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Everyday habits to support liver health
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As your body’s largest internal organ, your liver is busy performing a variety of vital functions. It cleans your blood and helps prevent the accumulation of toxins, staving off infections, and it converts food into energy that your body needs to thrive. If you’re one of the millions of adults who regularly use dietary supplements, you may be wondering how these products can help support your liver health and function. Read on to learn more about liver supplements.
What Are Liver Supplements?
Dietary supplements come in many forms. They can be tablets, drinks, or even energy bars, and they contain active ingredients that can support the health of various body parts and functions, including the liver. These supplements contain things like minerals, herbs, vitamins, or enzymes, and they’re designed to make sure you get enough of the nutrients your body needs. It’s important to remember, though, that supplements are not intended to be a substitute for or a quick fix when it comes to adequate nutrition in your diet.
There are a lot of food and vitamin supplements on the market, and they claim to help your liver cleanse and detox [link to liver detox article] and regenerate. But, with your doctor’s guidance, there are a few types of supplements that may provide some benefits to your liver and your overall health. Let’s get into them.
Types of Liver Supplements
Research has shown that nearly all people who have some type of liver disease also suffer from malnutrition – often in the form of vitamin or mineral deficiencyi. For this reason, many people with chronic liver conditions decide to take some additional supplements, usually under the guidance of their healthcare provider.1 Here are a few of those natural liver cleansers:
Herbal supplements
One of the most popular herbs that helps the liver is milk thistle. Studies have not been 100 percent conclusive on the benefits of milk thistle, but there has been some evidence to suggest that it can have benefits for people with liver diseasesii, specifically due to its antioxidant propertiesiii.
Vitamin and mineral supplements
People with chronic liver diseases like cirrhosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, or liver cancer often have one factor in common – vitamin deficiency.iv Vitamin D, in particular, may have some benefits as a liver supplement thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties,4 and vitamins C and E are also known antioxidants with that can help slow the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.4
Also, minerals like copper and iron are necessary for healthy liver function, so if you have been diagnosed with a liver disease, your doctor will likely be monitoring the levels of both minerals and possibly suggesting a supplement.
Phospholipids and choline: The liver's allies
Phospholipids
Phospholipids are barriers that protect your organs’ cells from damage. Recent researchv has shown the effectiveness in treating certain fatty liver diseases with essential phospholipids, in conjunction with other medical treatments, to improve liver function.
Choline
Choline is a naturally occurring nutrient that’s produced by the liver. Specifically, choline helps with liver function by helping to prevent liver scarring (cirrhosis), liver cancer, and health issues associated with a fatty liver.vi
Accelerate liver regeneration with Phospholipids (Essentiale® Forte P)
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How Liver Supplements Work
There are several common ingredients found in liver supplements, including vitamin E, magnesium, Zinc, and others, and they work to support the liver when it comes to getting rid of toxins, repairing itself, and reducing harmful inflammation. Let’s take a look:
Detoxification support
Some liver support supplements and vitamins, like zinc and vitamin E have been shown in studies to be effective in helping the liver rid the body of toxins. Vitamin E, for example, has the power to reduce oxidative stress1, which is another way of saying it can enhance the body’s ability to detoxify. Zinc, on the other hand, can help the liver get rid of a substance called bilirubin1, which can cause jaundice if not eliminated normally.
Cell regeneration and repair
Inflammation reduction
Two active ingredients that show promise in reducing inflammation in the liver are magnesium and S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe), the latter generally available in either dietary supplements or sometimes in prescription medication. Research has shown both to be successful in reducing inflammation of the liver in patients with either non-alcoholic or alcoholic liver diseases1.
Choosing the Right Liver Supplement
It may be tempting to jump on the liver supplement bandwagon, but your first step should always be to consult with your healthcare provider. Maybe you’ve got a healthy liver, and you want to do everything you can to keep it that way. Or maybe you’ve been diagnosed with a liver disease, and you’re looking for ways to enhance your current medical treatment. Either way, your doctor is the best person to give you advice when it comes to choosing and using a liver supplement.
Essentiale Forte P is one such supplement that’s designed to aid in the treatment of some liver damage. Its active ingredients are essential phospholipids with a high amount of phosphatidylcholine, which contains fatty acids needed to keep liver cell membranes healthy and functioning. Essentiale Forte P excels at regenerating damaged liver cells and relieving discomfort associated with liver injury. It can also help reduce harmful fat deposits on the liver, as well as protect liver cells from future damage. Ask your doctor if Essentiale Forte P might be beneficial for you.
Frequently Asked Questions about Liver Supplements
One common ingredient in liver cleanse supplements is milk thistle, which you may see labelled as silymarin. This herb can help protect the liver against toxins is also sometimes used as part of a treatment regimen for liver diseases like hepatitis and cirrhosisvii. Zinc, magnesium, and vitamin E also have some benefits for liver health including detoxification and reducing inflammation.1
Although we cannot say that liver supplements are a magic solution for liver health, there has been (and continues to be) significant research on the subject. Every individual’s health needs are slightly different, and the best course of action is to discuss your questions about liver supplements with your physician to decide if they might be beneficial for you.
We’ve already covered the potential benefits of vitamins C and E, but also there is some evidence that vitamin B can support liver health and function, too. Scientists in Singapore have discovered that vitamin B12 can help slow the progression of fatty liver diseaseviii.
“Heal” is something of a strong word, however, turmeric does have anti-inflammatory properties, which can be helpful in supporting liver health, and it’s long been safe for people with both acute and chronic liver conditions9.
There’s little to no evidence that detox drinks do much to help the liver, but you can look for drinks that contain inflammation and oxidative stress-reducing ingredients like milk thistle, ginger, and turmeric. If you’re looking for a drink to help your liver, look no further than simple H2O as one of the best liver cleansers you can find. Staying hydrated can help enhance circulation and help the liver naturally eliminate toxins from the body.
And remember that what you drink is just as important as what you don’t drink – if you choose to drink alcohol, drink in moderation. That means no more than one drink per day for women and two for men (for example, 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of spirits).
Remember that although most liver support supplements contain natural ingredients that show some promise in aiding liver function, there’s no magic cure for liver diseases or protecting against liver damage. If you’re interested in adding a food or vitamin supplement to your routine, talk to your doctor first, and work on maintaining a healthy lifestyle including a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and moderate alcohol consumption.
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