MAF-Liver

Probiotic Yogurt Blend for Healthy Liver Function.

Each Sachet contains a blend of 8 liver-friendly probiotic strains and organic fructooligosaccharide.

Dose: Once made into yogurt consume 1/4 to 1/2 cup daily.

When made as directed each sachet of MAF-Liver will make 1 litre of yogurt containing a high amount of 8 liver friendly bacteria.

Change from baseline to end of treatment in liver histology by treatment group using MAF-Liver.

Control group (not using MAF-Liver)

• FibroScan (kPa) -0.71
• Steatosis -14.14

Test Group (using MAF-Liver)

• FibroScan (kPa) -1.71
• Steatosis -59.85

*Steatosis, also called fatty change, is abnormal retention of fat (lipids) within a cell or organ. Steatosis most often affects the liver – the primary organ of lipid metabolism – where the condition is commonly referred to as fatty liver disease.

*FibroScan is a specialized ultrasound machine for your liver. It measures fibrosis (scarring). FibroScan will help your healthcare provider learn more about your liver disease

More information on how probiotics effect liver health

There is a strong relationship between liver and the gut—the so-called Liver-Gut axis. The gut supplies blood to the portal system and intestinal blood content activates liver functions. On the other hand, the liver secretes bile and influences intestinal function.

The portal vein connect your liver and digestive system brining blood from your digestive tract directly to your liver. 

The blood that flows via the portal vein contains many nutrients from the foods you eat everyday. However it also contains many toxins and other unwanted compounds that are often created by undesirable bacteria living inside your gut. The higher the level of unwanted bacteria you have (in your gut), the more these compounds end up filtering through your liver.

Intestinal microflora forms a complex ecological system. It contains a large amount of microbes that weigh more than 1 kg. This quantity exceeds the number of cells in the human body 10-fold. The microbial community of the intestine consists of more than 500 species, most of which have not been cultivated, and many have yet to be identified. The intestinal microflora contains both bacteria that are fixed in the intestine (autochthonous, resident) and bacteria that only pass through the intestine (transient allochthonous). Most of the bacteria in the intestine form an anaerobic bioreactor that helps to digest difficult polysaccharides and synthesizes micronutrients including vitamins and short-chain fatty acids. The fermentation products of these bacteria can provide up to 10% of the daily energy needed by an individual.

The intestinal microflora has a variety of important physiological functions. It produces vitamins, degrades bile acids, digests nutrients, and forms important barrier against pathogens by producing local and general immunity.

In patients with liver cirrhosis, abnormal colonization of the small intestine with colonic bacteria is well established. At least 50% have intestinal bacterial overgrowth. This is in comparison with healthy individuals who have only small amount of these bacteria in the small intestine. The main causes are thought to be hypochlorhydria, a decrease in IgA secretion, a decrease in intestinal motility, and malnutrition. In the clinical setting, increasing small intestinal motility pharmacologically with Cisapride has been shown to reduce bacterial overgrowth in patients with cirrhosis. With such a close relationship between the liver and the gut flora, it is not surprising that many have postulated a role for gut barrier in the pathogenesis of liver diseases and its complications.

Probiotics: Mechanisms of Benefit

Mechanisms for the benefits of probiotics are not completely understood. However, four general benefits have been described:

1. suppression of growth, epithelial binding, or invasion by pathogenic bacteria,
2. improvement of intestinal barrier function,
3. modulation of the immune system; these include the inducement of protective cytokines such as IL-10 and TGF-beta and suppression of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF; suppression of T-Helper 1 cells migration has also been described,
4. modulation of intestinal pain perception by inducing expression of microopioid and cannabinoid receptors.

If your microbiome is unhealth, chances are your liver health is suffering too.

Our clinically studied combination of probiotics helps to balance the healthy ratio of gut bacteria by providing 8 liver-friendly probiotic strains plus the prebiotic called fructooligosaccharide. 

When made as directed into a high CFU containing probiotic yogurt, this formula helps crowd out the unwanted bacteria that create the compounds your liver doesn’t like.

In a test group of overweight adults using MAF-Liver daily achieved statistical differences in under 7 weeks and by the end of the 28 week study the hsCRP measurements improved by 54%. C-reactive protein is a bio marker produced in the liver.

In a test group of healthy weight adults liver biomarkers improved by 17% and hsCRP improved by 46% buy the end of the 28 week study.

see graphic:

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by unbalanced diet and its nutritional improvement strategies based on the gut–liver axis. Long-term high-saturated fat or high-fructose diet leads to an imbalanced intestinal flora, which in turn elicits an impaired gut barrier function and increased permeability, followed by bacterial translocation (BT), and additional bacterial components and metabolites (e.g., lipopolysaccharides (LPS), trimethylamine (TMA), N,N,N-trimethyl-5-aminovaleric acid (TMAVA), and endogenous ethanol (EE)) entering into the liver through the portal vein. NAFLD patients exhibit abnormal bile acids (BAs) metabolism and its related signaling pathways. These factors together accelerate the occurrence and progression of NAFLD. By contrast, an appropriate consumption of probiotics, functional oligosaccharides, dietary fibers, ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs), functional amino acids (L-tryptophan and L-glutamine), carotenoids, and polyphenols, contributes (1) to the maintenance of the homeostasis of the intestinal flora and BAs, (2) to the enhancement of the intestinal barrier integrity, and (3) to the production of salutary metabolites (e.g., short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), indoles, and urolithins), thereby supporting a healthy liver.

HOW TO MAKE

You will need:

1 litre of whole, organic, pasteurized, homogenized or raw milk (full fat not fat reduced). Do not use Ultra-pasteurized (UHT) milk as the high heat used breaks down the milk proteins. 

Not yet tested on non dairy milk such as Rice, Soy, Almond or Lactose-Free.

1 litre pot / saucepan for boiling milk

• Large glass bowl 

• Plastic, silicon or steel long-handled cooking spoon (not wood)

• 1 stainless steel tablespoon or whisk

• Paper towels

• Aluminum foil.

Firstly make sure that all items you are going to be using to make the yogurt are washed with warm soapy water, rinsed and completely dry.

1.   To make yogurt, pour 1 litre (equals 1 US quart) of milk into a high sided saucepan. For this recipe use whole mammal milk only.

2.   Heat the milk until it starts to climb the side of the saucepan (boils and foams up). (you need to continually stir the milk to stop it from burning).

3.   Remove the saucepan from heat and allow to cool to room temperature (68-86º F) or (20-30º C) without stirring. Remove skin (casein) that has formed on top and discard it.

4.   Add the Yogurt Cultures to the cooled milk, using a whisk to mix the milk and powder together.

5.   Pour the mixture into a jar or bowl and cover loosely with aluminum foil, put in a warm place or if using a yogurt maker follow their instructions, select lowest temperature.

6.   Do not move or stir the yogurt for 24 hours.

7.   In cooler weather you may need to leave the yogurt for 48 hours.

The yogurt will ferment in 24 to 48 hours (depending on room temperature). Check after 24 hours for the proper thickness. If still not ready, check again after 48 hours. You can check from time to time by taking a tablespoon and scooping a small amount from the edge of the container. Do not stir the yogurt because stirring will stop the fermentation process.

If 48 hours is approaching and yogurt is still too runny due to cool conditions, the container can be placed in the kitchen sink that has hot/warm water in it (not boiling) for a few hours to speed up the fermentation process. Care must be taken to ensure the sink does not over flow when container in placed in it or that water level is much lower then that of the container level.

When 24/48 hour fermentation is complete simply stir your yogurt and transfer a clean jar or container if required and refrigerate. You may split the product into individual single serving glass jars, or it can kept in a larger container. Refrigerate for 2 hours before consuming and keep refrigerated. Discard any unused amount after 2 weeks.