Liver Support
Updated Aug. 15th, 2019
The liver is the largest solid organ in the body and performs a wide variety of different functions in the body. It produces bile for digestion, makes blood proteins, filters the blood, stores nutrients, breaks down old hormones, and detoxifies any contaminants in our bodies.
Bile
The main excreted product produced by the liver is bile. This is the digestive juice that breaks down fats and helps the body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, and converts Beta Carotene into Vitamin A.
Its release is triggered by the presence of fats and/or bitter herbs on the taste buds. The release of bile can also stimulate intestinal contractions, to promote regularity. For more information, please see our Ox Bile article.
Blood
The liver acts as a filter for all of the blood in the body, helping to remove any impurities. Blood returning from the intestines is extremely packed with nutrients, and it goes directly to the liver where some of the vitamins and minerals are stored. The liver also produces many of the proteins in the blood that help to shuttle other molecules and those that maintain osmotic (water) balance.
Filtering
Environmental toxins, medications, alcohol and other contaminants are filtered from the blood by the liver. Ammonia is a natural by-product of protein breakdown, which is also filtered by the liver. The liver changes these harmful byproducts into less harmful metabolites that can then be put back into circulation and excreted by the kidneys and intestines, or out into the bile.
Metabolism
The liver metabolizes fat into cholesterol, phospholipids (for cell membranes) and lipoproteins (for carrying other molecules). The liver plays a role in blood sugar regulation by making glucose tolerance factor. Sugar can also be directly stored in the liver for later use (as glycogen) and extra food is converted to fat by the liver and then transported to the fatty tissue. Because of this, the liver is central to the function of our metabolism.
Detoxification and Breakdown of Hormones
The last function of the liver is the breakdown of chemicals and toxins in the bloodstream. It is also responsible for hormone metabolism. It converts thyroid hormone into its most active form and breaks down excess and old hormones such as: sex hormones, adrenaline and insulin when they are not needed. This further helps our body to maintain balance.
PROTECTING THE LIVER
The liver can become damaged from infection, excessive alcohol consumption, medications and recreational drugs, environmental toxins and stress. There are also a variety of liver diseases. For more information, please see our Liver Disorders article. Fortunately, the liver is also the only internal organ that has the capacity to regenerate itself. It is important to limit the daily strain on your liver to help it to perform its many functions to the fullest.
Diet
Avoid sugar, alcohol, red meat, trans-fatty acids and processed foods. They are difficult for the liver to process. Avoid high doses of niacin and vitamin A because they can raise liver enzymes. Slow bowel transit time allows toxins to re-circulate in the body and forces the liver to repeat its detoxifying activity. Fibre can help to reduce this effect. For more information, please see our Fibre article.
Lifestyle
Avoid excessive use of alcohol, medications and recreational drugs. Exercise promotes liver health by increasing circulation. It also stimulates the bowels to release processed toxins.
Mental-Emotional
Traditional Asian medicine identifies emotions as a contributing agent in many disease processes. The liver is affected by anger. Anger reduction techniques, like biofeedback, or activities, such as yoga, can improve liver functioning.
Sometimes the liver’s pathways are not working up to speed or become blocked. The back up of waste material makes it harder for the rest of the body to function normally and ultimately leads to disease. Since the environment in which we live makes it impossible for us to maintain a pristine lifestyle, regular liver cleansing is essential. Liver detoxification involves dietary, supplemental and physical interventions. For more information see the article on detoxification.
LIVER SUPPORT SUPPLEMENTS
Milk Thistle
The seeds of this herb are used to support and nourish the liver. In fact, milk thistle has been found to help regenerate liver cells exposed to excess toxins. Because of its bitter nature, this herb also helps to promote the release of bile into the intestines. For more information, please see our Milk Thistle article.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
This is a strong antioxidant that has the powerful ability to be dissolved in both fats and water, thus allowing it to pass through all of our tissues to perform its function. It has a particularly supportive effect in the liver where it helps promote the detoxification of harmful toxins. For more information, please see our Alpha Lipoic Acid article.
Greens Powders
These combination formulas are packed full of antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients. They are like whole food multivitamins that can provide the equivalent of several fruit and vegetable servings per dose. This nutritional powerhouse comes from a variety of different nutritive foods combined into one product. For more information, please see our Greens Powder article.
NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine)
This molecule is a precursor to glutathione, which is an important antioxidant used by the liver to convert potential toxins to neutral byproducts. It can also help to directly detoxify certain heavy metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium. For more information, please see our NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) article.
Choosing your Supplements
There are many vitamins, minerals and nutraceuticals that can be used to support the liver. Always consult a health professional before using liver supporting nutrients if you are on any medications, because increasing the rate of processing in the liver can affect medication levels in your body.
Thank you for this very informative article on liver support and the supplements that support liver health. I take several of them and will take some of the others sporadically.
Hello Jennifer,
You're welcome, we love hearing that you not only enjoy our articles, but are learning new things and about new supplements from them too! We also have detailed articles about individual supplements that might peak your interest, check them out:
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/
Have a healthy day!
I drink green smoothies every morning and it did make a huge difference in my health!
Hello Anna,
Green drinks are a great way to increase energy and support detox and overall health, we're glad you noticed a difference in your health.
Stay healthy & well.
My wife had jaundice and is about to do a liver cleanse.
Jaundice is a yellow discolouration of the skin and whites of the eyes due to abnormally high levels of bilirubin (bile pigment) in the bloodstream. Urine is usually dark because of the bilirubin excreted through the kidneys. High levels of bilirubin may be attributed to inflammation, other abnormalities of the liver cells, or blockage of the bile ducts. Sometimes, jaundice is caused by the breakdown of a large number of red blood cells, which can occur in newborns. Jaundice is usually the first sign, and sometimes the only sign, of liver disease.
Hello Paul,
We are sorry to hear your wife isn't well, we hope she gets better soon. We suggest for her to follow a protocol recommended by her health care practitioner or naturopath.
Wishing you both well!