5 Herbs To Detox The Liver & Gallbladder

Your liver is an essential organ that performs hundreds of tasks associated with metabolism, energy storage, and detoxification of waste. The liver is the second largest organ in the body, next to your skin and it is a powerhouse that helps detoxify the body from heavy metals, alcohol, chemicals (medications), and fatty foods. However, if you don't take care of yourself and your liver, you may end up with a fatty liver, cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis, or liver failure. Fortunately, nature provides some marvelous herbals that can protect the liver and assist you in the detoxification process. 

Milk Thistle- contains silymarin which can protect the liver from many toxins and chemicals and prevent liver cell death which can be caused by toxins like tetrachloride. Milk thistle has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and assists in bile production.

Burdock Root- is a diuretic that stimulates bile function and helps to strengthen the liver. The enzymes AST, ALT, and ALP are markers of liver damage and in a study performed on rats with liver injury, the burdock root had decreased levels of liver enzymes. 

Dandelion Root- is used as a liver tonic to stimulate a sluggish or congested liver. Dandelion serves to clean the liver and gallbladder, it is thought to be important for the elimination of toxins deposited in the liver from pharmaceutical drugs. 

Bupleurum Root- a bitter Chinese herb that contains saikosides which strengthen liver function while protecting the liver from toxins. Bupleurum is a regulatory herb and has an anti-inflammatory effect. It is ordinarily not consumed alone because it can release toxins from the liver, but not necessarily remove them from the body. Bupleurum is regularly assisted by White Peony root.

White Peony Root- a blood purifier and liver protector that has been used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, hepatitis, dysmenorrhea, muscle cramping and spasms, and fever for more than 1200 years in China, Korea, and Japan.

Herbs are medicinal and some should be used with discretion. Please reach out to one of our Herbalists for more information on herbals that cleanse and strengthening the liver, or on how to do a liver cleanse.