Are beef liver supplements safe?
Check the vitamin A first, and skip them if you’re pregnant. Liver is packed with it. A label that lists only grams of liver won’t tell you how much. One sum gets you close.
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Are beef liver supplements safe?
The main risk the NHS names for liver is vitamin A. Liver is a particularly rich source of it.
The NHS says keep your vitamin A from food and supplements to 1.5 mg (1,500 micrograms, written µg) a day or less, on average. Some research suggests more than that over many years may make bones more likely to break when you’re older.
Your body stores the vitamin A it doesn’t need straight away. Think of a jar that keeps filling.
Years above 1,500 µg a day on average is what the NHS links to weaker bones.
- 700 µg a day or belowUp to what adults need: 600 women, 700 men.
- Above 700 up to 1500 µg a dayNHS: unlikely to cause harm.
- Above 1500 µg a dayNHS: over many years, may affect bones.
Source: NHS
Pregnant? The NHS says avoid liver and liver products. Their vitamin A can harm your baby.
Not pregnant? Add up your vitamin A before you buy. The next two sections show how.
What’s in beef liver capsules?
Beef liver capsules are dried liver. So they carry liver’s nutrients in less weight. UK food tables call beef liver ox liver.
| Nutrient | In 100 g raw ox liver | Adults 19 to 64 need a day |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | 14,500 µg | 600 µg (women), 700 µg (men) |
| Vitamin B12 | 110 µg | About 1.5 µg |
| Riboflavin (vitamin B2) | 3.1 mg | 1.1 mg (women), 1.3 mg (men) |
| Iron | 7.0 mg | 8.7 mg (men, women 50+), 14.8 mg (women 19 to 49) |
Sources: CoFID (UK food tables); NHS vitamin A; NHS B vitamins; NHS iron
Liver also varies by animal. The same tables put raw calf liver at 18,800 µg of vitamin A per 100 g.
Look on your label for a vitamin A figure in µg per serving. That’s the number that matters most.
How much vitamin A is in a beef liver capsule?
If the label gives vitamin A, use that. If it gives only grams of liver, use the drying sum.
Raw ox liver is about 69% water. Take the water out, and about 3 g of fresh liver makes 1 g of powder. So grams of powder times about 3 gives rough grams of fresh liver.
A 3 g serving can hold close to 1,500 µg of vitamin A
- 1
Serving
3 g (3,000 mg) of dried liver, as on the label.
- 2
Fresh liver
About 9.5 g, since drying takes out about two thirds of the weight.
- 3
Vitamin A
About 1,400 µg, if drying keeps it all.
- 4
Limit
1,500 µg a day on average, from food and supplements together.
Cheese, eggs, oily fish, milk and yoghurt add vitamin A too.
This is an estimate. Liver varies, and we don’t know how much vitamin A survives drying. If the label is silent, ask the maker for a figure in µg.
Take a multivitamin or fish liver oil as well? The NHS says many contain vitamin A, so count them in. See cod liver oil vs fish oil.
Do beef liver supplements help with B12 or iron?
B12: by the same sum, a 3 g serving holds about 10 µg. Adults need about 1.5 µg a day. If you eat meat, fish or dairy, the NHS says you should be able to get enough from food.
Iron: the same serving holds under 1 mg. Women aged 19 to 49 need 14.8 mg a day, and men 8.7 mg. So capsules add only a little iron.
Think you’re low? A blood test can show it. See the iron deficiency blood test and foods high in B12.
Who should not take beef liver capsules?
Before you take beef liver capsules
- If you’re pregnant, avoid liver and liver products.
- If you eat liver every week, don’t take supplements that contain vitamin A.
- Keep vitamin A from food and supplements to 1.5 mg (1,500 µg) a day or less, on average.
- Count the vitamin A in multivitamins and fish liver oil too.
- If you’ve been through the menopause or you’re an older man, avoid more than 1.5 mg of vitamin A a day from food and supplements.
- If you have haemochromatosis (too much iron), ask your GP before taking liver capsules.
Sources: NHS vitamin A; NHS pregnancy; NHS haemochromatosis
The menopause and age rule is there because those groups are more at risk of osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones.
With haemochromatosis, you’ll usually be told to avoid iron and vitamin C supplements. Liver contains iron, so check first. For other options, see supplements worth taking.
When to speak to a GP
Book an appointment if:
- You think you may have a vitamin B12 or folate (vitamin B9) deficiency.
- You think you may have iron deficiency anaemia (too few red blood cells because of low iron). Signs include tiredness, shortness of breath, noticeable heartbeats (palpitations), paler skin and headaches.
- You have heavy periods. You may need iron supplements, so speak to a GP or a registered dietitian.
- You have haemochromatosis and want to take liver capsules.
A GP will usually check with a blood test.