From sugar to supplements: habits that can hurt your liver

When people think about liver damage, alcohol is often the first thing that comes to mind. But alcohol is only one of many factors that can affect liver health. Everyday habits, diet, excess body weight, certain medicines and uncontrolled health conditions can also contribute to liver injury – sometimes gradually and without obvious symptoms.
The liver performs hundreds of important functions. It helps process nutrients, stores energy, produces substances needed for blood clotting and digestion, and breaks down medicines and toxins. Because it has a remarkable ability to repair itself, liver problems can develop silently for years before symptoms become noticeable. By the time fatigue, abdominal discomfort, jaundice or swelling appears, significant damage may already have occurred.
One of the biggest modern threats to liver health is excess weight, particularly the accumulation of fat around the abdomen. Excess calories can cause fat to build up inside liver cells, leading to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, commonly known as fatty liver disease. It is now one of the most common liver conditions worldwide and can affect people who drink little or no alcohol.
A sedentary lifestyle can make the problem worse. Spending long hours sitting and getting little physical activity can contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance and unhealthy blood-fat levels, all of which can increase the likelihood of fatty liver. Regular movement, including walking, cycling, swimming or strength training, can support metabolic health and help reduce liver fat.
Diet is another major consideration. Regularly consuming large amounts of sugary drinks, sweets, refined carbohydrates and highly processed foods can contribute to excess calorie intake and metabolic problems. Sugar-sweetened beverages are particularly easy to overconsume because they provide calories without creating the same feeling of fullness as whole foods. A diet dominated by processed foods can therefore place additional stress on the metabolic system and indirectly affect the liver.
A better approach is to build meals around vegetables, fruits, whole grains, pulses, nuts, seeds and other minimally processed foods, while choosing healthy sources of protein and fats. Dietary patterns that support a healthy body weight and good blood-sugar control are generally more beneficial than focusing on one supposedly “liver-cleansing” food.
Another common misconception is that the liver needs regular detox drinks, juices or herbal cleanses. In reality, the liver already performs the body’s natural detoxification processes. There is no proven drink or food that can “flush out” a healthy liver. Some commercial detox products may even contain ingredients that can cause liver injury.
Herbal and dietary supplements deserve particular caution. “Natural” does not necessarily mean safe. Some supplements have been associated with liver injury, particularly when taken in high doses or when products contain multiple concentrated ingredients. People taking supplements should tell their doctor about them, especially if they take prescription medicines or have existing liver problems.