July 2025

The Liver

• Meet The Liver – What Does It Do For You? And Why Is It Important??
• Liver Imbalance – What Can Go Wrong?
• “Detox is a Lifestyle: How to Support Your Natural Liver Detox
• Herbal Support For The Liver

Before diving right into detox, you may want to read the first three posts in the series, as they provide foundational concepts and processes about the liver.

Meet The Liver – What it does for you and why is it important??

Liver Imbalances – What Could Go Wrong – Simple liver imbalances and tips for liver support.

Detox Is A Lifestyle – How to support natural liver detox.

Herbal Support For The Liver

Hepatoprotective herbs

Hepatoprotective herbs offer broad support and protection for liver function by promoting normal liver function and processes, including the detoxification pathways.

Some examples of hepatoprotective herbs are Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis), and Picrorhiza kurroa. 

These herbs can be used in a decoction or in a salted bottle of capsules.

Anti-hepatotoxic

Anti-hepatotoxic herbs increase the production of protein and antioxidants in cells and the production of phase 1 and phase 2 liver enzymes.

These herbs directly counteract or neutralize specific toxins by binding to them or altering their metabolism. Anti-hepatoxic herbs promote specific detoxification enzymes that target particular toxins.

Some examples of antihepatotoxic herbs are Milk Thistle (particularly for Amanita mushroom poisoning) and Turmeric (for specific drug-induced toxicities)

While many hepatoprotectives have anti-hepatotoxic properties, anti-hepatotoxins are distinguished by their ability to address specific damage caused by toxins.

Hepatic trophorestorative

Hepatic trophorestorative herbs represent a more comprehensive approach, offering a deeper level of support. They restore the integrity of liver cells by protecting them from oxidative stress and enhancing their capacity to detoxify and regulate glucose metabolism.

They are herbs that require a longer period of use, typically three to four months, before they exert their effect.

Some examples of hepatic trophorestoratives are Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale), Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus)

The trophorestorative approach is analogous to how exercise builds muscle tone that persists even at rest. These herbs not only protect, but they also help rebuild and restore optimal function.

When approaching liver health, consider:

1. Acute Protection: Anti-hepatotoxins are the primary defense for immediate liver support during exposure to toxins.
2. Ongoing Support: Hepatoprotectives provide day-to-day defense for individuals with regular exposure to potential liver stressors.
3. Rebuilding Function: For individuals recovering from liver damage or those with chronic liver conditions, trophorestoratives provide long-term tissue restoration.

Many herbs overlap categories. For example, Milk Thistle is both a hepatoprotective and an anti-hepatotoxic, while Dandelion root works as both a hepatoprotective and a trophorestorative.

Dandelion Root and gentian are my first go-to herbs for ongoing liver support. Milk thistle is an herb I will use for acute protection and for rejuvenating the liver after a disease.

Dandelion

Dandelion is a bitter tonic with an affinity for the liver and gallbladder. As a bitter herb, dandelion promotes better digestion and assimilation in the small intestines and bile production in the liver. It is used to fire up the metabolism of people with weak or slow digestion and metabolism, which is often accompanied by constipation.

The root of the dandelion can help alleviate nausea in people who feel nauseous after consuming a meal that contains protein.

The role of inulin

Dandelion root is rich in inulin, a soluble fiber that feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut, promoting a healthy, diverse gut microbiome.

Inulin acts primarily on the liver, skeletal muscle, and fat tissue to signal glucose transport into cells and regulate fuel storage in the body.

Dandelion is for people who, due to liver congestion, may feel malaise or depression. On the other hand, it can support those who experience anger or irritability due to liver stagnation.

Dandelions are found everywhere; check the field where you wildcraft your dandelions to make sure they were not sprayed with herbicides or near a road.

All parts of the plant are used. I like to use dandelion in salad (the leaves) or decoction (the root).

Milk Thistle

Milk Thistle is the archetypal liver herb. It is a hepatoprotective and anti-hepatotoxic herb. Milk thistle is not one that I use as a simple bitter to improve digestion; instead, I use it when there are signs of liver congestion or liver damage.

Potent antioxidant

The milk thistle seeds can literally save the life of a person who has ingested toxins, such as poisonous mushrooms. It’s indicated for people with liver disease due to addiction to either alcohol or drugs, a condition that is too common today.

The active ingredient in Milk Thistle, silymarin, is a powerful antioxidant that reduces free radical damage and inflammation and supports detoxification. Silymarin is an antioxidant in two ways: it directly scavenges free radicals and promotes glutathione production, the body’s innate antioxidant.

Milk thistle supports balanced blood glucose

Milk thistle is a potent remedy against insulin resistance and diabetes-induced hyperglycemia. Research found a reduction in fasting blood glucose and mean daily glucose levels in people who used 600 mg of silymarin from milk thistle for six months.

Milk thistle affect on detox

One of the ways milk thistle supports the liver is by inhibiting the first phase of detoxification while promoting the second phase. By doing so, milk thistle reduces intermediate free radical toxins.

However, for someone who takes medication, the inhibition of the first phase of detox might mean that these meds stay longer in the bloodstream, thereby altering their therapeutic functions and their side effects.

The bitter taste is one of the properties of milk thistle that induces its beneficial effects. It promotes the production of digestive enzymes in the small intestine and the liver. To use the capsule form of milk thistle, you want to open a couple of capsules from your bottle and “salt” all the other capsules so that when you ingest them, your tongue registers the bitter taste.

More is sometimes less

One of the principles of herbalism is to use a gentle herb before a more potent one to achieve your goals. Dandelion is an herb from the first degree, meaning it can be used as food. However, milk thistle is a third degree herb, meaning it is a strictly medicinal herb you’d never use in food. It tastes unpleasantly bitter, and its action is relatively strong. 

This sums up July and its topic, “The Liver.” I hope my posts help you understand the importance of the liver to your health and that you find ways to support it.