5% Nutrition strives on following the death of Rich Piana in 2017. The brand has begun to broaden the audience it targets, as it previously appealed more toward the “hardcore” fans of the industry. In 2020, they have already made some updates to previous products so it will be interesting to wait and see what kind of noise they can make throughout the rest of the year.

5% Nutrition Liver & Organ Defender

Liver and Organ Defender by 5% Nutrition is an overall health formula that is meant to be completely comprehensive. We have 5 different complexes that will aid in the detoxification and rejuvenation of the major organ systems in the body.

This product is meant to emphasize liver support, while also providing aid to the other major systems. The aggressive lifestyle many bodybuilders choose to live puts lots of strain on the body, making a product like this an essential tool. 5% Nutrition developed this product to be used as an on-cycle support product, or even just an everyday general health supplement.

5% Nutrition Liver & Organ Defender Ingredient Breakdown

Liver and Organ Defender uses a wide array of ingredients that provide a comprehensive and well-rounded general health formula. It is broken down into several different categories of overall health including: liver, heart, kidney, prostate and skin health. Let’s take a look at each of the ingredients we have here.

N-Acetyl Cysteine – 1,000mg

We start off the Liver complex with a solid dose of NAC. This ingredient is possibly the most commonly used liver detoxifiers ever, and for good reason.

NAC is a precursor of L-cysteine which increases the production of glutathione. Glutathione is a very powerful antioxidant that is known to aid in metal detoxification and well as possibly contributing to longevity. It is actually used to treat acetaminophen overdose, which is the active ingredient in Tylenol that is extremely liver toxic at high doses.

Supplementation of NAC has been reliably shown to increase intracellular levels of glutathione, resulting in its ability to act as an antioxidant. In one study performed on participants who have regular exposure to lead at their daily jobs, supplemented with NAC for 12 weeks. The dosages ranged from 200-800mg per day. Even at just 200mg per day, blood lead levels decreased significantly over the duration of the study. The 800mg trial group experienced an even greater decrease in blood lead levels.

The most common users of NAC in the fitness industry are oral steroid users choose to supplement with this ingredient to lessen the degree of hepatotoxicity. However, liver health is not the only benefit as studies have shown its potential to aid in a variety of other areas of health.

At 1,000mg we are getting a great dose of NAC.

Milk Thistle Powder – 600mg

This is another one of the most commonly used liver supplements. For liver health, we are interested in a few active ingredients which are collectively known as Silymarin. Silymarin directly works to increase Glutathione production within the body.

The primary mechanism of Milk Thistle makes it more of a liver therapeutic compound, intended to fix or repair damaged or elevated enzymes. Silymarin has been shown to combat the progression of various liver diseases such as non-fatty alcoholic liver disease by intervening in oxidative stress, and liver fat accumulation.

With the recommended serving size, we are getting 600mg of Milk Thistle here in Liver and Organ Defender. This is a good dose of Milk Thistle for general health purposes.

L-Glutathione (Twin Tiger) – 30mg

Glutathione is the primary fuel for liver detoxification and cleansing within any cell. The previous two ingredients increase Glutathione levels inside the cell rather well, however direct supplementation is not as effective.

Consuming Glutathione orally is not a great method of raising intracellular concentrations of the peptide. That is because it cannot get through the digestion process effectively without being destroyed.

L-Glutathione is primarily broken down into its metabolite once orally digested, then converted back into Glutathione. This process is effective but highly inefficient. NAC supplementation is much cheaper and much more efficient at increasing cellular glutathione levels in the cell.

We are getting 30mg here of L-Glutathione that may aid in the production of Glutathione within the cell.

Hawthorn Berry Powder – 1,100

Hawthorn Berry Powder is a herbal supplement that is thought to improve overall heart health and also improving lipid ratios. While this ingredient lacks any sort of human study, ample evidence has been demonstrated through animal studies.

One meta-analysis examined the uses and benefits of Hawthorn Berry Extract and the impact it has on heart health. This article concluded that supplementation can lead to improvements in antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory effect, lipid-lowering effect and an array of other impacts.

While we are getting 1,100mg of extract here, a recommended dose has not been established as more research is needed.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid – 400mg

Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a very potent antioxidant ingredient. You will commonly find this in cardiovascular health products as well as some Glucose Disposable Agents. Research has shown that when ALA is combined with exercise, it leads to a decrease in bad cholesterol (LDL).

The participants in the experimental group completed a 12-week trial where they exercised 5 days per week for 30 minutes at 65% of their maximum heart rate. This group received 1 gram of ALA daily.

The control group also received 1 gram daily, but did not exercise at all. The researchers discovered that LDL oxidation was present in the control group, however the oxidation was improved even greater in the group who exercised 30 minutes daily.

The majority of studies show this ingredients ability to be beneficial when used in the 300-600mg range. We are getting 400mg daily here from 5% Nutrition.

Garlic (bulb) Extract – 300mg

Garlic is one of the most traditional methods for lowering blood pressure, and a very effective method at that.

Polysulfides derived from Garlic Extracts stimulate the production of a vascular gasotransmitter (gaseous signaling molecule) Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). Likewise, the polysulfides induce regulation of Nitric Oxide (NO) which encourages smooth muscle relaxation, vasodilation and BP reduction.

A study performed in 2013 demonstrated Garlic Extracts ability to reduce blood pressure in a study of 79 patients with uncontrolled high systolic blood pressure. The participants were divided into 4 groups and were given either no extract, 240mg, 480mg or 960mg daily. At the end of the 12-week trial, it was found that the 480mg and 960mg experienced a significant decrease in blood pressure.

We are getting 300mg here, so we will likely receive some blood pressure reducing effects in this range.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) – 25mg

CoQ10 is a popular heart health supplement that is known to provide several benefits. These benefits range from acting as an anti-oxidant, to improving blood flow and reducing blood pressure.

One study included 40 participants who either were either assigned 200mg of CoQ10 daily or a placebo. This study aimed to demonstrate the effects of CoQ10 supplementation on high blood pressure over a 12-week period. The researchers found that the experimental group had improvements in blood flow and possibly the potential of lowering blood pressure slightly.

Many recommendations suggest CoQ10 to be dosed around 50mg or higher, although there is no hard-clinical evidence to support that dose. Studies have dosages ranging from 20mg as high as 1,200mg daily.

We are getting 25mg here with Liver and Organ Defender.

Saw Palmetto Powder – 1,000mg

Saw Palmetto is one of the most popular prostate health supplements on the market today. It is derived from a plant known as Serenoa Repens that is commonly found in the United States. We typically see this ingredient used by elderly men, however it is an ideal on-cycle supplement for men who are using anabolic steroids.

Saw Palmetto helps protect the prostate by reducing the amount of testosterone that is converted to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). High levels of DHT are known to increase the likelihood of developing prostate cancer. Furthermore, Saw Palmetto can also be linked to improving other side effects related to high levels of DHT such as male pattern baldness.

One study using only 80mg and 160mg did not produce results in managing the conversion of testosterone to DHT. However, this study only last 7 days which would only demonstrate acute effects.

We are getting 1,000mg here from 5% Nutrition. This is a large dose that may in fact provide some benefits in prostate health.

Cordyceps Sinensis – 500mg

Cordyceps Sinensis is one of the most commonly used herbs in traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease. There has also been some evidence of this ingredients ability to decrease levels of bad cholesterol.

One of the main biomarkers that is measured to assess kidney health/function is serum creatinine levels. One meta-analysis that involved 22 studies and over 1,700 participants with Chronic Kidney Disease found that supplementation resulted in a significant decrease in serum creatinine levels. However, the meta-analysis goes on to mention that the level of bias among these studies is likely high due to several flawed methodological approaches, so the results should be interpreted with caution.

There is no established dose for Cordycepsis Sinesis when maintaining healthy kidney function. In the medical world, it is still treated as an unproven alternative to conventional medicine. We are getting 500mg here.

Zinc Chelate – 300mg

Zinc Chelate is a form that has a yield of 10% giving us 30mg of Zinc. This is an ingredient that has many different uses within the body, but 5% Nutrition includes it here in its Skin complex.

One study from 2012 concluded that oral Zinc was successful at reducing inflammatory and bacterial forms of acne. However, the participants did experience side effects of nausea and vomiting.

We are getting 30mg of total Zinc here with this product. For acne purposes, this is far above the recommended dose.

Selenium Glycinate Chelate – 7,000mcg

We have a 1% yield here giving us 70mcg of total Selenium Glycinate. Selenium is an ingredient that has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties that can improve overall skin health.

It is recommended to use at least 50mcg when supplementing with this ingredient. We are getting 70mcg here.

Final Takeaway

Liver and Organ Defender from 5% Nutrition seeks to be a comprehensive on-cycle support supplement. While it does contain a strong liver complex, the other areas are not quite as comprehensive as you need you are using anabolic steroids. It would be wise to stack both a cardiovascular support, and kidney support supplement alongside Liver and Organ Defender.

For use as an everyday, general health formula this would be a great choice. It is offered at a great price point for the benefits it provides. Some of the dosages are not incredibly strong, but overall it provides a solid standard of dosages. If you are interested in maintaining your long-term health, especially if you are using anabolic steroids, Liver and Organ Defender is an item Fitness Informant urges you to consider.