I decided to buy it.
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It's all good questions man. I think the real answer is that Vitamin A is not listed as the Uni-Livers are not sold as a significant source of Vitamin A. That said, they obviously must have some in them. The whey in them I know is used for a packing agent and provides very little of the protein that is listed in them.
 
I just wanted to chime in here on the safety of liver. Although it is true that the liver filters the blood, I think there are several reasons why this should not dissuade someone from consuming liver or liver tabs:

1) It is not as though the liver stores toxins. It filters them, conjugates them, then excretes them in feces or urine. Hence, a liver is very unlikely to have many if any "toxins" in it when consumed.

2) Also keep in mind that the liver is the internal organ that is capable of regenerating itself. The liver is constantly turning over new cells and rebuilding itself. This makes the liver a "fresh" organ, so to speak.

3) We should also keep in mind the sorts of livers we are talking about. In the case of the Uni liver tabs, these are grass-fed cattle who live in pasture under the sun, drinking clean water, and breathing fresh air. These are not confined feed-lot cattle eating grain and being injected with synthetic chemicals. As such, these cattle have virtually no "toxins" for the livers to filter in the first place.

4) I think it is a little unfair to think of liver only in terms of it's micronutrients. Liver does, indeed, contain more micronutrients than any other substance except for maybe egg yolks. But I think there is something special about liver that cannot be attributed solely to its B-vitamins, etc. Maybe it is the synergy of the ingredients or something we aren't fully aware of, but liver is very powerful stuff.

In my view, liver from proper cattle carries very little risk and does a lot of good.
 
3 different quality liver products:
1)my choice(Uni-Liver)
2)Now Foods Dessicated Liver Powder
3)healthy-n-fit liver tablets

All 3 are top quality and affordable.
 
iDShaDoW said:
I'm probably being picky about the whey being in the Uni-Liver but I just like to find out a lot before I buy something new and then there's the whole process of deciding on brands. I must've read hours worth of stuff on ZMA over the course of a couple days before I decided to buy it.
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According to Corporate, the whey used in Uni-Liver is not there to pad the protein numbers, let alone to substitute the valuable dessicated liver. Instead, it's used in a purely functional capacity to make the tablet more "compressible". Other ingredients could be used like starches, but Corporate felt the protein was the best fit functionally to produce the best tablet. Rest assured, only minimal amounts are used and only used to "punch" the tablet.
 
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