The Plug is a 100% plant-based drink geared toward speeding up recovery, boosting your immune system, detoxifying your liver, promoting gut health, and so much more. There are 13 ingredients that make up The Plug, and most have been used in traditional medicine for hundreds of years. Each plant featured in your liver’s sidekick serves a specific purpose and, when taken together in The Plug Drink or The Plug Pills, can be very helpful in addressing common health concerns. But, of course, these ingredients caught our eye because of their incredible liver health benefits.
In the past, many of the plants in The Plug, such as purslane and oriental raisin tree, have been used in herbal teas to treat non-communicable diseases (1). Plants have bioactive compounds that contribute to health and “render a myriad of biological effects, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-thrombotic and anti-aging effects'' (1), while flowers also have a long scientific history of supporting health in various areas.
If you’re mostly concerned with supporting your liver, here are a few of the plants within The Plug that have been proven to specifically boost liver health: oriental raisin tree (DHM), dandelion, and Pueraria lobata. Let’s explore the history and benefits of each of them!
Oriental Raisin Tree (DHM) (Hovenia dulcis Thumberg)
Oriental raisin tree, also known as dihydromyricetin (DHM), is an essential player in The Plug’s mission to support liver health. Used in China for 500 years to address liver problems, it is derived from the fruit of the Japanese raisin tree that grows in Southeast Asia, Korea, and Japan.
When looking specifically into alcohol-related liver issues, Dr. Jing Liang, a research professor of clinical pharmacy at the University of Southern California (USC), found that DHM is largely effective in boosting the body’s process of eliminating alcohol from itself (2). Thanks to DHM’s quick work, the liver can perform better without the hindrance of alcohol in its system. This plant can also be used as a dietary supplement to protect the organ from damage and long-term issues.
Thanks to a study done on mice by three research professors at USC, DHM has also been proven to assist the liver in making enzymes that break down alcohol quickly and keep fats from building (2). With the help of DHM, your liver’s metabolism is much less likely to be negatively impacted by alcohol consumption. In their studies, researchers Joshua Silva, Jing Liang, and Daryl Davies also concluded that the consumption of DHM can greatly help the liver perform long enough for people with severe liver conditions to seek more intensive treatment (2). DHM is not a miracle cure, but it certainly helps the body process alcohol quicker and, in extreme cases, slows the deterioration of the liver.
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
For most, dandelions are the flowering plants we all played with as kids, but these common yellow blossoms have been known to work medicinal wonders. Their leaves in particular have been shown to decrease liver fat created by excessive drinking. Fats, or lipids, are essential for bodily function, but too much can become unhealthy and can potentially cause liver disease.
Scientists have also discovered that dandelion leaves have antioxidative qualities that can lower stress on the liver caused by disease (3). Dandelions can help the body make more enzymes to fight toxins and decrease the likelihood of developing fatty liver disease (both alcohol and non-alcohol related).
Additionally, the liver plays a huge role in how our bodies process sugar, as it stores and releases sugar based on our bodies’ needs. The consumption of dandelion can help regulate this process to keep blood sugar low and decrease the risk of contracting diabetes (4).
Pueraria Lobata (Kudzu)
Pueraria lobata, a Chinese vine plant also known as kudzu, is also a longtime resident of the world of traditional medicine. Most famously, it was used in ancient China to treat high blood pressure, headaches, stiff neck, high blood sugar, and cardiovascular problems. In addition to its myriad of uses, kudzu can also be useful in treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and decreasing cholesterol in the liver. According to the National Library of Medicine, NAFLD occurs when fat accumulates in the liver due to obesity, insulin resistance, and/or type 2 diabetes (5).
Kudzu can also aid in the treatment of alcohol-induced liver problems based on an experiment published in the National Library of Medicine (6). In this study, 20 men consumed either a single dose of kudzu extract or a placebo before selecting beer, juice, or water to be their drink of choice for a 90-minute period. The men who did take kudzu extract actually consumed less alcohol and even drank slower than the men who had been given the placebo. These men were found to have drunk more alcohol and at a quicker pace (6). Curiously, these findings match up quite well with the assertion of Chinese doctor, herbalist, acupuncturist, and pharmacologist Li Shi-zhen, who claimed that kudzu can reduce alcohol-induced liver intoxication back in 1596.
Evidently, kudzu has been a helpful tool used to fight against both heavy alcohol consumption and NAFLD for quite some time. Here at The Plug, we aim to boost kudzu’s popularity around the world to help keep everyone’s livers strong and healthy.
The Future
While oriental raisin tree, dandelion, and Pueraria lobata are certainly great partners to the liver, they have yet to earn themselves a solid place in modern-day medicine. Even so, ancient and traditional medicine have shown us that the consumption of these plants can greatly help with a variety of health issues. If you want to improve your liver care routine with any of these plants, be mindful of how they could interfere with any medication, allergies, or preexisting health issues you may have. If you’re unsure if they are right for you, please check in with your healthcare professional before taking any supplement.
For thousands of years, these plants have been used to return people’s bodies to a healthy state and improve the function of their livers. They each tackle a wide range of health problems, but they all provide great assistance to the liver. By consuming all three of these plants in one bottle of The Plug, you can help protect yourself from the danger of toxins and liver disease.
Trust us, these plants were not picked at random! These plants, among the other flowers and fruits in The Plug’s formula, will help your body perfect its own natural processes. We’re all about providing you with all-natural ingredients to help you to not only survive your day but to succeed in your day. With your liver operating at its optimal state, how could you not? Find out for yourself!
Bibliography
1. Chandrasekara A, Shahidi F. Herbal beverages: Bioactive compounds and their role in disease risk reduction - A review. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine [Internet]. 2018 Oct;8(4):451–458. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6174262/
2. Polakovic G. Noted hangover remedy has added benefit of protecting the liver [Internet]. USC Today: University of Southern California. 2020 Apr 7. Available from: https://today.usc.edu/hangover-remedy-dhm-liver-protection-usc-study/
3. Ajmera R, Hill A. Dandelion Benefits: Nutrition, Antioxidants, and Inflammation [Internet]. Healthline. Updated 2023 Oct 9. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dandelion-benefits
4. Dandelion [Internet]. Mount Sinai. Available from: https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/dandelion
5. Kneeman JM, Misdraji J, Corey KE. Secondary causes of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology [Internet]. 2012 May;5(3):199–207. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3342568/
6. Penetar DM, Toto LH, Lee DY.-W., Lukas SE. A Single Dose of Kudzu Extract Reduces Alcohol Consumption in a Binge Drinking Paradigm. Drug and Alcohol Dependence [Internet]. 2015 Aug 1;153:194–200. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4510012/
