What you eat and drink can damage your liver, or help it recover
Your liver does a lot of heavy lifting. It filters your blood, breaks down food, and processes every medication you take. When it starts to struggle, you may not notice at first. But a fatty liver, where fat builds up in liver cells, is one of the most common liver problems in the U.S., and it often goes undetected until routine blood tests flag a problem.
The good news is that fatty liver disease responds well to simple changes in diet and lifestyle. You don’t need a prescription to start helping your liver heal.
What to Eat, and What to Cut
The foods that harm your liver are the ones you probably already suspect: Tylenol (acetaminophen), alcohol, fried foods, fast foods, processed snacks, and anything loaded with sugar or white flour. Saturated and trans fats, the kind in butter, pastries, and packaged snacks, are especially hard on the liver. For cooking, switch to olive, peanut, or canola oil.
Weight Loss
Losing weight is one of the most effective ways to reverse fatty liver disease. A loss of 10 percent of your body weight is the goal, but even losing 3 to 5 percent produces real improvements. That’s about 5 to 8 pounds for someone weighing 160 pounds.
Your doctor may also recommend vaccines for hepatitis A and B, since these viruses can cause further liver damage on top of an already stressed liver.
Coffee
Studies of people with fatty liver disease found that those who drank coffee regularly had less liver damage than those who drank little or none. That’s good news for coffee lovers.
There’s a catch, though. For mental health, caffeine after 2 p.m. disrupts sleep. And while about 1.5 cups of coffee a day lowered the risk of depression in one study, more than that raised it. The sweet spot is moderate: one to two cups a day, early in the day.
Vitamin E: Helpful but Not for Everyone
Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and antioxidants help reduce inflammation in the liver. Some research shows that 600 to 800 IU of vitamin E daily helps people with fatty liver disease caused by diet and lifestyle, not alcohol.
But vitamin E carries risks. It’s linked to higher rates of heart disease and, in men, a greater risk of prostate cancer. Talk to your doctor before adding it to your routine.
Probiotics for Your Liver
Probiotics, the beneficial bacteria found in yogurt and supplements, may also help a fatty liver. Research studies testing specific strains, including one called VSL#3 and yogurts containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis, showed improvements in liver health.
Probiotics work partly by reducing inflammation, which affects the liver through what researchers call the mind-gut connection. Among doctors who specialize in digestive health, the most-recommended probiotic brand for overall gut health is Align.
Probiotics also improve mood and anxiety, and we keep a list of the research-backed products for mental health (we don’t have any financial relationship with the companies).
Omega-3s: Good for Your Brain and Your Liver
Omega-3 fatty acids, commonly known as fish oil, help with depression, irritability, bipolar disorder, memory, and ADHD. They also show benefits for liver health, including fatty liver disease.
You can get omega-3s from food: salmon, other fatty fish, walnuts, and dark leafy greens are all good sources. If you prefer supplements, tips on finding quality over-the-counter omega-3s are available at chrisaikenmd.com/supplements.
Start Here
Fatty liver disease is largely reversible, and you don’t have to overhaul your life overnight. Start with the basics: cut out fried and fast foods, reduce sugar and alcohol, and swap your cooking oil for olive oil. Add a short daily walk. If your doctor has flagged your liver enzymes, ask about hepatitis vaccines and whether vitamin E or omega-3 supplements make sense for you.
Small changes, made consistently, give your liver the chance it needs to heal.
—Chris Aiken, MD
Director, Psych Partners
Editor in Chief, Carlat Psychiatry Report
