Why is your liver important? 

The liver is one of the body’s largest organs and also the most hard-working, performing several vital metabolic functions including:

• Detoxification of both environmental toxins and those made within the body, such as bacterial waste and hormones
• Supporting energy production through its role in glucose/glycogen metabolism 
• Breaking down dietary fats and proteins
• Red blood cell production, and breaking down old and damaged cells
• Storing fat-soluble vitamins and minerals such as iron and copper
• Producing bile used for the breakdown and absorption of fats

How to look after your liver

Your liver needs optimal levels of amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals in order to function properly – and we also need to consider the pressure we put on the liver to detoxify, from poor diet as well as environmental and emotional stressors. If we are exposed to too many toxins, our detoxification system will become unbalanced, and the liver won’t be able to function optimally – which could lead to a wide range of symptoms including:

• Weight gain
• Headaches and migraine
• Digestive symptoms
• Poor immunity
• Food and chemical sensitivities
• Fatigue
• Skin complaints
• Hormonal imbalance

You can minimise your exposure to toxins and reduce the burden on your liver by:

• Choosing organic, paraben and SLS free personal hygiene and cleaning products
• Avoiding smoking, including passive smoking and recreational drugs
• Choosing organic produce where possible
• Minimise consumption of large fish such as swordfish and tuna, which are likely to be higher in heavy metals and oceanic contaminants
• Avoiding plastic food and drink containers, particularly soft plastics, and especially avoid microwaving them

Whilst minimising your toxic exposure, ensure a healthy diet that provides a number of key nutrients:

• Including a good number of antioxidants such as zinc, selenium, Vitamin C, beta-carotene, Vitamin E, flavonoids, and polyphenols – these will help quench any free radicals created during detoxification. You can achieve a broad range of antioxidants by consuming a “rainbow” of fruit and vegetables.
• Increasing consumption of cruciferous and brassica vegetables, as well as onion, garlic, and leek to support Phase 2 liver detoxification and healthy hormonal clearance.
• Reduce consumption of caffeine, refined sugars, food additives and alcohol

It’s also important to support healthy bowel motility to prevent reabsorption of toxins and hormones in the digestive tract. Ensure you include a diverse range of plant foods for their prebiotic properties, which can support diversity in the gut microbiome and healthy bowel movements. Onions, chicory, pomegranate, olives, baked apples and Jerusalem artichokes are particularly rich sources of prebiotics. 

Are there supplements that can help to support my liver?

Many vitamins are important for the health of the liver, but it is important to consider that optimal levels of all nutrients are ideal as many other nutrients, including minerals, play a role in liver health both directly and indirectly. For maximum benefits to liver health and function we need to ensure optimum nutrition and that the nutrition gap is bridged with a multi vitamin and mineral in combination with specific liver supportive supplements.  

• Methyl donating B vitamins (methyl cobalamin, methyl folate) as well as B6 support methylation pathways. Phase 2 liver detoxification enzymes utilise methyl donor nutrients to conjugate and excrete waste products.
• Phytonutrients such as beta-carotene, broccoli and green tea have been shown to support detoxification pathways in the liver and help to protect against oxidative stress
• A number of herbal ingredients have a long history of safe and traditional use for supporting liver health, including milk thistle, dandelion, curcumin, burdock and artichoke.
• Glutathione – known as our “master antioxidant”, conjugation using glutathione is an important Phase II detoxification pathway in the liver.
• Probiotics – can support healthy digestive function which is a pivotal part of the detoxification process.