The use of bitters as a therapeutic tool can be traced back to ancient Egypt. Eventually, around the 1800s, these combinations of medicinal herbs became a popular cocktail. Today, there is a resurgence of interest in bitters as both a custom cocktail addition and as a powerful supportive aid to digestive health.
When it comes to digestive health, ingestion of bitter herbs acts along two proposed pathways:1
- Binding of receptors that act reflexively to increase saliva and vagal tone of digestive organs.
- Stimulation of local receptors to increase digestive secretions.
Strong bitter herbs like gentian, for example, stimulate stomach acid and other digestive secretions, while slightly milder bitters, like sweet orange essential oil, not only calm digestive upset but also balance the central nervous system. In fact, the health benefits of bitters go far beyond the digestive system and have been shown to positively impact liver, kidney, immune and detoxification functions.2 Bitter taste receptors exist throughout the digestive system and are located in other areas of the body as well.3 These bitter receptors have been shown to trigger a whole host of biological processes including blood sugar regulation and immune stimulation in response to infection.4
From a clinical perspective, to get the full range of benefits from bitters, bitter herbs should be selected that not only impact digestion but also support the liver and the kidneys. Some examples of bitter herbs that do just that are milk thistle, dandelion, burdock, and goldenrod. In addition to providing digestive benefit, this will also ensure efficient detoxification.
After an exhaustive review of the vast amounts of research on individual bitter herbs, I have found that nine herbs rise to the top of the list when it comes to effectively supporting the liver, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract, and subsequently promoting efficient detoxification. Those nine herbs are dandelion, milk thistle, goldenrod, gentian, burdock, and essential oils of sweet orange, myrrh, juniper, and clove. When these bitter botanicals are delivered in liposomes, detoxification is enhanced even further.5
The liposomal delivery system also provides phosphatidylcholine, the primary phospholipid of which cellular membranes are comprised. These phospholipids form the external sphere of the liposomal package, and facilitate cellular delivery by fusing with the cell’s phospholipid membrane.6 By bathing the cell in phospholipids which are necessary for membrane repair and communication, we ensure proper function for absorption of nutrients and excretion of cellular waste products and toxins.
Bitters are a powerful tool that integrative practitioners can use to not only support healthy digestion, but also positively influence liver and kidney function and thereby promote optimal detoxification. The integration of a comprehensive bitters combination with a liposomal delivery system is a perfect example of how innovative technology can take a historical home run and make it even better.
This information was brought to you by Quicksilver Scientific.
