Liver Support
Nutrients connected to Liver Support
A link means the body needs the nutrient for this, or that low intake is linked to it. It does not mean extra supplements help if your intake is already adequate; each link shows how strong the evidence is.
- Xanthium (cang er zi, cocklebur)Documented risk
Not a liver-support herb: the fruit's toxins have injured the liver in animals and contributed to a fatal human case.
- Sophora flavescens (ku shen)Documented risk
The root is used in China for liver disease, but matrine can harm the liver in animal and lab studies. A Cochrane review found only very-low-certainty evidence for hepatitis B markers.
- Green tea extract and EGCGDocumented risk
Despite the common marketing of green tea for 'liver support', extract is linked to liver injury reports, so it is a liver caution rather than a liver aid.
Choline is needed to move fat out of the liver, and fatty liver and liver damage appeared when it was withheld in controlled studies. That does not show supplements help common fatty liver disease.
- Milk ThistlePreliminary or mixed
Milk thistle is traditionally used for the liver, but NIH says trial results in liver disease are conflicting or too limited for firm conclusions, and two NIH-funded trials (hepatitis C and fatty liver with inflammation) showed no benefit.
- Antrodia camphorataPreliminary or mixed
Two small mycelium trials in liver tests gave mixed results (better scores in fatty liver, no overall change in slightly raised ALT).
- Rooibos TeaDocumented risk
Rooibos is not shown to support the liver; MSK describes liver injury case reports with large long-term amounts.
- Mushroom Blends and Mushroom CoffeeDocumented risk
The opposite of support: a case report of liver injury after reishi powder with alcohol.
- SchisandraPreliminary or mixed
Traditional use for liver conditions; small, partly uncontrolled human studies suggest possible benefit, and larger studies are needed.
- BhringrajLab or animal research only
Rat studies only; no human evidence found.
- KutkiPreliminary or mixed
One small 1996 trial in acute viral hepatitis reported benefit; other human studies are small, mostly open-label formula studies. Most evidence is from animals, so it is not an established liver treatment.
- King tuber mushroomLab or animal research only
Extracts reduced chemically induced liver damage markers in rats; not shown in people.
- Milk Thistle TeaPreliminary or mixed
Milk thistle fruit is a traditional EU remedy to support liver function; NIH says there is not enough high-quality evidence for firm conclusions, and the trials were of extracts, not tea.
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