The liver's functions include the creation of proteins and the elimination of toxins in the body. Because of these processes, the liver's cells must be renewed regularly in order to avoid pathology. Vitamins are a major part of this renewal process, and ingesting the right combination can ensure maximum health and wellness in the liver.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A helps liver function by protecting it from damage. Cells in the liver called stellate cells pick up vitamin A from blood circulation. When stimulated by byproducts of cellular metabolism such as reactive oxygen substances, the stellate cells become transformed in a way that causes fibrosis in the liver. However, vitamin A interrupts this pathogenic event from occurring, according to an article published in 2008 in "Nature Biotechnology."
Vitamin E
A study published in "The American Journal of Gastroenterology" in 2005 found that vitamin E improved liver function in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease can get progressively worse and lead to death. The reduction of liver enzymes is a marker of impaired liver function. The enzyme aminotransferase is responsible for carrying out chemical processes in the body. The levels of this enzyme improved when participants of the study were given 800 IUs of vitamin E indicating that it did improve liver health. Although, the prescription medication used to treat fatty liver disease, metformin, was found to be more effective than the vitamin E supplementation.
Vitamin C
Working as an antioxidant, vitamin C, combined with vitamin E, was shown to reduce levels of alanine aminotransferase found in the blood of patients with nonalcohol fatty liver disease in a study published in 2005 in "The Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology." Alanine aminotransferase is a marker of liver damage so a reduction in the detection of it indicates improved liver health. Therefore, the combination of vitamin E and C was found to improve liver health. This study used 500mg of vitamin C everyday over a course of 6 months.
References
- "Nature Biotechnology"; Resolution of Liver Cirrhosis using vitamin A--Coupled Liposomes to Deliver siRNA Against a Collagen-Specific chaperone; Yasushi Sato et al., 2008
- "The American Journal of Gastroenterology"; A Randomized Controlled Trial of Metformin versus Vitamin E or Prescriptive Diet in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Elisabetta Bugianesi M.D. et al.; 2005
- "The Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology"; Management of Fatty Liver Disease With Vitamin E and C Compared to Ursodeoxycholic Acid Treatment; Galip ERS--Z et al.; 2005
