Evidence supporting the use of: Liver
For the health condition: Pernicious Anemia
Synopsis
Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 5
Liver is scientifically validated as a treatment for pernicious anemia. In the 1920s, George Whipple, George Minot, and William Murphy conducted pioneering research on the treatment of anemia. They discovered that feeding large amounts of liver to patients with pernicious anemia led to dramatic improvements in their symptoms. This research culminated in their receiving the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1934. The underlying reason is that liver is exceptionally rich in vitamin B12, a nutrient that is deficient in people with pernicious anemia due to impaired absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. Before the isolation and synthesis of vitamin B12, liver was the primary treatment for this condition, with patients often consuming significant quantities daily to achieve remission. The subsequent identification of vitamin B12 as the critical factor in liver that reversed anemia led to the development of injectable and oral vitamin B12 therapies, which are the standard treatments today. Nevertheless, the historical use of liver is a landmark example of nutritional therapy being guided by clinical observation and later validated by biochemical discovery. Thus, the use of liver to treat pernicious anemia is supported by robust scientific evidence and forms the basis for current treatment protocols.
Other ingredients used for Pernicious Anemia
bovine kidneybovine liver
bovine spleen
vitamin B12
Animal Tissue
Beef
Beef liver
Other health conditions supported by Liver
AnemiaAppetite (deficient)
Bruises (healing)
Convalescence
Debility
Fatigue
Jaundice (adults)
Night Blindness
Pernicious Anemia
Protein Digestion (poor)
Wasting