Zinc
Indian scientists have established that nanoparticles of zinc oxide (ZnO) can prevent fat accumulation in the liver and thereby prevent Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) that has become a common medical condition given currently prevalent food habits and lifestyle. “NAFLD is a condition in which the body creates too much fat that gets stored in the liver cells, called steatosis, which could lead to scarring or cirrhosis, and eventual liver failure," said Prosenjit Mondal, Assistant Professor, School of Basic Sciences, IIT Mandi, and Debabrata Ghosh from CSIR-IITR.
https://www.livemint.com/science/health/scientists-establish-zinc-supplementation-can-prevent-fatty-liver-disease-1556618741244.html
Zinc deficiency occurs in many types of liver diseases, especially in more advanced/decompensated disease, and its complications, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy and hepatocellular carcinoma. Zinc supplementation may be useful as adjunctive treatment in these complications.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1665268119307355
Milk Thistle
Milk thistle is often promoted for its liver-protecting effects. It’s regularly used as a complementary therapy by people who have liver damage due to conditions like alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatitis and even liver cancer. It’s also used to protect the liver against toxins like amatoxin, which is produced by the death cap mushroom and is deadly if ingested. Studies have shown improvements in liver function in people with liver diseases who have taken a milk thistle supplement, suggesting it could help reduce liver inflammation and liver damage. Although more research is needed on how it works, milk thistle is thought to reduce damage to the liver caused by free radicals, which are produced when your liver metabolizes toxic substances.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/milk-thistle-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2
Milk thistle is sometimes used as a natural treatment for liver problems. These liver problems include cirrhosis, jaundice, hepatitis, and gallbladder disorders.
https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/milk-thistle-benefits-and-side-effects
Beet
Beets contain a group of phytonutrients called betalains that support detoxification through an important phase 2 detox step in the liver. When your liver is able to detoxify chemicals and toxins more effectively, then your body is better able to balance hormones, cholesterol and energy levels.
https://www.chatelaine.com/health/detox-health/want-to-detox-eat-more-beets/#:~:text=Beets%20contain%20a%20group%20of,hormones%2C%20cholesterol%20and%20energy%20levels
Beetroot juice has traditionally been used as a remedy to activate liver enzymes and increase bile, which helps the liver's detox function. It's high in betalains and other compounds that have been shown to reduce inflammation, protect against oxidative stress and reduce the risk of liver damage.
https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/clean-diet/7-foods-to-protect-your-liver
Artichoke
Two antioxidants found in artichokes, cynarin and silymarin, have been shown to improve the overall health of the liver by reducing the presence of toxins and facilitating their elimination from the liver and the body.
https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/5-incredible-health-benefits-of-artichokes-that-you-may-not-have-known-1904493#:~:text=Improves%20Liver%20Health&text=Two%20antioxidants%20found%20in%20artichokes,the%20liver%20and%20the%20body
Artichoke leaf extract may protect your liver from damage and promote the growth of new tissue. It also increases the production of bile, which helps remove harmful toxins from your liver.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/artichoke-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_5
Chanca Piedra
Due to its antioxidant content, chanca piedra may improve liver function and help protect the liver from cellular damage caused by free radicals — unstable compounds that can cause damage when they build up in your body in high levels.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chanca-piedra#:~:text=Liver%20disease,in%20high%20levels%20(%201%20)
Many people use chanca piedra for liver problems like hepatitis B. It was first called quebra-pedra in Brazil, where the natives brewed tea with it or added it to juice. The liver’s purpose is to purge harmful toxins from the body, and it is generally understood that chanca piedra helps boost these qualities. For people who are concerned about impurities that are entering their bodies through the air they breathe, the beverages they drink, and the food they consume, using it daily stimulates bile production in the liver, which then speeds up the elimination of harmful substances.
https://www.healthcareguys.com/2018/12/26/4-health-benefits-of-chanca-piedra/
Dandelion
Dandelion root has long been held as a “liver tonic” in folk medicine. Preliminary studies suggest this is due, in part, to its ability to increase the flow of bile. It means that dandelion root tea could help detoxify the liver, help with skin and eye problems, and relieve symptoms of liver disease. A 2017 study suggests that polysaccharides in dandelion may indeed be beneficial to liver function.
https://www.healthline.com/health/ways-dandelion-tea-could-be-good-for-your#water-weight
So far, studies have looked at dandelion’s impact on cancer growth in test tubes and found that it may help with slowing the growth of colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, and liver cancer. One study examining cancer growth in a test tube determined that dandelion extract may help reduce the growth of liver cancer.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324083
Chicory
A chicory supplement decreases iron overload and improves liver function; in a study by Hashemi et al. [16], supplementation with oral chicory inulin for three months reduced serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and improved iron homeostasis in patients with Beta thalassemia.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751991816000036#:~:text=Also%2C%20chicory%20supplement%20decreases%20iron,in%20patients%20with%20Beta%20thalassemia
Dietary intake of plant mixture of celery, chicory, and barley at 15% for four weeks may be beneficial for patients suffering from hypercholesterolemia and liver disease as it lowers the elevated serum liver enzymes, total cholesterol, and triglycerides, and improves lipid profiles.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3113355/
Yarrow
Yarrow may reduce skin and liver inflammation, which could help treat skin infections, signs of skin aging, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. A test-tube study determined that yarrow extract not only decreased inflammation but also increased skin moisture.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/yarrow-tea#2.-May-alleviate-digestive-issues
While inflammation is a natural bodily response, chronic inflammation can lead to cell, tissue, and organ damage. Yarrow may reduce skin and liver inflammation, which could help treat skin infections, signs of skin aging, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. A test-tube study determined that yarrow extract not only decreased inflammation but also increased skin moisture. Other test-tube studies reveal that this extract may reduce liver inflammation — as well as fight fevers.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/yarrow-tea#5.-May-fight-inflammation/
Jujube Seed
One animal study found that the antioxidant activity of jujube flavonoids helped reduce stress and inflammation caused by free radical damage in the liver. In fact, most of the benefits of jujube fruits are credited to their antioxidant content.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/jujube#:~:text=One%20animal%20study%20found%20that,credited%20to%20their%20antioxidant%20content
The Journal of Ethnopharmacology reported that jujubes have a positive effect on the liver. They found that the jujube offers protection against liver injury by acting as an antioxidant. Oxidative stress, according to NetDoctor, is the process by which free radicals negatively affect the body, causing disease and aging. Antioxidants sweep up the free radicals and offset their effects. Fortunately, jujubes contain chemical compounds that help fight this oxidative damage.
https://www.livestrong.com/article/117526-health-benefits-jujube-fruit/
Celery
Studies show that celery helps reduce fat build-up in the liver. The nutrients in celery protect the liver, and actually help the liver produce enzymes that help flush fat and toxins out. Celery juice improves digestion by increasing circulation in the intestines, getting things going and moving.
https://www.feastingathome.com/celery-juice-recipe-and-10-benefits/#:~:text=Studies%20show%20that%20celery%20helps,getting%20things%20going%20and%20moving
The salts in celery juice may also increase and strengthen our livers' ability to produce bile. Strong bile is important for breaking down fats and eliminating wastes from our bodies. By virtue of this, drinking celery juice can boost the secretion of bile, which can help reduce cholesterol levels.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3113355/
Alfalfa
Alfalfa causes reduction in cholesterol synthesis by saponins, and it can reform membranes of liver cells, thus inhibiting leaking of liver enzymes. High dose of manganese in alfalfa and increased insulin resulted in a decrease of blood glucose.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4609025/#:~:text=Alfalfa%20causes%20reduction%20in%20cholesterol,to%20decrease%20of%20blood%20glucose
Alfalfa acts as a mild diuretic, which means it helps to flush excess water out of the body, helping your liver and kidneys to do their job.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8976666/
Burdock
It is helpful for a 'sluggish' liver with feelings of fullness, chronic constipation and poor fat digestion. Burdock root. A gentle herb that improves liver function and elimination. Burdock goes well with dandelion root for reducing swelling in and around the liver.
https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/life/sunlife/2016/01/01/ground-up-cleansing-liver/77313124/#:~:text=It%20is%20helpful%20for%20a,in%20and%20around%20the%20liver
Burdock root has been used to detoxify the liver and body for centuries. A 2002 study found the herb can help reverse liver damage caused by excessive alcohol consumption, though a direct correlation to results in humans cannot necessarily be made.
https://www.verywellfit.com/burdock-root-tea-benefits-and-side-effects-4163735
Yellow Dock
Yellow dock is thought to benefit the digestive tract, liver, and skin and to treat inflamed nasal passages.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-benefits-of-yellow-dock-89534
Yellow dock root supports stage-2 detoxification of the liver and also promotes healthy digestion, a diverse microbiome, and more.
https://mommypotamus.com/yellow-dock-root-benefits-uses/
Methionine
Methionine is found in meat, fish, and dairy products, and it plays an important role in many cell functions. Methionine is used to prevent liver damage in acetaminophen (Tylenol) poisoning. It is also used for increasing the acidity of urine, treating liver disorders, and improving wound healing.
https://www.rxlist.com/methionine/supplements.htm#:~:text=Methionine%20is%20found%20in%20meat,disorders%2C%20and%20improving%20wound%20healing
Methionine is an essential amino acid that is metabolized mainly by the liver where it is converted to S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) by the enzyme methionine adenosyltransferase. Although all mammalian cells synthesize SAMe, the liver is where the bulk of SAMe is generated as it is the organ where about 50% of all dietary methionine is metabolized. SAMe is mainly needed for methylation of a large variety of substrates (DNA, proteins, lipids and many other small molecules) and polyamine synthesis, so if the concentration of SAMe falls below a certain level or rises too much the normal function of the liver will be also affected.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4027041/
Grape Seed
Grape seed extract (GSE) significantly improved the grade of fatty liver change; and resulted in significant decrease in alanine aminotransferase in patients receiving the concentrate compared to those receiving vitamin C independently, from the initial grade of steatosis.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3003214/#:~:text=Grape%20seed%20extract%20(GSE)%20significantly,the%20initial%20grade%20of%20steatosis
Grape seed extract (GSE) significantly improved the grade of fatty liver change; and resulted in significant decrease in alanine aminotransferase in patients receiving the concentrate compared to those receiving vitamin C independently, from the initial grade of steatosis.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20616415/
L-Cystine
Regarding the use of l-Cys as part of drug formulas or nutritional supplements, the following benefits have been reported: antioxidant power, regulation of the mucolytic function, strengthening of the hair, improvement of the functions of the immune system, protection and detoxification of the liver, promotion or elimination of heavy metals, prevention of heart disease, diabetes prevention, delay of aging, and the protection of the digestive system.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6017824/
Increased levels of liver function tests following LPS was attenuated by L‐cysteine treatment. These results indicated that L‐cysteine may lead to a beneficial effect in LPS‐induced liver injury.
https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.1004.7
Feverfew
Some people take feverfew by mouth for difficulty getting pregnant or fathering a child (infertility). It is also taken by mouth for "tired blood" (anemia), cancer, common cold, earache, liver disease, prevention of miscarriage, muscular tension, bone disorders, swollen feet, diarrhea, upset stomach, and intestinal gas.
https://www.rxlist.com/feverfew/supplements.htm
Feverfew has been used as a natural anti-inflammatory remedy for millennia. The Greek doctor Pedanius Dioscorides used it for “all hot inflammations and hot swellings.” A component of feverfew decreased the inflammatory cytokines IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-17A, IL-1beta, and IL-6, and improved liver function
https://selfhacked.com/blog/feverfew-benefits/
N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine
NAC neutralizes toxins and pollutants including heavy metals that accumulate in the liver, kidneys and fatty parts of the body. Restoring glutathione levels with NAC supplements makes liver cells more able to protect themselves from ongoing damage caused by fatty accumulation, viral infections, drug induced damage, alcohol excess or autoimmune inflammation etc.
https://www.liverdoctor.com/n-acetyl-cysteine/
As a supplement, some people use NAC to try to protect the liver. There's evidence it can help prevent kidney or neurologic damage caused by some drugs.
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/n-acetyl-cysteine-uses-and-risks
Choline
Choline was shown to completely reverse fatty liver in a small study of participants who had the disease. At a dose of 2 grams per day, intravenously, complete resolution of the disease was observed.
https://www.sochealth.co.uk/2015/01/19/yes-can-repair-reverse-fatty-liver-disease/
Inadequate choline may result in fat and cholesterol buildup in your liver. Choline and other vitamins, such as B12 and folate, help with a process that's important for DNA synthesis. This nutrient is required to make acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-choline
Turmeric
The antioxidant effect of turmeric appears to be so powerful that it may stop your liver from being damaged by toxins. This could be good news for people who take strong drugs for diabetes or other health conditions that might hurt their liver with long-term use.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318405#:~:text=It%20improves%20liver%20function&text=The%20antioxidant%20effect%20of%20turmeric,liver%20with%20long%2Dterm%20use
Curcumin, one of the principal components of the Indian spice turmeric, seems to delay the liver damage that eventually causes cirrhosis, suggests preliminary experimental research.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100323212150.htm
Red Raspberry
Many dark berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, and cranberries, contain antioxidants called polyphenols, which may help protect the liver from damage. As a study in the World Journal of Gastroenterology suggests, regularly eating berries may also help stimulate the immune system.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323915#:~:text=Many%20dark%20berries%2C%20such%20as,help%20stimulate%20the%20immune%20system
In carrying out its many complex functions, the liver relies on Kupffer cells. These are star-shaped cells found in the linings of the liver’s sinusoids. Wild berries, particularly raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, which are rich in antioxidants, can help these cells and the liver as a whole perform better.
https://www.powerofpositivity.com/liver-detox-berries/
Berberine
In conclusion, based on current evidence, berberine can significantly improve blood lipids and liver function in patients with NAFLD and has a good advantage in reducing blood glucose in patients with NAFLD, which might be a new choice for the treatment of NAFLD.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4947506/#:~:text=In%20conclusion%2C%20based%20on%20current,for%20the%20treatment%20of%20NAFLD
Berberine (BBR), an active ingredient from nature plants, has demonstrated multiple biological activities and pharmacological effects in a series of metabolic diseases including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The recent literature points out that BBR may be a potential drug for NAFLD in both experimental models and clinical trials.
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2013/308134/
Ginger
Ginger may protect against liver fibrosis -- a form of degenerative scar formation -- according to a study published in the June 2011 issue of the journal "Nutrition and Metabolism." Researchers tested several extracts of ginger and found that all extracts increased levels of important antioxidant enzymes used by the liver, including glutathione and superoxide dismutase. Researchers concluded that ginger shows potential for use in the treatment of liver fibrosis.
https://www.livestrong.com/article/481099-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-ginger-for-the-liver/
In this study, daily consumption of two grams of ginger supplement for 12 weeks resulted in a significant decrease in inflammatory marker levels, ALT and GGT liver enzymes and liver steatosis. Insulin resistance is one of the major risk factors in the pathogenesis of NAFLD.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4834197/#:~:text=In%20this%20study%2C%20daily%20consumption,pathogenesis%20of%20NAFLD%20(16)
