Hi, Do any of you have any advice on supplements to take? I’ve been told about apple cider vinegar in a bit of water and also ginger and lemon teas.
Has anyone had any experience with either. Loads of things recommended but not sure if they are worth a go or not?
I’ve also been told to try turmeric but I’ve seen conflicting views on this.
Anything else you could recommend?
Ta x
No amount of supplements are really going to 'help' your liver. In some cases they can actually hinder the liver in giving it more work to do and can have negative effects.
Avoid Tumeric (other than in foods) as it can have a liver toxic effect, can harm kidneys, cause blood thinning problems (definitely to be avoided as cirrhosis itself can also cause this and together with potential risks from varices you don't want blood clotting problems).
The British Liver Trust offer the following advice regarding alternative and complementary therapies :- britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...
If you are still tempeted by supplements run everything past your consultant first as you don't want to give your liver more hard work to do.
Healthy diet, continued sobriety and exercise are the best remedies to keep your liver going.
Katie
The liver is a wonderful organ, stores energy, removes toxins from the blood, produces bile for digestion, etc. In dealing with daily things it gets damaged but is able to regenerate itself. Unfortunately, over the years, if it is given too hard a time of things and not allowed to recover, it starts to get scars where it can no longer repair itself. This scarring is the cirrhosis. If enough of the liver becomes cirrhotic, it no longer functions and you then have decompensated liver disease.
There are currently no supplements or medications that can undo the cirrhosis -only a transplant can do that. If you eat healthily and keep yourself fit, you will give the rest of the liver the best chance possible to continue working and keeping you well.
The issue with a lot of herbs and supplements is that they need to be metabolised by the liver, which can put it under more strain, or affect any medications you are taking. I would suggest speaking to a dietitian and your doctor/consultant to see if there are any things you can do to help yourself. I remember reading up that something like milk thistle supplements were good for the liver, but after discussing with my hepatologist, it was clear that they wouldn't make any difference to me, only put my poorly liver under more strain.
Be very wary of dr google and the numerous influencers that have discovered miracle cures/treatments. Most of them just want you to subscribe/follow so they get their advertising payments, they're not interested in helping anyone else.
I think you've had plenty of good advice already from Katy and Colin, so won't try and duplicate that as its pretty much spot on. With cirrhosis we do have to be a bit more careful on stuff we take. Your GP, or hospital consultant or nurse, however will be really happy to provide advice to you on what you can or shouldn't take, so don't be worried about making an appointment to ask. They want to see you recover as well as possible.
When it comes to liver disease and nutrition, diet and food it’s especially critical to seek the expert advice from the specialists, i.e. your hep or gastro doctor if you are under such care or your local GP and ideally a nutritionist because your diet can be key to helping your liver repair, heal, recover and even reverse non cirrhosis liver disease. Conversely a poor diet can damage your liver further.
I think it can safely be said outside of the usual and typical issues associated with liver disease and especially cirrhosis like ascites, jaundice, portal hypertension, varices and HE, liver disease really does seem to effect every individual differently so what may be considered a good source of nutrition or food or a good diet to follow for one, may not be so good for everyone.
I say that because my own hep and gastro doctors both told me turmeric and ginger for example would be fine for me to use in my own diet which I have done almost daily since I left hospital with alcohol hepatitis, jaundice and ascites back in March 2023, mostly taken in the form of raw, but fresh ginger and turmeric which I ‘press’ into juice to drink as ‘shots’ or to add to my own herbal teas that I make.
And I believe those two herbs for example have helped massively not just in improving my own general health, but that if my liver too. That and remaining abstinent and sticking to a healthy balanced diet and regular exercise which really are the 3 fundamental tenants of ‘looking after your liver’. I also use apple cider vinegar too which you mentioned (with mother) which has helped eliminate some of my remaining ‘beer belly’ fat as well as other health benefits.
But that’s me and again that’s why it’s important to ALWAYS seek the advice of specialists and I can’t stress enough about carrying out your own research into food as well because you’ll learn a great deal about real and healthy liver friendly food.
I have read via several sources and been told by many people including nurses and doctors for example that I shouldn’t drink coffee… but again my own doctors have said differently and have actually encouraged me to drink coffee for example due to the health benefits. My own research into coffee has told me it’s perfectly fine for me to drink and just as well as I can give up the booze, but never my coffee ha ha.
I was told by my hep doctor that ginger and turmeric can have an effect on certain medication in terms of how the body or rather liver absorbs the medicine in conjunction with taking ginger and turmeric so I do know why some may argue to stay away from them.
It goes without saying that any over the counter so-called liver friendly herbs, medicines or wonder capsules are to be avoided at all costs, as they can be deadly toxic to a damaged liver.
Anyway good luck on your journey, I hope you find the right diet and nutrition and food sources that work best for you and help your own liver disease, take care.
I drink camomile tea occasionally which I asked my professor if this was ok and he said yes. I asked my GP about herbal supplements and he said no as not regulated and tested enough. Perhaps speak to your GP or liver consultant first. I do occasionally have a fresh lemon slice in cold water as that is very freshening.
Cirrhosis dietary help please 
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