The liver is your body’s filtration aid that is responsible for breaking down food, cleansing the blood, and eliminating waste products from the body. The liver also has to deal with a truckload of other toxins that are produced as a result of processed foods and medications.
Interestingly, each organ of your body is heavily dependent on the liver, directly or indirectly. Thus, keeping the liver clean, healthy, and young holds paramount importance in defining your health and quality of life.
However, over-dependence on junk food, excessive consumption of alcohol, genetics, and medical history may lead to fatty liver disease which is not only discomforting but can take a toll on your quality of life.
While eating nutritious foods, regular workouts, managing stress, and good lifestyle practices are great tools to keep your liver healthy, sometimes it needs additional aid to detox and heal completely.
In this write-up, we will be discussing the best supplements for fatty liver that helps not only detoxify the liver but help keep the bi-lobed organ young & active for overall wellness. But, before we begin discussing these liver supplements, let’s first know about fatty liver in brief.
What is fatty liver?
Fatty liver, also known as hepatic steatosis, is a medical condition that is characterized by too much deposition of fats in the liver.
While little amounts of healthy fats are beneficial for the liver, too much or accumulation of unhealthy fat can lead to several health complications. Your liver is the second-largest organ in the human body and carries out several functions right from the breakdown of food, and nutrient absorption to filtering blood. Too many fats in the liver can give rise to inflammation and scarring.
Types of fatty liver disease
The two types of fatty liver disease are- alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD)
- When someone who drinks excessive alcohol is diagnosed with fatty liver, it is termed alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
- If someone doesn’t drink a lot of alcohol and is diagnosed with fatty liver, he is said to have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Best supplements for fatty liver
If you’re diagnosed with fatty liver, you may experience discomfort and irritating symptoms. Though curing a fatty liver completely is a difficult and time-consuming process, certain health supplements can be highly effective in managing the discomforting symptoms associated with fatty liver.
Milk thistle
Milk thistle, also known as silymarin is one of the popular liver health supplements available in the market today. It is a flowering plant that comes from the family of daisies and has held medicinal value for decades.
In ancient times, people used silymarin extract as a remedy for problems related to the liver and gallbladder. Thanks to the active flavonoids present in the seeds of the flowering plant. The active compounds in silymarin extract help in the repair of liver cells.
Silymarin acts as a gatekeeper in the human body and protects the delicate liver from the ill effects of oxidative stress or fatty liver due to overconsumption of alcohol or even non-alcoholic fatty liver.
Besides, the valuable nutrients in silymarin help maintain the right concentration of glutathione, the mother of all antioxidants. Glutathione is believed to pose ten times more antioxidant properties than that vitamin E. Nowadays, many healthcare companies are coming up with milk thistle tablets that claim to improve liver health by aiding toxin removal and supporting liver cell renewal.
Turmeric root
Turmeric, the cousin of ginger, is another wonderful supplement for liver health. The aromatic, brilliantly colored turmeric is an integral part of ancient ayurvedic medicine as well as Indian kitchens. The bulbs of turmeric plants come fortified with an array of essential vitamins, minerals, and healthful compounds our bodies need for proper and smooth functioning.
Curcumin is the main ingredient that makes turmeric a potent liver cleanse remedy. The powerful compound has a plethora of benefits for the liver and digestive tract derived from its antiviral, and antibacterial properties. There is certain evidence that shows the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin aid liver detox and soothes inflammation.
The active compounds in turmeric are also helpful in bile production required by the body for the easy breakdown of foods. Besides, drinking turmeric tea every day makes a natural remedy to prevent the accumulation of unhealthy fats in the liver. Apart from regulating liver functions, regular consumption of curcumin capsules or powder as a part of your regular diet lowers the risk of intestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome.
Beetroot
Heavily loaded with antioxidants, flavonoids, and nitrates, beetroot has earned its stripes as a powerful liver food since ancient times. The resplendently red beetroot makes a natural blood cleanser and many naturopaths believe that drinking beetroot juice every day helps regulate liver enzymes and bile secretion. Besides, a high concentration of glutathione in beetroot protects the liver against unhealthy fats, and cellular damage by fighting free radicals and oxidative stress in the body.
Beetroot comes packed with a group of essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals that aid red blood cell production and keep you energized and immune. Besides, the soluble fiber in beetroot helps maintain healthy gut flora and prevents indigestion and problems related to the gut apart from improving liver health. Drinking beetroot juice, adding beetroot slices to your favorite salad bowl, or supplementing with beetroot powder and capsules can help you detox your liver.
Besides, the valuable constituents in beet help restore electrolyte balance and energy your body needs especially after blood donation. Also, it’s often best to include multivitamin tablets while following a healthy diet and exercise regimes to recover fast from a fatty liver.
Vitamin E supplements
Healthcare experts tout vitamin E as a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a vital role in preventing cell membranes from the ill effects of oxidative stress, especially in people with fatty acid. According to a study, alongside its antioxidative properties, the anti-inflammatory nature of vitamin E helps lower inflammation and prevent the death of liver cells.
Also, a 2018 review has concluded that vitamin E could sometimes improve the marker of liver health in adults. Therefore, including vitamin E-rich foods such as soybeans, peanuts, sunflower, and nuts in your everyday diet can help manage the symptoms of fatty liver disease. Besides, incorporating Omega-3 capsules in your daily supplement regimes can help you stay active, energized, and healthy while dealing with discomforting health issues like fatty liver disease.
These are a few common supplements that can help manage the symptoms of fatty liver disease. However, it’s important to ensure that the supplements you are picking up meet quality standards and are certified as safe for everyday use. After all, it’s a matter of your health.
Dr. Morepen is one of the leading healthcare brands that are committed to providing their customers with liver supplements made using the finest quality ingredients and tested, certified, and marked as safe for consumption. However, you are advised to consult your healthcare advisor before starting any supplement. If you are keeping in good liver health, that’s great. If not, incorporate any of the above-mentioned supplements in your fitness regimes and go liver healthy.