Can Supplements Boost Liver Health?

Your liver is responsible for many bodily functions, including detoxification, balancing your metabolism, and helping your body digest food.

Complications with your liver can lead to chronic liver diseases and, in severe cases, liver cancer. Many supplements on the market promise to help protect your liver, reduce inflammation, and improve liver function. However, there is not enough research on many supplements to determine their effectiveness for your long-term health.

More human studies are needed to verify the effects of supplements on liver health.

Why Liver Function Is Important

Your liver is responsible for removing waste from your blood and storing energy. This helps with other processes like producing cholesterol, regulating amino acids (the building blocks of protein), and storing glucose in your body.

Other liver functions include:

• Storing vitamins A, D, C, and vitamin B12
• Producing bile to help ease digestion and absorb fats
• Breaking down hemoglobin (a protein that delivers oxygen throughout your body)

Viral infections, like hepatitis B and C, can weaken your liver. Visible symptoms include jaundice, where the eyes and skin have a yellowish hue because of a lack of or overproduction of bilirubin. Other common causes of liver dysfunction include alcoholic liver disease, genetics, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Popular Supplements for Liver Health

Though more research is needed, research suggests that certain supplements may support liver health.

Milk Thistle

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a flowering herb native to Europe with liver-protecting properties.

As an antioxidant, silymarin (a flavonoid in milk thistle seeds) helps prevent inflammation that can lead to liver disorders. Silymarin also combats cell-damaging free radicals, prevents fibrosis (scarring) in your liver, and increases enzymes needed for detoxification.

A few studies of people with fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, and cirrhosis support these findings. Still, more research is needed to confirm if milk thistle affects your liver enough to produce long-term results.

Artichoke Leaf

Artichoke (Cynara scolymus), an edible plant from the Mediterranean region, is a common ingredient in most liver supplements. The leaves are rich in antioxidants that help prevent certain compounds from damaging your liver.

Antioxidants like cynarin and chlorogenic acids reduce elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), enzymes associated with liver damage when their levels are high. Larger studies and additional research are needed to confirm these findings.

Dandelion Root

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is a medicinal herb with several beneficial compounds that may improve liver function. Dandelion roots and leaves contain active compounds, such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and polysaccharides, that act as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents. Dandelions can protect the body from free radicals that may damage healthy cells.

Oligofructans in dandelions may help reduce lipid (fat) levels and inflammation in your liver. Many of these findings are connected to animal studies. More human studies are needed to know how much dandelion extract in supplements benefits your liver.

Jujube

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba), also known as red date or Chinese date, is a small oval-shaped fruit. Its seed is rich in antioxidants that protect the body against free radicals. Studies on jujube syrup found that it may help prevent liver toxicity in people receiving treatment for tuberculosis. However, more research is needed on jujube as a supplement ingredient.

Selenium

A selenium deficiency may increase your risk for chronic liver conditions like hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer.

Selenium is involved with several processes in your body, including helping with thyroid function and protecting your body from infection. Antioxidant enzymes like glutathione peroxidase, which rely on selenium, help protect liver cells from damage by reducing unstable oxygen molecules.

Choline

Choline is a nutrient essential for transporting fats out of your liver. Choline supplements can help increase low choline levels, which can cause too much fat to be stored in your liver. Too much fat in your liver can cause nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). More research is needed to verify the effect of choline on reducing your risk of NAFLD.

What To Consider

Dietary and herbal supplements have not yet been evaluated for safety or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means there is currently no way to verify if the ingredients listed on the label are consistent with each supply of supplements. If you choose to add supplements to your routine, try to stick to those that have completed third-party testing to ensure they are free of harmful contaminants.

Always consult your healthcare provider before purchasing a supplement. Some supplements may negatively interact with certain medications.

Liver Health Support

While evidence about the effects of supplements in protecting your liver is limited, there are several lifestyle changes you can make to prevent chronic liver diseases.

Strategies to support your liver include the following:

• Be mindful of your intake of saturated and trans fats, especially in processed foods
• Eat more fiber-rich, low-glycemic foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Reduce your intake of added sugars
• Keep your alcohol consumption low
• Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity into your daily schedule
• Stick to a consistent diet
• Make sure you get at least 7-9 hours of sleep each night

During routine doctor visits, you can request that your healthcare provider perform a liver function test to know the status of your liver health. Although these tests cannot predict diseases, they can indicate to your healthcare provider if there is any unusual activity in your liver. Your healthcare provider may suggest a follow-up visit if anything looks out of the ordinary.

A Quick Review

The liver is among the hardest-working organs in the human body. It is responsible for detoxification, proper digestion, and nutrient storage.

Certain dietary supplements like milk thistle, artichoke leaf, and dandelion may help improve your liver function by reducing inflammation and harmful cells in your body. However, more research is needed to verify the effects these supplements have on your liver health.

The FDA does not have guidelines for dietary or herbal supplements. It is important to check with your healthcare provider before adding any supplements to your routine, especially if you also take other medications.