Do liver supplements work?
No supplement can detox your liver. Liver UK says it isn’t physically possible. Only one nutrient has an approved liver claim in the UK, and it isn’t milk thistle or artichoke.
On this page
Do liver supplements and detox tablets work?
Not for detox. Liver UK says you cannot physically detox your liver. There’s no evidence that toxins build up in it.
Your liver already does its own clean-up. It works to clear harmful things like alcohol, other drugs and some of your body’s waste.
So a detox pill is like paying a cleaner for a room that cleans itself. You pay, and there’s no proof the room gets any cleaner. And some cleaners break things.
| Supplement | What the evidence says | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Detox and cleanse blends | Liver UK: you can’t physically detox your liver. | Many are herbal. Some herbs may harm the liver in some people. |
| Milk thistle | Liver UK: evidence it treats liver disease is conflicting, with no strong evidence. | Could lower blood sugar. Might interfere with warfarin (a blood thinner), diazepam (a calming medicine) and metronidazole (an antibiotic). |
| Artichoke extract | A review of 7 trials in adults with high cholesterol, fatty liver, diabetes or overweight: it lowered two liver blood tests, ALT and AST. | The review measured blood tests, not liver disease. |
Sources: Liver UK; Amini 2022
Have a liver condition and thinking of milk thistle? Liver UK says don’t use it without talking to your doctor. More in our milk thistle guide.
What does liver support on a label mean?
Less than it sounds. That one nutrient with an approved liver claim is choline.
The GB list of approved health claims says choline contributes to the maintenance of normal liver function. A food can only say this if it has at least 82.5 mg of choline per 100 g, 100 ml or portion.
Note the word normal. The claim is about keeping usual liver work going. It says nothing about treating liver disease.
| Claim on the pack | Approved? | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Choline contributes to the maintenance of normal liver function | Yes | Only on foods with at least 82.5 mg of choline per 100 g, 100 ml or portion. |
| Artichoke helps the body get rid of water (“elimination” or “drainage”) | No | Listed as non-authorised. |
| Detox claims for beetroot, green coffee, maize or propolis | No | Listed as non-authorised. |
Sources: legislation.gov.uk; EU register
No herb has an approved liver claim. Herbal liver claims, like milk thistle’s, are “on hold”: still waiting for a decision. Firms can keep using them in GB for now, but none has passed a review.
So “liver support” on a herbal pack isn’t backed by an approved claim.
Curious about choline? See choline and fatty liver.
Does artichoke extract help your liver?
It lowered two liver blood tests in trials. A 2022 review of 7 fair tests (trials where chance decides who gets artichoke) found it cut ALT and AST. The 575 adults had high cholesterol, fatty liver, type 2 diabetes or overweight.
These are two substances from your liver that a liver function test measures.
ALT fell more in trials of 8 weeks or less. AST fell more at doses over 500 mg.
But the review measured blood tests, not liver disease itself. So it doesn’t show that artichoke prevents or treats liver disease. Earlier trials also had inconsistent results.
Got a raised ALT? Find out why before you buy anything. See high ALT levels and how to lower ALT.
Can liver supplements harm your liver?
Yes, in some people. Liver UK says many products are based on herbs that may themselves harm the liver in some people.
Source: Navarro 2014, Hepatology
The study followed 839 people at 8 US specialist liver centres, from 2004 to 2013. All had liver injury from medicines or supplements.
Injury from supplements not sold for bodybuilding was mostly in middle-aged women. It led to death or a liver transplant more often than medicines did: 13% vs 3%.
It’s still rare. The US LiverTox database says the true rate is likely to be very low. And these are US figures, not UK ones.
The pot may not hold what it says. Products linked to liver injury often contain something extra, and sometimes the herb on the label isn’t there at all.
Before you take a liver supplement
- If it’s sold as a herbal medicine, look for a THR (traditional herbal registration) mark and an MHRA product code on the pack. They show it’s licensed and meets safety standards.
- Already on any medicine, even one bought without a prescription? Check with a pharmacist before a herbal one.
- Skip herbal medicines if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or have kidney or liver problems.
- Herbal medicines aren’t recommended for children. Not enough is known about their safety.
- Don’t buy unlicensed herbal medicines online. The NHS says they may not be safe.
- Tell any doctor treating you what you take.
Sources: NHS: herbal medicines; Liver UK
Medicines that may not mix with herbal ones include statins and antidepressants. Others are metformin (for diabetes), ramipril (for blood pressure), warfarin (a blood thinner) and the combined pill. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber.
For the herbs most often linked to liver harm, see herbal supplements and liver damage.
What actually looks after your liver?
Two habits, not a pill. The NHS says you can help prevent some liver diseases by keeping a healthy weight and staying within alcohol limits, if you drink.
The 3 main causes of liver disease are obesity, hepatitis (liver swelling, often from a virus) that hasn’t been found and alcohol misuse. Vaccines for hepatitis A and B are recommended if you’re at risk.
You don’t need to drink a lot to do harm. Regularly drinking just over the recommended levels can be harmful.
Most liver disease causes no symptoms early on. A blood test can show some signs of liver trouble. A supplement can’t tell you anything.
See liver function tests and fatty liver blood tests.
Tempted by a detox tea instead? Read dandelion root and liver detox first.
When to speak to a GP
Get help if:
- Your skin or the whites of your eyes look yellow. Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111. You may also have itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo.
- You think you might have liver disease. Signs include feeling very tired and weak all the time, losing your appetite, itchy skin, and feeling or being sick.
- You get any of these signs while taking a supplement. Tell the doctor what you take.
- Symptoms don’t go away or keep coming back. The NHS says ask a GP, not just a therapist.
- You have liver disease and want to try any supplement. Liver UK says to ask your doctor first.