{"id":628413,"date":"2024-06-14T09:30:53","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T13:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=628413"},"modified":"2025-12-31T10:25:38","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T15:25:38","slug":"vitamins-for-liver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/vitamins-for-liver\/","title":{"rendered":"6 vitamins for liver health"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your liver plays an essential role in maintaining your health by acting as a filter to remove toxins and waste from your blood. When it\u2019s not working properly, it can have serious negative consequences, such as jaundice, mental confusion, edema, or electrolyte imbalances. Because it\u2019s such an important organ, there are lots of supplements that claim to support liver function. Not all of them work, but some people can benefit from vitamins for liver health\u2014mainly those with digestive diseases, food intolerances, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), or cirrhosis. The most common vitamins and supplements that experts recommend include vitamin D, vitamin K, and omega-3 fatty acids, but there are a few others, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

6 vitamins and supplements for liver health<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you have trouble eating a healthy diet or have a gastrointestinal condition that impacts vitamin absorption, you may have a <\/span>vitamin deficiency<\/span><\/a> that contributes to poor liver health, says <\/span>Kristin Kirkpatrick<\/span>, RD, dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic Department of Wellness and Preventive Medicine. Taking a <\/span>multivitamin<\/span><\/a> is a good place to start, says Kirkpatrick. It can help you make sure you\u2019re getting the full range of nutrients your liver needs to perform at its best. Or, if you have a chronic liver disease, certain vitamins and minerals may be beneficial.<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s no single supplement that magically transforms liver function or guarantees a healthy liver. Still, your healthcare provider may recommend one of the following vitamins based on their knowledge of your overall health and typical diet.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Vitamin D<\/span><\/h3>\n

Vitamin D deficiency<\/span><\/a> may increase the risk of cirrhosis, and once liver disease develops, it can be difficult to restore vitamin D levels. In patients with cirrhosis, vitamin D deficiency has been reported to increase the risk of infection and death. In patients with liver cancer, vitamin D deficiency is associated with poorer outcomes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, Kirkpatrick<\/a> says that vitamin D deficiencies are somewhat more likely in certain liver conditions. One <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> suggests that people with severe liver failure and cholestatic liver disease often have low levels of vitamin D. In those people, <\/span>supplementing with vitamin D<\/span><\/a> could be helpful, but it is important to know that there are no studies that show improved outcomes after vitamin D supplementation There\u2019s no firm guidance on how much vitamin D supplementation people with liver disease may need. Studies recommend doses ranging from 800 to 2000 IU per day for people with cirrhosis or cholestatic liver disease. People who have malnutrition and liver disease may require even higher doses, with a goal 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of more than <\/span>30 ng\/mL<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Vitamin K<\/span><\/h3>\n

Vitamin K works as an antioxidant to help the body get rid of harmful cells, says <\/span>Nancy Ampadu<\/span><\/a>, NMD, a physician with Sonoran University of Health Sciences in Arizona. It may play an important role in protecting against NAFLD. Vitamin K is also responsible for producing many of the factors necessary to form blood clots and stop bleeding.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vitamin K deficiency<\/span><\/a> is often seen in patients with liver disease. In patients with vitamin K deficiency, increasing vitamin K levels may help to prevent complications of NAFLD or slow down its progression. Additionally, vitamin K could <\/span>improve liver function in people with cirrhosis<\/span><\/a> and promote liver regeneration in people who have had a partial hepatectomy or liver resection. This nutrient has other health benefits, including improving immune system function, reducing inflammation, and aiding the gut microbiome.<\/span><\/p>\n

The recommended dose of <\/span>vitamin K<\/span><\/a> can range between 90 and 120 mcg daily, so be sure to check with your provider before taking it, Dr. Ampadu says. However, men with or at high risk for prostate cancer, people with hemorrhagic stroke or heart failure, people with blood clotting disorders, and people on anticoagulants should not take vitamin K supplements.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Choline<\/span><\/h3>\n

Choline<\/span><\/a> is a nutrient produced in the liver that helps with many different body functions. However, the liver doesn\u2019t make all the choline you need. You need to get some from your diet by eating beef, beef liver, egg yolks, fish, legumes, and chicken. People who don\u2019t consume enough dietary choline are at a <\/span>higher risk for fatty liver and liver disease<\/span><\/a> because one of choline\u2019s jobs is to remove fat from the liver. In some <\/span>studies<\/span><\/a>, a higher dietary choline intake was associated with lowering the risk of NAFLD.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although it\u2019s unclear how much choline you need to support liver health, the recommended intake of choline for most people is 425 to 550 milligrams per day.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Vitamin C<\/span><\/h3>\n

You may think of <\/span>vitamin C<\/span><\/a> as an immune-boosting vitamin, but it can have positive effects on your liver, too. One <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> found that 1,000 milligrams per day of vitamin C supplementation improved several metrics of liver health, especially for people with NAFLD. Additionally, a<\/span>\u00a0reseach review <\/span><\/a>of\u00a0 points to evidence that people with NAFLD are more likely to be deficient in vitamin C, leaving them more prone to inflammation and oxidative stress.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Omega-3s<\/span><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s some evidence that <\/span>omega-3 fatty acids<\/span><\/a> can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in liver disease and may also help reduce the storage of excess fat in the liver, says Kirkpatrick. <\/span>A comprehensive review of studies<\/span><\/a> suggests that omega-3s may lower a person\u2019s risk for developing liver disease.<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a caveat, though: Not all types of omega-3s are created equal for liver health. One <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> found that DHA was much better than EPA on the liver health scale, particularly for preventing tissue scarring caused by NAFLD. When <\/span>supplementing with omega-3s<\/span><\/a> for a targeted health goal, you may need to take anywhere from 200 to 1000 milligrams per day.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Probiotics<\/span><\/h3>\n

Your liver and your gut are connected through your gut microbiome (this is called the gut-liver axis), and some studies suggest that maintaining the right balance of intestinal flora can improve liver inflammation and slow down the progression of some symptoms of liver disease. One way to do this is by <\/span>taking a probiotic<\/span><\/a>. \u201cProbiotics have been shown to potentially improve fatty liver disease via benefits to the microbiome, alleviating liver injury and strengthening the intestinal barrier,\u201d says Kirkpatrick.<\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>research review <\/span><\/a>points to several studies looking at the connection between probiotic strains and liver health in humans; many of the study participants had some form of NAFLD, were given one or more probiotic strains (often including several <\/span>Lactobacillus<\/span><\/i> strains), and most of the studies found at least one positive effect on participants after the use of probiotics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Liver supplements that need more research<\/span><\/h2>\n

Some herbal supplements have shown some potential to be beneficial for liver health, but as with most herbal supplements, more research is needed to study their effects.<\/span><\/p>\n