Your liver -- a football-sized organ that's located right underneath your ribs -- helps your body digest food, use the nutrients from food and rid your body of toxins. A variety of factors may reduce the functioning of your liver, such as drinking too much alcohol or becoming ill from viruses. Consuming certain vitamins, however, may improve your liver function.
Vitamin B-3
Vitamin B-3, also known as niacin, aids your liver in breaking down food into energy. Your liver needs the recommended daily amount of niacin, which is 16 mg for men and 14 mg for women, to function well. However, taking large amounts beyond that daily requirement may start to damage your liver rather than support it. The University of Maryland Medical Center cautions that taking one type of B vitamin supplement without supplementing the other types of B vitamins may lead to a vitamin imbalance that may harm your liver; therefore, it's best if you're using supplements to take a B-complex supplement that combines all types of B vitamins. Foods that are rich in vitamin B-3 include peanuts, beets, sunflower seeds, beef, tuna and salmon.
Vitamin C
The "Nutrition Journal" reported that vitamin C was shown to improve liver function in laboratory rats by releasing antioxidants that prevented harmful substances, called free radicals, from damaging liver cells; this helped prevent the rats from contracting fatty liver disease. The "American Family Physician" journal noted in a June 2006 issue that studies in humans have found that 1000 mg of vitamin C, when taken daily together with 1000 IU of vitamin E, increased liver function by decreasing the amount of excess fibrous tissue in the liver. Good dietary sources of vitamin C include fruits such as strawberries and oranges, and vegetables such as broccoli and turnip greens.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is another antioxidant vitamin that may help liver function. The University of Michigan Health System reports that vitamin E may heal liver damage in people who are suffering from liver cirrhosis, which is severe liver damage. Also, vitamin E may help prevent cirrhosis by reducing immune system abnormalities that contribute to cirrhosis. Vitamin E has been shown to improve liver enzyme levels in people with nonalcoholic liver disease, according to the "American Family Physician." Foods that are rich in vitamin E include nuts, olives, asparagus, spinach and wheat germ.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
- "Nutrition Journal"; Vitamin C and Vitamin E in Prevention of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in Choline Deficient Diet Fed Rats; Claudia PMS Oliveira, et al; October 2003
- AAFP "American Family Physician"; Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Max Bayard, M.D., et al; June 2006
- University of Michigan Health System: Liver Cirrhosis
