Not medical advice. I am a software engineer, not a physician. This page documents my own protocol and the research I read while building it. Talk to a qualified clinician before changing your supplementation, diet or any treatment. Lab reference ranges quoted here vary by laboratory and by individual.
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The liver is the body's largest internal organ and its primary chemical processing plant. Weighing approximately 1.5 kg, it performs over 500 known functions including detoxification, protein synthesis, bile production, and metabolic regulation. Every substance absorbed from the gut passes through the liver first (the "first-pass" effect), where it is filtered, metabolized, or stored. The liver is uniquely regenerative — it can regrow from as little as 25% of its original mass — but chronic overload from alcohol, medications, processed food, or environmental toxins can overwhelm its capacity and lead to fatty liver disease, fibrosis, or cirrhosis.
Liver enzymes are among the most commonly ordered blood tests. Elevations indicate hepatocyte damage, bile duct obstruction, or systemic inflammation affecting the liver.
| Test | What It Detects | Link |
|---|---|---|
| AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase) | Liver cell damage (also found in heart and muscle); elevated in hepatitis, fatty liver, and alcohol damage | Lab Tests |
| ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase) | More liver-specific than AST; primary marker for hepatocellular injury and fatty liver disease | Lab Tests |
| GGT (Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase) | Sensitive marker for bile duct issues and alcohol-related liver damage; also reflects oxidative stress | Lab Tests |
| ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase) | Elevated in bile duct obstruction and bone disorders; helps distinguish hepatic from biliary pathology | Lab Tests |
| Bilirubin (Total and Direct) | Elevated in liver dysfunction, hemolysis, or bile duct blockage; reflects the liver's conjugation capacity | Lab Tests |
| CRP (C-Reactive Protein) | Systemic inflammation marker produced by the liver; elevated CRP may reflect hepatic inflammation itself | Lab Tests |
These supplements enhance the liver's detoxification capacity, replenish its primary antioxidant defenses, and reduce hepatic inflammation.
| Supplement | How It Helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) — 3x/day | Direct glutathione precursor; supports Phase II detoxification. Hospital antidote for acetaminophen overdose. Taken 3 times daily for sustained glutathione levels. | NAC |
| Milk Thistle (Silymarin) | Protects hepatocytes from toxin damage, stimulates liver regeneration, and has anti-fibrotic properties | Milk Thistle |
| Curcumin | Reduces hepatic inflammation via NF-kB inhibition; shown to decrease ALT/AST in fatty liver studies | Curcumin |
| Vitamin C | Water-soluble antioxidant that supports glutathione recycling and protects against oxidative hepatotoxicity | Vitamin C |
| Omega-3 (EPA/DHA) | Reduces hepatic fat accumulation (NAFLD), lowers liver inflammation, and improves lipid metabolism through PPAR-alpha activation. | Omega-3 |
NAC dosing matters: Glutathione has a short half-life. A single daily dose of NAC provides a brief spike, but splitting 600 mg x 3 doses throughout the day maintains more consistent glutathione levels — which is critical for ongoing detoxification support.
MASLD replaces NAFLD — and gets its first approved drug. The medical community has officially renamed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), reflecting its metabolic roots rather than defining it by what it is not. More importantly, resmetirom (Rezdiffra) became the first FDA-approved drug for MASLD patients with moderate-to-severe liver fibrosis (stages F2-F3), shown to improve hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. With approximately 30% of the global population affected by MASLD, a 2025 ADA consensus report now recommends routine liver screening in all patients with type 2 diabetes.
Non-invasive biomarkers replace liver biopsy. Liver-specific microRNAs (miR-122 and miR-34a) and proteomics-based blood panels now offer noninvasive alternatives to liver biopsy for staging MASLD. Research published in 2025 in npj Gut and Liver demonstrates that these biomarkers, combined with machine learning, can accurately predict fibrosis stage and guide personalized treatment decisions without an invasive procedure.