Both fish and meat: a special form of animal protein will help against liver fibrosis and scars

Russian scientists have conducted a study on the effect of a special form of animal protein on scars and fibrosis processes in the body, when functional tissues are replaced by connective tissue and lose their viability. The preparation of special compounds obtained from beef, chicken and fish has shown high results in a number of clinical cases. For example, postoperative scars became much softer and more elastic in patients. In addition to skin changes, good results were achieved with mastopathy and liver fibrosis. However, experts emphasize that such supplements are not medicine, but functional nutrition. Moreover, while the use of such substances has not been sufficiently investigated, it is necessary to continue testing, experts told Izvestia.

What is the danger of fibrosis of the liver and other organs?

A shift in the treatment and prevention of fibrosis of various organs and skin has been made by scientists from the Research Institute of Functional Nutrition. This is the process of proliferation of connective (scar) tissue in organs in response to damage or chronic inflammation, which leads to the replacement of normal cells and impaired organ function.

— This is a common pathological problem, many organs are being targeted. The main difficulty lies in its progressive nature, which leads to the replacement of functional connective tissue and the development of organ failure. For a long time, it was believed that this substitution was irreversible. At the same time, the global trend is an increase in chronic diseases caused by fibrous changes," Andrei Skalny, Candidate of Medical Sciences, expert at the Autonomous Research Institute of Functional Nutrition, told Izvestia.

In their study, the scientists presented a series of cases of effective use of animal protein hydrolysates, that is, substances broken down into smaller and easily digestible particles obtained from beef, fish and chicken, with fibrotic changes in various locations — liver fibrosis, fibrotic mastopathy, scarring of the skin.

— An array of information has already been accumulated on the effective use of peptide hydrolysates of animal protein in the fight against fibrosis of various localizations. Among other things, we record clinical cases of complete replacement of fibrous tissue with functional cells," Andrei Skalny told Izvestia.

For example, the paper describes the case of patient S., 59 years old. The woman was diagnosed with a wide range of chronic diseases: liver fibrosis, bilateral arthrosis of the knee joints, biliary dyskinesia, chronic gastritis and other pathologies. The patient had been taking the hydrolysate for three years, almost on an ongoing basis with rare interruptions. She alternated all three types of hydrolysate — beef, fish, and chicken, changing them approximately every 4-5 weeks. As a result, liver fibroscanning showed a pronounced positive trend compared to the initial studies of the organ.

Painful appearance: extreme bacteria synthesize new generation antibiotics

How algae capable of surviving in difficult conditions can help solve the problem of microbial resistance to drugs

The study of peptide compositions should be continued on a broader sample, experts noted. Observation has shown that regular intake of this form of protein, which acts as a building material for organs and tissues, can be effective in combating scarring, said Alexander Malevanny, a doctor at the Research Institute of Functional Nutrition. According to him, in a very large number of clinical cases, when patients have fibrous changes in their tissues, they either decrease in volume or become more elastic.

— Or, as in the case of the liver, we see that they are replaced by normal tissues, that is, the liver restores its structure, — said the specialist. — We have quite a large number of observations on postoperative scars. They become much softer and more elastic. Even long-standing postoperative scars from 10-20 years ago still change their structure and become more elastic, which removes local tension.

However, it is worth remembering that peptide hydrolysates, which patients took mainly in the form of powders dissolved in water, are not medicine, but simply functional food, only in a different form, noted Alexander Malevanny.

— I emphasize that this is not a substitute for food. Yes, if a person is undergoing surgery, they can drink hydrolysate for several days. This will speed up the healing rate, we also have such observations. For example, the healing rate increases during tooth extraction, when stitches are applied, they are removed twice as fast, in ten days," he said.

Scientists recommend using such supplements as a supplement to your diet.

Skin challenge: nanoparticles doubled the healing of deep wounds

How the innovative gel will help patients with diabetes and burns

Food pharmacy made of biologically active compounds

The possibility of using peptides to stimulate liver tissue regeneration in Russia has been studied for a long time, pharmaceutical compositions based on them have been tested on animals, and their use has shown their effectiveness, said the head of the Smart Supply Chain segment of the FoodNet working group NTI Sergey Kosogor.

"A deeper study of new therapeutic strategies for the use of peptide hydrolysates of animal protein will allow us to create effective methods that directly affect fibrogenesis and other diseases, reducing the level of anti—inflammatory cytokines, the development of acute inflammatory diseases and autoimmune processes, exerting an antioxidant effect, reducing oxidative stress," he said.

The food industry is opening its own pharmacy, located at the intersection of medicine and nutrition. We are talking about a whole class of biologically active compounds that previously remained outside the scope of serious research, Konstantin Derevskov, General director of the Start Quality consulting company, Rosbiotech lecturer, and food safety expert, told Izvestia. These are vitamins, trace elements, amino acids, peptides and proteins, including their hydrolysates. The body assimilates them and uses them regardless of whether they come in the form of capsules or as part of a regular meal. It is precisely this versatility that manufacturers have adopted, as a result, two independent directions have formed in the industry, the expert emphasized.

— The first is the development of technologies and recipes for ready meals, when technologists introduce useful substances into products, and the label "Contains vitamins and trace elements" appears on the packaging. The second is the production of specialized food additives and functional products designed to specifically enrich the diet. The idea of using hydrolysates, that is, in fact, "pre-digested" proteins from ordinary meat and fish, is extremely promising. We are starting to approach livestock products not from the perspective of simple saturation, but as a source of high—precision bioregulators," he said.

As for the methodology itself, according to the expert, there are also risk areas. So far, we are only talking about a series of cases, a blind placebo-controlled trial has not been conducted. Therefore, the influence of other factors cannot be excluded, the expert noted.