Liver Cleanse Myths: What Really Happens
Liver cleanses promise to flush out toxins and stones. Here are the most common claims, what doctors and researchers actually say about each one, and why the liver does not need a flush.
Search for a liver cleanse and you will find drinks of olive oil and fruit juice, days of juice, bitter herbal teas and capsules of milk thistle. They all promise the same thing: to flush out toxins, clear hidden stones and leave you feeling brand new.
The claims sound convincing, and some even come with dramatic proof in the toilet the next morning. But when you look at what medical sources say, the story falls apart. Here are the three biggest liver cleanse myths, the real risks and what your liver actually needs.
Myth 1: toxins build up in your liver and need flushing
Cleanse marketing often pictures the liver as a filter that clogs up and needs scrubbing. That is not how it works. Cleveland Clinic describes filtering harmful substances and waste out of the blood as the liver's biggest job. It breaks down toxins and germs so they can leave the body in urine and stool.
The liver also makes bile to help digest fat and stores energy to keep blood sugar steady. It is one of the only organs that can regenerate itself. A healthy liver is already doing its own cleaning, all day, every day, without a special drink.
Myth 2: the stones in the toilet prove the flush worked
The best known liver cleanse, also called a liver flush or gallbladder flush, usually means taking olive oil, herbs and fruit juice over several hours. The next day, people may find soft, stone-like lumps in their stool and believe they have passed gallstones.
Mayo Clinic explains that these are not gallstones. They are really globs of oil, juice and other material. Olive oil can act as a laxative, but Mayo says there is no reliable evidence that a cleanse helps prevent or treat gallstones. Some people get nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain during the flush. If you do have gallstones that need treatment, proven options include surgery, bile salt tablets or sound wave therapy, chosen with your doctor.
Myth 3: milk thistle cleanses the liver
Milk thistle is the herb most often sold for liver health, and it has been used for liver problems for a long time. But NCCIH, part of the US National Institutes of Health, says the evidence is limited. Two NCCIH-funded studies, including one in people with hepatitis C and one in a type of fatty liver disease, found no benefit from its extract. Results for alcohol-related liver disease and hepatitis B are conflicting or too limited to draw conclusions.
Milk thistle seems to be well tolerated by mouth, but it can cause bloating, nausea and gas, and allergic reactions in people sensitive to ragweed, daisies, marigolds and chrysanthemums. NCCIH also notes that some products contain different amounts than the label says, or are contaminated. None of this adds up to a cleanse.
What the evidence says
NCCIH reviewed detox and cleanse programs in general and found only a small number of human studies, mostly of low quality, and no studies of long-term effects. The US Food and Drug Administration and Federal Trade Commission have taken action against some detox sellers for products with hidden ingredients that could be harmful, or for false claims about treating serious disease.
Cleanses can also cause harm of their own. NCCIH warns that fasting can cause headaches, fainting, weakness and dehydration, that laxatives can lead to dehydration and poor absorption of nutrients, and that drinking large amounts of water or herbal tea while eating very little can upset the body's electrolytes. Unpasteurized juices can carry bacteria that are especially risky for children, older adults and people with weak immune systems.
What does protect your liver is far less exciting. Cleveland Clinic lists limiting alcohol, not smoking, taking medicines as directed, avoiding unnecessary herbal supplements, getting vaccinated against hepatitis, eating a Mediterranean-style diet and keeping to a healthy weight.
Questions people ask
Why do I feel lighter after a liver cleanse?
Most cleanses involve eating little, losing fluid or emptying the bowels with laxatives such as olive oil. That can change how you feel for a day or two, but it is not a sign that your liver has been cleaned.
Is it safe to take milk thistle every day?
It seems to be well tolerated by most adults, but the evidence that it helps the liver is limited. Check with your doctor or pharmacist first, especially if you take medicines or have allergies to the daisy family.
What is the best thing I can do for my liver?
Keep alcohol low, do not smoke, keep to a healthy weight, take medicines only as directed and avoid supplements you do not need. Ask about hepatitis vaccines if you are at risk.
Sources
- Gallbladder cleanse: A 'natural' remedy for gallstones? — Mayo Clinic
- "Detoxes" and "Cleanses": What You Need To Know — NCCIH
- Milk Thistle: Usefulness and Safety — NCCIH
- Liver: Where It's Located, Function and Anatomy — Cleveland Clinic
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Herbs can interact with medicines and health conditions. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before trying a herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, giving it to a child, or taking any medication.
