Meriva

Thorne Research Meriva-SF

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) – Meriva is a safe long-term option for pain relief, inflammation & more – as a replacement to the negative effects of NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, aspirin, & naproxen)

Read More Reviews Here

Long Version –

The go-to pain relief today is the readily available and extremely inexpensive NSAID

Wait! What is an NSAID?

Ibuprofen, aspirin, & naproxen are Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID).  Common over the counter brand names include – Advil, Motrin, Aleve, & Bayer.

And what is the problem?

In higher doses (meaning taken more than once in a while) can be hard on the stomach, kidney, liver & heart.

Common side effects of NSAIDs include (according to WebMD):

• Stomach pain and heartburn
• Stomach ulcers
• Headaches and dizziness
• Ringing in the ears
• Allergic reactions such as rashes, wheezing, and throat swelling
• High blood pressure
• Leg swelling
• Increase risk of heart attack and stroke
• A tendency to bleed more, especially when taking aspirin. Your doctor might tell you to stop taking NSAIDs before surgery. Ask your doctor before taking NSAIDs if you are on blood-thinning medications (such as Coumadin).
• Liver or kidney problems. If you have any kidney problems, you shouldn’t take NSAIDs without checking with your doctor.

Basically, it takes away the short-term pain and potentially replaces it with some not-so-good, longer-term complications.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick reviewed the studies. The negatives (at a cellular level) of NSAIDs were enough for her to make it a priority to eliminate them completely.

The alternative she found was Curcumin.  Think India, think turmeric.  Curcumin comes from the Turmeric plant.

Curcumin has many health benefits and a special formulation known as Meriva has been shown to have pain relieving properties.  This form helps get the curcumin past the stomach lining and slows it being cleared by the liver too quickly.

Why?

Meriva in many clinical studies has been shown:

• 1 gram twice a day in runners dramatically reduced delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) with a 60% decrease in markers of muscle damage and inflammation
• Other studies showing 1 g per day reduced symptoms of osteoarthritis while increasing mobility
• 3-month studies showed a 400% increase in mobility while decreasing joint pain from osteoarthritis
• 2 grams per day reduced Psoriasis after 3 months of usage
• 1 gram daily for 4 weeks reduced Diabetes complications of microangiopathy (disease of small blood vessels) and retinopathy (damage to the retina caused by abnormal blood flow)
• 1.5 grams daily reduced cancer treatment side effects (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, organ toxicity, reduced platelet count,  and showed an improvement in memory and thinking)
• 2 grams daily reduced inflammation and can reverse degenerative eye disorders like serous retinopathy (fluid building up under the the retina) and chronic anterior uveitis (long term inflammation of the anterior part of the eye)
• 500mg daily reduced loss of muscle mass in those 65 years and older (along with a balanced diet and exercise)
• 2 grams daily experienced the same pain relief as taking 1 gram of Tylenol
  • Long-term ingestion of 1 gram of Tylenol daily has been associated with liver damage
• 2 grams daily for 6 weeks was the equivalent of 800mg ibuprofen for pain relief
• Has been shown to aid in weight loss (along with diet and lifestyle intervention), in the study increasing weight loss in 60 days from 1.8% to 4.9% and fat reduction from .7% to 8.43%

How safe is it?  One study had cancer patients taking 8 grams of curcumin a day for up to 14 days and was found to be safe and tolerable.

What are the downsides?

• If you are allergic to turmeric or ginger, avoid Meriva 
• High doses initially can cause gastric issues (bloating, diarrhea, loose bowels, upset stomach)
  • Starting with lower doses may prove helpful
  • Avoid taking on an empty stomach, may cause acid reflux like reactions
• If you have bleeding risks or are taking blood thinners, avoid Meriva 
• If you are having planned surgery, discontinue a few weeks prior to minimize bleeding risks
• Can cause gallbladder contractions, exacerbating gallstone episodes
• May interfere with drug metabolizing enzymes, maintain a time gap between taking Meriva and medications
• NOTE all downsides listed may or may not affect you, as each of us is unique.

Our preferences

We ordered and use Throne Research Meriva-SF  (Sustained release & Soy Free (SF))  120 capsules 500mg each so 60 grams per bottle.

How to use

Meriva has been demonstrated to have a cumulative effect.  Generally, the consensus is to take 1 capsule (500mg) twice daily for inflammation.  And for more pain relief take 2 capsules twice a day.

Why this product

Simply put, long-term use of Mervia has been shown to be beneficial. Long-term use of NSAIDs have been shown to cause your organs to stop functioning properly.

Additionally, Dr. Patrick knows her stuff…she does the thorough research not only on the clinical side, but also on the application.

And a quick review of Amazon feedback shows 152 reviews with 137 5-Star raving reviews.

Read More Reviews Here

Disclaimers, Like a galore of ’em
We are not doctors nor certified nutritionists. We do our research and find what works best for us. Also, the links are to Amazon and we might make a penny or few if you click n buy, so I guess you can say we have a vested interest…really we just have a huge interest in your health!

References:

http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/guide/anti-inflammatory-drugs#1
https://www.amazon.com/Thorne-Research-Sustained-Released-Phytosome-Supplement/dp/B01D8V0962
https://tim.blog/2017/05/25/transcript-dr-rhonda-patrick-on-exploring-smart-drugs-fasting-and-fat-loss/
https://www.turmericforhealth.com/curcumin-benefits-and-dosage/best-meriva-curcumin-turmeric-supplement

Published: 9/2017