Your liver carries out a number of essential functions, acting as a site of protein synthesis in your body, as well as for the generation of chemicals involved in digestion. Your liver also detoxifies your body, filtering and neutralizing harmful chemicals for excretion from your body. Liver function relies on a number of nutrients, including essential vitamins.
Vitamin C
One vitamin that supports liver functioning is vitamin C, or ascorbic acid. Found in several foods, including spinach, kale, strawberries, pineapple, citrus fruits and fruit juices, vitamin C performs a number of functions in your body. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, protecting your cells from free radicals -- harmful chemicals produced as a by-product of cellular metabolism. Since your liver performs a number of metabolic functions, and therefore generates relatively large amounts of free radicals, antioxidants prove essential in preventing damage and helping maintain the health of your liver. The Linus Pauling Institute indicates that your liver contains high levels of vitamin C, and a loss of this vitamin within liver cells is associated with aging. You can help protect your liver by consuming adequate amounts of vitamin C in your diet, or through dietary supplements.
Vitamin E
Like vitamin C, vitamin E compounds protect against free radical damage within your cells, including your liver. As a result, the presence of vitamin E within the liver may protect against cellular damage associated with liver aging. Saint Louis University explains that vitamin E can also help to treat fatty liver disease, a condition that develops due to excess fat accumulation within the liver. Supplementation with vitamin E leads to relief of fatty liver disease in some patients, but the vitamin may not help everyone with the disease. If you suffer from fatty liver disease, consult a physician to determine whether vitamin E supplementation could prove beneficial for you.
Calcium
One mineral that may support your liver is calcium, the most abundant mineral in your body. Though the majority of your body's calcium contributes to strong bones and teeth, calcium throughout your body plays a role in other tissue functions. Specifically, calcium within your liver helps to maintain the health of your liver tissue over time. A study published in the "Journal of Hepatology" in 2007 indicated that calcium signals to your liver cells following injury, allowing for tissue regeneration and healing. While the specific roles of calcium within the liver have not yet been fully established, consuming adequate levels of calcium by consuming calcium-rich foods -- including dairy products, tofu, Chinese cabbage, rhubarb and spinach -- may support a healthy liver.
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