The liver is an impressive organ in the body that has the ability to perform a number of functions. Many of us take liver health for granted, but your body doesn’t have the ability to function properly if your liver isn’t healthy. This is the centralized location where filtering and detoxification occurs before waste passes out of your intestines. While you may be eating healthy and exercising (also great ways to keep the body healthy) there are environmental toxins that are hard to avoid. To combat some of the toxic components that we come into contact with from food, water and the air we breathe, we can utilize liver detox supplements for optimal liver health.
If your liver becomes overloaded with frequent exposure to toxins, this can cause a number of whole-body health issues. Some people even experience liver damage that cannot be reversed. If you’ve recently taken note of issues such as difficulty losing weight, a weakened immune system, muscle loss or chronic itching (just to name a few), it might be time to take a look at your liver health. This article is going to address liver detox supplements, the benefits they provide, specific products to consider and I’ll give you some tips on how to boost your liver health naturally.
Do Liver Detox Supplements Work?
Our liver performs some very essential processes in the body, including filtering out toxins that we come into contact with. When you use a liver detox supplement, specific ingredients will be used to eliminate built up toxins and rejuvenate the liver as a whole. Many of these products can reverse liver damage and boost liver function. Of course, not all supplements are created equally. You’ll need to learn more about the different ingredients that are used for liver health and the process of a detox. Researching specific brands and their manufacturing process and reputability will ensure that you’re considering something that will actually benefit your health. Luckily, I’ve done a lot of this work for you so you can quickly get on track with optimal liver health.
Benefits
Cleansing and detoxing your liver have a number of health benefits. You can use a gentle cleanse to reset your metabolism so you lose weight more effectively. Toxic buildup can lead to fatigue and lack of energy. A detox can provide you with renewed energy throughout the entire day. A stronger immune system, anti-aging benefits, a faster cell renewal process and a natural reduction in blood sugar levels are just some of the benefits that you can achieve with a reputable liver cleanse.
Drawbacks
Whenever you participate in a liver cleanse (or really a cleanse of any sort), you run the risk of experiencing certain side effects. Essentially, you’re releasing some toxins into your body before they are eliminated. This process can cause fatigue, nausea, upset stomach and headaches. You might feel a bit under the weather for the beginning of the cleanse, but most people find that their symptoms subside the further into the cleanse they are.
Something else to keep in mind is that there may be issues with you doing a liver cleanse if you’re taking prescription medication. Detoxing the liver in a short amount of time can cause the levels of medication in your body to become imbalanced. If you’re taking a drug that controls your blood pressure or blood sugar, it could be dangerous for you to alter what’s inside your body. Check with your doctor before trying a liver cleanse if you’re at all concerned.
Should You Cleanse Your Liver with a Supplement?
Unless you have a health issue or complication that prevents you from safely cleansing your liver using an over-the-counter supplement, it’s beneficial to cleanse your liver and you should consider doing so. A lot of people don’t realize how sluggish or tired they are until they go through this process. Toxins can subtly affect your body in ways that often go unnoticed over time. However, the long-term complications of an unhealthy liver are something you don’t want to deal with.
The Best Supplements for Liver Detox
It’s time to take a look at what I think are some of the best supplements available for a liver detox. They vary in ingredients, benefits and the process of using the detox, so let’s get started with breaking these options down.
#1. 1st Phorm Liver Detox
Unfortunately, our bodies are exposed to more toxins each day than ever before. From the foods we eat to the pollution we come into contact with within our environment, toxins can put quite a burden on our livers. Toxins are removed from your bloodstream through the liver and then excreted into the form of bile. It is then that the bile will move into the gallbladder and then into the intestines where it will be expelled from the body. Our livers actually perform more than 300 different functions, including the production of cholesterol, building proteins and regulating amino acids.
When it comes to efficiently detoxifying your liver and keeping your body healthy, this liver detox from 1st Phorm offers a lot of benefits. Not only does it provide a detox for your liver, but it also helps support the kidneys (which play an important role in cleansing the body as well). Since you can’t completely protect yourself from coming into contact with toxins, you should invest in this product as a way to heal and protect the body and liver. Active ingredients include artichoke extract, burdock root, turmeric, dandelion root extract and more.
Pros
- Made from gentle and natural ingredients
- Supports liver health and kidney health as well
- Helps remove toxins from your liver and your body
- Increases metabolism
Cons
- The recommended dosage is five capsules each day
#2. Zuma Nutrition Liver Detox Drops
Zuma Nutrition Liver Detox Drops contain a blend of seven different organic herbs (wild harvested, not dried) that support a healthy liver as well as detox the natural pathways in this organ. Milk thistle seed extract has been included thanks to its high silymarin content. Silymarin is a variety of thistle that is very protective and rejuvenating. Made in very small batches to ensure consistency and purity, Zuma Nutrition Liver Detox Drops will support a safe cleansing of the liver, rejuvenate the liver, support gut health, boost metabolism and increase your energy levels.
Pros
- Boosts metabolism
- Supports healthy liver function
- Water soluble liquid that absorbs better than capsules
- Supports gut health
Cons
- May cause stomach upset or an increase in bowel movements
#3. Amy Myers MD Liver Detox
Amy Myers MD Liver Detox provides liver support in a number of ways, including more optimal bile production and by detoxification. Glutathione as the main ingredient acts as a neutralizer for environmental toxins that you’ve come into contact with. Alpha-Lipoic Acid is also included as a protector against free radicals. Also, 100 mcg of selenium has been added to this product as an antioxidant. Milk thistle protects the cells of the liver.
Pros
- Third-party lab tested
- Helps better blood sugar regulation
- Maintains better cholesterol production
- Boosts filtration of toxins out of your bloodstream
- Doctor formulated
Cons
- Could be too pricey for some people
#4. Thorne Liver Cleanse
Thorne Liver Cleanse promotes healthy liver function in the body to boost detoxification of toxins. All natural ingredients have been carefully chosen to enhance bile output as well boost metabolism. Thorne actually recommends getting your gut health in check ahead of your liver cleanse, so you experience more efficient and comfortable bowel movements during your liver cleanse. They have FiberMend which they recommend for this purpose.
The process of using Thorne’s Liver Cleanse starts with converting fat-soluble substances (such as toxins) into intermediate substances using cytochrome p450 enzymes. After that, those substances will attach to glutathione, sulfur, or methyl groups that convert them to water soluble materials so they can be removed from the body.
Pros
- Optimizes metabolism
- Healthy liver support using chicory as a main ingredient
- Newly updated formula
- Provides a two-phase method of detoxification
- You are only required to take one capsule each evening as your daily dose
Cons
- You cannot be constipated or have irregular bowel movements when starting this product
#5. LiverMD by 1MD Nutrition
Using two clinically effective ingredients to nourish and maintain the liver, LiverMD by 1MD Nutrition increases energy, boosts metabolism and aids in the removal of toxins. Essentially, this is a supplement that will focus on your overall health by way of your liver function. It includes patented ingredients such as EVNolMax, which is a Full-Spectrum Tocotrienol vitamin E extract. Also included is Siliphos, a Silybin complex that increases absorption rates. Both of these ingredients help you maintain a strong and healthy liver.
Pros
- NEXTY Award Finalist for Best Condition-Specific Supplement in 2020
- Supports Healthy Liver Enzyme Function
- Optimal absorption of all ingredients
- Promotes proper cell division in the liver
Cons
- It’s a bit expensive if you’re not subscribing to regular shipments or buying bulk
#6. Ancient Nutrition Liver Cleanse
A versatile panel of ingredients is included in Ancient Nutrition Liver Cleanse, such as organic milk thistle seed, organic dandelion root, lipase and reishi mushrooms. This is the liver cleansing boost that you need for healthy detoxification of the liver and to decrease inflammation. The brand uses a dual-stage, live fermentation process to manufacture their products, which is quite unique compared to the other brands I’ve discussed in this article. This makes the ingredients in the product more absorbable, so you get the best effects possible. All of the ingredients used in the composition of Ancient Nutrition Liver Cleanse are free of pesticides, residues and harsh chemicals
Pros
- Boosts healthy liver function
- Improves your body’s response to inflammation
- Supports healthy detoxification
- Made with natural botanicals, adaptogens, and enzymes
- Updated formula as of 2020 provides more targeted support
Cons
- I would like to see more reviews listed on their website
#7. Beyond Recovery Modern Detox for Liver
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Beyond Recovery strives to balance your mind and body health with the use of their Modern Detox for Liver product. This formula is designed to cleanse your organs so they can more efficiently cleanse your body. This product supports both the kidneys and the liver, allowing for the removal of heavy metals and toxins. It’s safe and gentle enough that it can be used as a daily supplement to support the liver, kidneys and bowels. You can feel safe knowing that these herbs and ingredients have been used for centuries thanks to their cleansing properties.
Pros
- Vegan / plant-based
- Doctor formulated
- Third-party tested
- Gentle on the stomach
Cons
- You may have to allow for two full weeks to go by before seeing results
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Buying Guide for Liver Cleanse and Detox Supplements
For those of you who need some more information before purchasing a liver detox cleanse, this section is for you. It’s a complete buying guide on what to look for and frequently asked questions.
What to look for
If you’re looking into liver detox supplements on your own, there are some different details that I would like to suggest that you pay close attention to.
Quality of Ingredients
From looking at the products that I’ve covered in this article so far, you’ll see that there are a number of ingredients that can be used to detox the liver and provide support to this organ and your kidneys. It’s important to make sure that you confirm the quality of those ingredients. They should be free of pesticide contamination and not contain any chemical additives.
Brand Transparency and Trust
Only shop online from brands that are transparent about where their ingredients come from, how they’re sourced, what the manufacturing process is like for their product, benefits that you can achieve, the testing that’s used to check the quality of their product and much more. You should feel like you can trust a product that you’re going to put into your body on a regular basis.
Quality of Product
The quality of a supplement is important, and there are some different ways that you can get a good impression of quality. Look for products that are made from natural ingredients (bonus points if they are organically grown), there aren’t chemicals or additives included and scientific information has been used in its formulation. I like it when I see that a product has been recently reformulated to provide even more benefits than the original concept.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you still have questions about liver detox supplements? Here are the most common ones that I can answer for you to provide you with some additional clarity.
What are signs that your liver is struggling?
Some people don’t make the connection that their liver is struggling, despite not feeling their best each day. Some of the signs you should watch out for include:
- Trouble losing weight
- Fluid accumulation in the stomach area
- Easy bruising
- Chronic itching
- Gallstones
- Loss of muscle tone
- Yellow skin
- Loss of appetite
- Dysfunctional immune system
- Fatty liver disease
What is a good supplement to detox the liver?
I’ve covered many liver detox supplements in this article that I would recommend to my clients. If you’re looking for something safe and natural that will boost your liver health naturally, I recommend taking a look at Amy Myers MD Liver Detox, Zuma Nutrition Liver Detox Drops and 1st Phorm Liver Detox just to name a few.
How can I cleanse my liver in 24 hours?
While you’ll see the most benefits from a liver detox if it’s a version that goes on for a number of days or weeks, you can do a quick cleanse from the comfort of your home in just 24 hours. This cleanse can actually prepare your body for the actual liver cleanse that you’re about to embark on. Ideally, eat a lot of foods that have liver cleansing properties. This includes kale, apples, cabbage, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, brussels sprouts, oranges, beets and celery. Celery is actually really beneficial for the liver. Making a smoothie and sneaking some in is one way to get a healthy celery dose. You can also juice it or make celery water in a blender for a quick liver boost.
How do I flush and cleanse my liver at home?
You can flush and cleanse your liver at home using some healthier diet and lifestyle choices. You can also use liver detox supplements to support a healthier and safe detox without having to turn to harsh ingredients and products. You can also increase the amount of exercise you’re doing, drink more water and eat more healthy liver promoting foods.
The Bottom Line
The liver is far more important than most people realize. It controls functions that keep our bodies cleansed and healthy, but it also promotes a healthy production of bile, increases metabolism, manages blood sugar levels, gets rid of germs and waste, creates proteins, it boosts immune function and so much more. Did you realize that the liver is the only organ in the human body that can actually regenerate itself? We need to take excellent care of our livers if we want to live a long and healthy life.
I believe in the liver detox products that I’ve outlined for you in this article. However, there are plenty more out there that are just as reputable. Consider the effects that you want to achieve from your detox, think about the time frame you have to work with and consider the different ingredients you can consume for optimal liver health. This will help you get started on the way towards a healthier and better functioning liver.
Tips for Success from the RD
Are you looking for ways to boost your liver health naturally at home without the use of supplements? Here are some healthy changes you can make to boost liver function and health.
- Cut down on the amount of toxins you’re exposed to. While you can’t remove everything, you can avoid things in your own home that are toxic. This includes chemical-based cleaning products, pesticides and fertilizers in your yard, bug sprays in your house, unhealthy building materials and more
- Eat a plant-based diet as much as possible. There are loads of fruits and vegetables that promote liver health. Increase your intake of celery, beets and lemon. They all help detox and rejuvenate the liver.
- Exercise at least three to four times per week. When you get a good sweat on, this process releases toxins from the body so that your liver doesn’t have to do all that work for you on its own.
Should You Use a Liver Detox Supplement?
Unless you have a health issue or take a prescription medication that prevents you from taking a liver detox supplement, I recommend that you consider a supplement of this type. It doesn’t matter if you’re in your 30s or your 60s. Your liver can use support throughout your entire lifetime. Most people don’t realize when they’ve been putting an additional strain on their liver, making it difficult to know when a liver detox is needed. You can take a proactive approach and cleanse your liver before symptoms start to appear.
