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August 10, 2010 | Comments: 3

Liver Supplements: Filtering Out the Claims

Your liver helps digest food and cleans the blood of impurities, among other essential functions. Dozens of dietary supplements are touted to protect this vital organ.

Some products claim to “neutralize toxins” and repair and regenerate the liver; others even claim to alleviate chronic fatigue, food allergies, PMS, and immune problems, as well as increase energy, lower cholesterol, and help you lose weight.

The herb milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is one of the most researched ingredients found in these products. Lab studies suggest that silymarin, a group of compounds extracted from the plant’s seeds, may protect the liver against damage from toxins and disease by acting as an antioxidant, immune-stimulant, and anti-inflammatory agent. It may also help stabilize membranes so toxins can’t bind and help regenerate liver cells, among other mechanisms.

While this all sounds promising, studies in people are flawed, and results have been inconsistent or inconclusive. In a review of 13 clinical trials, the independent Cochrane Collaboration questioned the use of milk thistle for alcoholic liver disease and hepatitis B and C because of the poor quality of the research. Moreover, nearly all studies have looked at milk thistle or silymarin in chronic liver disease. There’s little if any evidence the herb can “detoxify” or protect a healthy liver, though this is what these supplements are typically marketed for.

Do these other ingredients deliver?

Other common “liver herbs” include licorice root extract (glycyrrhizin), Phyllanthus, and the mixture of herbs used in traditional Indian medicine called Liv-52. As with milk thistle, lab studies suggest these herbs may have some liver-protective properties. But there are few, if any, good human studies. The same goes for other herbs (such as dandelion, artichoke, and sea buckthorn), amino acids, vitamins (such as B12 and E), and other substances (such as choline, inositol, and chlorophyll) that may be found in liver supplements. Some ingredients may have dangerous side effects. For example, unless licorice is specially processed to remove a particular compound (glycyrrhizic acid), it can raise blood pressure. 

A vital wrap-up

Avoid “liver support” supplements. Just because a healthy liver helps detoxify your body, that doesn’t mean it needs to be detoxified itself. It is not like a clogged filter. And a healthy liver has a remarkable ability to restore itself when damaged. If you have liver disease, never take any supplement or medication without consulting your doctor.

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