Goals ›

Liver & detox

Liver support and the systems the body uses to remove waste.

Strongest evidence: Vitamin E, Potassium and Vitamin C.

Supplements for liver & detox

Each supplement gets the grade of its strongest liver & detox benefit. Open one to see each benefit.

StrongModerateWeakNo trials
SupplementMain effects in studiesEvidenceBenefits studied
Vitamin E↑Vit E; ↓ox stress, ↓Liver enzymes; ↑Vit EStrong1 of 3
PotassiumKaliuresis↑, K+↓, HyperK↓, proteinuria↓Strong1 of 3
Vitamin CLiver enzymes ↓ALT 63%, Antioxidant status ↑Strong1 of 3
GlutathioneGSH↑, toxicity↓, Detox enzymes↑, exposure↓Strong3 of 3
N-Acetyl CysteineGlutathione+oxidative stress, Ongoing pregnancy +24.2ppStrong3 of 3
SeleniumGPx↑, oxidative stress↓, Se status↑, GPx↑Strong2 of 3
Beta-CaroteneAntioxidant↑, Oxidation↓, +15-fold beta-caroteneStrong1 of 3
AlanineALT/liver tests↓, Liver histology/viral clearance↑Strong2 of 3
CurcuminAntioxidant↑, MDA↓, Inflammation↓, TAC↑Strong2 of 3
Omega-3 fatty acidsLiver enzymes/fat ↓, Cholestasis/bilirubin ↓Strong1 of 3
Showing 10 of 173 supplements.

What liver & detox covers

3 benefits that studies measure, and the supplements with the strongest evidence for each.

Detoxification

The liver and kidneys clearing substances the body wants rid of. In research this means measured enzyme activity and measured clearance rates, and it does not mean the cleanse-and-flush idea sold under the same word.

53 supplements, 12 strong
  1. PotassiumStrong, 228
  2. GlutathioneStrong, 89
  3. Activated CharcoalStrong, 48
  4. N-Acetyl CysteineStrong, 38
  5. AspartateStrong, 35

Liver support

How well the liver is working and whether its cells are under strain. It is measured by the enzymes ALT, AST and GGT in blood, by bilirubin, and by liver fat on imaging.

56 supplements, 13 strong
  1. GlutathioneStrong, 62
  2. Omega-3 fatty acidsStrong, 60
  3. AlanineStrong, 59
  4. Fish oilStrong, 59
  5. N-Acetyl CysteineStrong, 32

Antioxidant

How much oxidative damage the body is under. It is read from blood markers rather than felt: malondialdehyde and similar products of damaged fat go up, and glutathione and total antioxidant capacity go down.

130 supplements, 20 strong
  1. Vitamin EStrong, 296
  2. Vitamin CStrong, 211
  3. SeleniumStrong, 111
  4. N-Acetyl CysteineStrong, 86
  5. Beta-CaroteneStrong, 71

Protocols for liver & detox

What studies used, for this goal or for a group of people. Not advice: talk to a doctor first.