Do These Detox Drinks for Liver Health Really Work? A Physician Explains - GoodRx (2024)

You have probably come across teas and drinks that claim to detox and cleanse your liver. It’s a popular organ for these claims, since the liver’s main role is to detox the rest of the body. But are they worth your time and money? And more importantly, are they safe?

Below, we explore 11 drinks that are often reported to support liver health— and tell you what the research says about each one.

1. Detox tea

Liver detox tea usually contains many different herbs and ingredients. They have all been linked to liver health in certain ways. But it’s hard to study these teas, or verify their safety. This is because ingredient lists can vary, and the quantity of each ingredient is not always included.

Some case studies show that herbal detox tea can actually be dangerous for your liver. One report describes the case of a 60-year-old woman who drank Yogi DeTox tea 3 times a day for 14 days. She then developed fatal liver failure. Researchers noted this tea contained 18 different ingredients. Six of the ingredients have been associated with liver injury in animal studies:

• Gardenia

• Skullcap root

• Cinnamon bark

• Black pepper

• Juniper berry

• Rhubarb root

  See Also

  Alcoholic liver disease – the extent of the problem and what you can do about itNonalcoholic fatty liver disease - Symptoms and causesHow Long Can You Live With Cirrhosis? Life Expectancy

Most of the research done on the ingredients in liver detox teas has been done in animals. This makes it hard to apply the findings to humans.

Another report describes a 36-year-old woman who drank liver detox tea for 1 month. She then developed abdominal pain, and signs of liver injury in her blood work. This particular tea contained ingredients that have not been associated with liver problems:

• Lemon myrtle leaf

• Lemon peel

• Stinging nettle leaf

• Burdock root

• Dandelion root

Keep in mind, these are both reports of one person’s reaction to these teas. So it’s impossible to draw any conclusions about their overall safety.

If you decide to try any type of detox tea, drink it in moderation — once or twice a week. And if you have any history of liver problems — or if you have moderate to heavy alcohol consumption — it’s always best to talk to your primary care provider before trying them.

The bottom line: Detox teas usually contain a long list of ingredients, some of which may be harmful. Since there’s no strong evidence that they support your liver health, it’s probably best to avoid them.

2. Green tea

Green tea contains antioxidants called catechins. Antioxidants are molecules that can help prevent, or repair damage to cells. But researchers are still trying to understand if they are also good for the liver.

One review of multiple studies suggests that green tea can help protect against all liver disease. Another study shows that EGCG — a specific catechin in green tea — can protect your liver if you have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is a common condition in the U.S. that causes fat to build up in the liver. They looked at a dose of ECGC that translates to about 3 to 6 cups of green tea a day.

But not all the data around green tea is good. One review study found it may cause mild harm in healthy livers. Researchers noted a slight increase in liver enzymes, which can be a sign of liver injury. Another study on the effects of daily green tea extract had similar findings.

There are also some case reports of healthy people who developed liver problems after consuming green tea extract. But this is thought to be rare. So it’s very unlikely that just drinking green tea would lead to any harm.

The bottom line: Green tea may have some health benefits. And drinking it in moderation — up to a cup a day — is unlikely to cause harm. But it’s best to avoid high amounts of green tea extract.

3. Turmeric tea

Turmeric contains curcumin, an ingredient with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Turmeric has been shown to protect the liver in people with NAFLD who took 500 mg to 1,000 mg for 8 weeks. Another study found that consuming 3,000 mg of turmeric powder daily for 12 weeks helped to lower elevated liver enzymes.

Turmeric tea is pretty easy to find in the herbal tea section at your local store. You can also try adding 2 teaspoons of ground turmeric to your tea of choice. Enjoy it once or twice daily.

The bottom line: Turmeric has some anti-inflammatory effects and is likely to be good for your overall health. Evidence supporting turmeric for liver health is limited, but it may have some benefits in people with liver problems.

4. Ginger tea

One study found that people with NAFLD saw benefits after adding 2 g of ginger to their diet, for 12 weeks. Another review also found that people with NAFLD who took 1 g to 3 g of ginger for 12 weeks, saw improvements in their liver function.

But there’s no evidence to say if ginger tea is helpful for people with a healthy liver.

Most grocery stores sell ginger tea. You can also try adding 1 tablespoon of ground ginger to your preferred tea to see if you like it.

The bottom line: Research supporting ginger tea for liver health has only been done in people with NAFLD. But since there’s no strong evidence that ginger is harmful, it’s likely safe to enjoy a cup or two, if you like it.

5. Grapefruit juice

Grapefruit contains antioxidants called naringenin and naringin. Research done in the lab, and in animals, suggests that naringenin may help prevent NAFLD. Without high-quality human studies, scientists don't yet know if grapefruit supports liver health.

And some medications interact with grapefruit. So, before adding it to your diet, be sure to check with your care team that it’s safe for you.

The bottom line: There isn’t any research on grapefruit juice’s impact on the human liver.

6. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar gets a lot of attention for its potential health benefits. When it comes to liver health, the only existing research is done in rats.

One study looked at rats exposed to toxins that cause liver damage. It found that apple cider vinegar helped protect the liver. Another studied the effects of apple cider vinegar and high calorie diets on the liver. Researchers found that when rats were given apple cider vinegar at the same time as a high-calorie diet, their liver enzymes did not rise as high.

More research is needed to understand apple cider vinegar’s effects on liver health. But if you are still looking to add apple cider vinegar to your diet, try it in moderation. It is generally believed that mixing 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into your water or tea is safe.

The bottom line: People consume apple cider vinegar for varied health reasons. But little is known about its effects on your liver health.

7. Lemon water

There’s some evidence that lemon juice protects the liver in rodents. When mice were exposed to high levels of alcohol, lemon juice helped to protect their liver.

Still, lemons are rich in vitamin C and other ingredients like citric acid and polyphenols that may benefit your overall health.

The bottom line: There isn’t much evidence to support squeezing lemon into your water for your liver health. But adding a few drops of lemon into your water won’t do any harm.

8. Cranberry juice

Cranberry juice is yet another drink that has been mainly studied in mice and rats. One study looked at rats that were fed a high-calorie diet to induce NAFLD. The rats who were also fed cranberries were better protected than the rats who were not. Similar results were seen in mice.

But there is a small study in humans. People with NAFLD were given 144 mg of cranberry capsule, once daily for 6 months. These participants saw an improvement in their fatty liver disease.

The bottom line: Until more research is done, there’s no need to consume cranberry juice for your liver health.

9. Coffee

There is, however, a lot more research on the benefits of coffee for liver health in humans.

One study shows that drinking two or more cups of coffee daily can help prevent liver disease from getting worse. This includes liver diseases like:

• Fibrosis (stiffness)

• Cirrhosis

• Liver disease from hepatitis B and C

• NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis)

• NAFLD

Other research has found that drinking coffee can help:

• Decrease the risk for hepatocellular carcinoma, a type of liver cancer

• Lower liver enzymes in people with NAFLD, and in people with regular alcohol consumption

• Decrease the risk of being hospitalized for liver problems

The bottom line: Coffee may have some benefits for the liver. But don’t overdo it. Most data suggests that more than four cups of coffee a day might be too much.

10. Oat tea

Oat tea is made by boiling oats in water, and then drinking the liquid. No research has looked at oat tea specifically. But some scientists have studied the effects of oats on liver health.

Oats contain beta-glucans, which help fight inflammation and support the immune system. And research done in mice and in rats suggests oat tea protects the liver.

A few studies done in humans support these findings, too. One study found that when people with NAFLD ate a diet with oats, they had lower levels of liver fat. And a second study showed that eating oat cereal for 12 weeks led to a decrease in liver enzymes. Although it’s unclear how much oat tea you’d have to drink to see similar effects.

The bottom line: Research supporting oat tea for liver health is limited, but there’s some promise. Since oats and oatmeal have other proven benefits, it still may be worth a try.

11. Beetroot juice

Several studies have been done to evaluate the potential benefits of beetroot juice. Many have found that beetroot juice is a powerful antioxidant that helps to decrease inflammation.

One study looked at healthy people performing a month-long physical training program. Researchers found that the group who drank 250 mL of beet juice every day, had lower liver enzymes compared to those who didn’t.

Another study looked at the effect of beetroot juice in people with NAFLD. After 12 weeks of consuming 250 mL of beet juice every day, their liver disease improved.

The bottom line: Beetroot juice has been studied more than some of the other drinks discussed here. And it has some promise, particularly when the liver is under stress.