We can all take steps to keep our liver healthy, and it’s by taking actions that can help our overall health as well.
Know your risk factors for liver issues
Talk with your primary care provider about your potential risk factors for liver disease. This can include your family history of any liver disease, and being honest about how much you drink. You’ll also want to talk to your doctor about any risk factors and screening for hepatitis C. Many people with hepatitis C do not know they have the infection, which then can progress to liver damage, liver failure, cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Watch your alcohol intake
Dr. Noureddin says that limiting your alcohol consumption can help lower your risk of developing alcohol-related liver conditions. That means ideally having less than two drinks a day for men and one drink per day for women. Keep in mind that the servings are a lot smaller than you might think. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol state that a standard drink in the U.S. amounts to roughly 14 grams of alcohol — and the amount of liquid in your glass doesn’t necessarily match the amount of alcohol. So 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or about 1.5 ounces of spirits such as whiskey, vodka or gin are all considered what would be considered one standard drink. So that big pour of wine may easily put you over your daily limit.
Don’t drink while taking certain medications
Make sure that you carefully read any instructions before taking any over-the-counter or prescription medicines. There are many medicines that can cause injury to the liver or kidneys when you drink alcohol while taking them. If the medicine label says not to drink while taking the medicine, do not drink for the entire time you are on the medication.
Avoid overuse or incorrect use of medications
Your liver filters and breaks down everything you put in your body. Using drugs chronically or incorrectly, including everything from steroids, inhalants and pain relievers can hurt your liver function. Using street drugs, including heroin, can increase your risk of catching viral hepatitis, in addition to harming your liver function.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle
Being overweight, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and having high cholesterol and triglycerides can put you at risk for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), or what used to be called non-alcohol induced fatty liver disease. While there are no treatments that can reverse MASLD, there are ways to help prevent the condition or slow its progression. Healthy habits, such as exercising, getting good sleep and following a Mediterranean or other anti-inflammatory diet, can all help your liver and overall health. If you smoke, quit — smoking can negatively affect your liver and overall health.
While not exactly a supplement for liver health, drinking coffee has been shown to reduce fat and scarring in the liver. That said, if you’re sensitive to caffeine, have a heart condition or anxiety, you should talk to your doctor before adding coffee to your diet. For the most benefit, make sure you’re adding just a splash of your favorite cow’s or plant-based milk and a little bit of sweetener. Adding too much sugar or dairy can take away the health benefits by adding extra calories to your day.
Because of the liver’s ability to detox itself, we often don’t have to do much more than make sure we protect it.