The Top Supplements For Fatty Liver Disease + Natural Strategies To Heal

Your diet and lifestyle are essential to treating and preventing fatty liver disease, but supplements for fatty liver can help you meet nutritional needs as you make those changes.

As a functional medicine expert, it’s my job to help you find natural solutions for healing. This guide is about what works and what doesn’t in the supplement world, focusing on liver health.

Understanding Fatty Liver Disease

Fatty liver disease, or steatosis, is a condition characterized by fat accumulation in the liver. There are two main types.

Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is caused by excessive alcohol consumption. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), can have a few causes.

MASLD affects over 30% of people worldwide (1). That includes about a quarter of all Americans. It can range from simple fatty liver to more advanced metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), formerly known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

If left untreated, MASH can progress to liver inflammation and conditions like cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer.

Fatty liver disease doesn’t always cause symptoms in its early stages. That’s why screenings like liver function tests, lipid profiles, and blood tests are so important if you’re high-risk.

As the disease progresses, it can cause the following symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Abdominal pain or discomfort
• Abdominal swelling
• Swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet
• Unexplained weight loss
• Nausea or loss of appetite
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
• Spider angiomas (small, spider-like blood vessels)
• Itchy skin

Risk factors include obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, high levels of triglycerides or LDL cholesterol, toxin exposure, and high blood pressure. The prevalence of fatty liver in women may be higher with hormonal conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). (2)

The Gut-Liver Connection

The gut-liver axis describes the reciprocal relationship between your gut and your liver. (3) Everything you consume or are exposed to travels from the gut to the liver through the portal vein.

A healthy gut supports healthy liver function. An unhealthy gut can overburden the liver, increase your risk of intestinal permeability, and allow a buildup of harmful substances. This can cause a variety of metabolic and digestive problems and increase your risk of fatty liver disease.

Gut health is essential to overall liver health, and supplements can address wellness or nutritional gaps as you work to address the root cause of your symptoms.

The Best Supplements For Fatty Liver

Diet and lifestyle are where I start with new patients at risk for chronic liver disease, but high-quality dietary supplements can be a good tool in supporting overall liver function.

Milk Thistle

Milk thistle seeds are a natural source of silymarin, an antioxidant with liver-protective properties. (4) Studies show the herbal remedy may support liver health by restoring damaged liver cells, boosting detoxification, and reducing liver inflammation.

More research is needed to understand how milk thistle for liver support works, but research suggests it has a positive effect on free radicals that can lead to long-term liver damage. (5) Milk thistle side effects are rare, but the herbal remedy may interact with some medications.

Protect, my favorite detox supplement, is a proprietary blend of ingredients, including milk thistle, N-acetyl-cysteine, and turmeric, to support your body’s ability to detox naturally.

Glutathione

Can glutathione help with fatty liver? Studies show that glutathione may reduce cell damage in the liver and reverse chronic liver conditions. (6)

Glutathione is a naturally occurring antioxidant of amino acids like glutamine, glycine, and cysteine. Stress, age, and poor nutrition can limit how much is produced. Supplements can help boost glutathione, but most current studies focus on intravenous delivery vs. the oral kind. (7)

Omega-3s

Omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce the accumulation of fat in the liver, fight back against inflammation, and improve cholesterol. (8)

You’ll find these healthy fats in oily fish, seeds, nuts, and fish oil supplements. The best fish oil for fatty liver includes a combo of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC)

NAC is a potent antioxidant that shows promise in protecting the liver from oxidative damage. Studies show it may support a healthier gut microbiome in patients with fatty liver disease and other liver conditions. (9)

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

Patients with fatty liver disease tend to have lower levels of CoQ10, an antioxidant important to energy production at the cell level. Researchers aren’t sure why this is the case, but it may be related to your body’s response to oxidative stress.

CoQ10 supplementation may improve liver inflammation levels and boost overall liver function, but more research is needed about optimal dosages. (10) Foods high in omega 3s, like fatty fish and nuts, are also generally good sources of CoQ10.

Turmeric

Studies show curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, may help reduce levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the liver. (11) High levels of both are early biomarkers of liver damage.

Curcumin is also known for its anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties. I like to add it to my soups and curries or enjoy it as a turmeric green tea, but a supplement may have even more targeted effects in patients with liver conditions.

For a targeted dose, The Curcumin is packed with pure turmeric extract to enhance the bioavailability of this powerful antioxidant. 

Probiotics

Daily probiotics are one way to ensure a healthier gut microbiome, something you already know is essential to optimal liver function.

Studies show they may also have a regulating effect on hepatic steatosis or early fatty liver disease. (12) Regular probiotic therapy is linked to improved blood glucose, insulin, and blood lipid levels in MASLD patients.

LISTEN: GMO Probiotics Myths & Truths + How To Avoid The “Sticky Death Feeling” After Drinking Alcohol | Zack Abbott

Artichoke Extract

Artichoke extract may work like turmeric in reducing ALT and AST in the liver. (13) Studies show it also has a detoxifying effect on liver cells. (14) If you want to stick to vegetables, artichokes are rich in fiber and vitamin C and good for overall digestion, an important aspect of liver health.

Choline

Studies show choline may help prevent fat accumulation in the liver because of its role in fat metabolism. (15) A choline deficiency can lead to muscle and liver dysfunction and increase your risk of fatty liver disease.

If you’re not eating many natural sources of choline — such as animal products like dairy, eggs, and beef — choline supplements can help ensure you get enough of the essential nutrients. Alongside vitamin D and folic acid, choline is especially important during pregnancy.

A Note About Vitamin E

Vitamin E supplementation has shown some promise in treating fatty liver disease thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects on liver cells. However, the safety of long-term use hasn’t been established.

High doses of vitamin E may also affect insulin resistance, so most healthcare providers don’t recommend it for patients with diabetes. (16) Many of us get enough vitamin E from a balanced diet; a true vitamin E deficiency is rare.