Vitamins for a Healthy Liver

Vitamins for a Healthy Liver
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Your liver is one of your body's powerhouses. The United States Department of Veteran's Affairs explains that your liver is the virtual treatment plant for your body. It cleanses toxins from the blood, helps you digestive your good and absorb nutrition, and stores things like vitamins and sugars that are important for your body to function well. To keep your liver in good shape, consume plenty of healthy vitamins. Taking care of your liver will benefit your entire body.

Vitamin A

Over time, your liver can become tough and fibrous, especially when it's unhealthy. An alcoholic subjects his liver to a lot of wear and tear as it filters alcohol from the blood, and this can cause an overworked and tough liver, leading to cirrhosis. Vitamin A can help loosen the tough fibers and keep your liver working well and even stop and reverse the previously damage done. Take it with a doctor's supervision; too much vitamin A can damage the liver over time.

Vitamin E

Oxidation in your liver can also cause cirrhosis, rendering the liver fairly useless over time. Vitamin E protects against that oxidation and keeps your liver healthy. Vitamin E can even ward off liver disease for those who are more susceptible to it. Vitamin E is easily found in food sources like leafy greens and fish. A supplement is also a sensible way to take vitamin E for liver health.

Vitamin D

According to the Linus Pauling Institute of Oregon State University, vitamin D is an inactive resource. However, when sent to the liver and metabolized, it provides support in the liver for blood pressure stabilization. While your liver is responsible for keeping your blood pressure at an acceptable level, vitamin D converts into a protein to support the function of the liver, giving you lower blood pressure.

B Vitamins

B vitamins, the ones you get from protein-rich sources like meat, eggs and dairy, are important for liver health. A lack of B vitamins can actually cause your liver to degenerate over time. That is why vegans are often encouraged to supplement their diet with B vitamins to keep their livers healthy and functioning well.

Beta Carotene

Beta carotene is a nutrient that helps your liver in two separate ways. The first is that it can heal previous damage done to the liver, whether it's through a vitamin deficiency or damage done by drinking. While that alone makes it valuable to the liver, it also helps eliminate free radicals found on the liver that are causing it to degenerate over time. Those free radicals cause even more damage, so beta carotene is your liver's best friend.

References

Article reviewed by MER Last updated on: Mar 17, 2011

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