Liver Health Supplements - What Are Their Effects?

What are liver health supplements?
Liver health supplements are substances that you eat or drink to supplement things such as vitamins, minerals, enzymes etc. Some supplements come from natural sources such as plants. They come in all forms, from pills to tonics, to powders. Many liver health supplements claim to cleanse and detoxify the liver. Rather than curing problems of the liver, some of these products actually make matters worse.

The liver is an organ that performs over 500 functions in the body, one of them being detoxification. Adding artificial substances to the liver may cause it to interrupt or interfere with its detoxification process that’s why you should be careful with what you eat or drink.

Should you take supplements for liver health?
Some research indicates that herbal substances help the liver metabolize food properly, balance hormones and eliminate waste. However, the effect of these herbal substances is controversial.

Another controversy is whether supplements should be taken daily to maintain normal liver health, or whether they should only be taken during times of liver stress, such as during excessive alcohol usage.

Before using liver support supplements, it is best to consult with your physician.

Here are some common types of herbal liver health supplements:

Milk Thistle
Dandelion root
Holy Basil
Bupleurum

Some herbal products that have been said to harm the liver include chaparral, yohimbe, green tea extract etc. In addition, weight loss and bodybuilding supplements can be linked to liver damage.

What is a liver detox?
Many companies that offer liver support supplements claim to detoxify the liver. However, a lot of people don’t realize that the liver already cleanses itself.

Before you invest your time and money in liver detox products, make sure to check out our liver detox page here to find out whether a liver detox is right for you.