CNCB News

• Liver health content is trending online, and supplement sales are through the roof.
• Liver disease is rising, and people are becoming more aware of the organ's importance to overall health.
• Doctors said we don't need liver supplements: eat a nutritious diet and exercise regularly instead.

The liver, our largest internal organ, is having a moment.

As cases of liver disease and public awareness of the organ's role in overall health have risen, so have sales of supplements claiming to support or "cleanse" the organ, hepatologists and supplement industry insiders told Business Insider.

Hepatologists said that science shows little benefit in taking supplements for liver health, and that certain products can in fact be harmful. Leading a balanced lifestyle by exercising regularly and eating nutritious food is the best way to protect and boost liver health, they said.

Long associated with helping to process alcohol, in reality, the liver plays a part in over 500 jobs in the body, including digestion, producing and storing energy, stockpiling vitamins and minerals including iron, removing toxins, fighting infection, and clotting blood to heal wounds.

In its 2026 Health and Wellness Report released on Monday, The Vitmain Shoppe, which sells a range of branded and own-brand products, said that searches on its website for "liver health" increased by 700% from January to June 2026. Sales of The Vitamin Shoppe's best-selling liver supplements, Dose and ReviveMD, increased by 160% and 80%, respectively.

A consumer survey of 2,000 American adults accompanying the report found that 53% considered liver health "very important" to their wellness priorities. The most sought-after ingredients in the liver health category were vitamin D, milk thistle, botanical herbs including turmeric, ginger, dandelion, licorice, artichoke extract, glandulars, choline, and NAC (N-Acetylcysteine), the report said.

A CVS spokesperson told Business Insider sales of its 11 liver-specific products increase by 40% in 2025. A spokesperson for Thorne, a premium supplement brand, told Business Insider the company has seen "growing consumer interest in the liver's role in hormone balance, particularly for women."

On TikTok, posts using the hashtags "liver health," "liver support," and "fatty liver" have amassed a collective 161.5 million views in the last 90 days, and many of the most-viewed videos feature influencers selling supplements.

Dr. Robert J. Fontana, a professor of internal medicine and liver specialist at University of Michigan Health, told Business Insider a number of factors have converged to raise public awareness of liver health. As cases of obesity and diabetes have grown, so have rates of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. MASLD is where fat builds up in the liver and can in some cases cause symptoms like fatigue, nausea, and abdominal pain.

In the US, an estimated 35% of adults have MASLD. Excessive drinking during the COVID pandemic, and the FDA- approval of two drugs, including a GLP-1, for certain types of MASLD last fall have also drawn attention to liver health, he said.

Brittany Michels, a registered dietitian nutritionist who works for The Vitamins Shoppe, said the growing popularity of routine bloodwork as a preventive health measure has made people more aware of conditions like MASLD.

"Consumers now recognize its central role in metabolism, energy production, digestion, nutrient processing, and overall wellness," she said.

Dr. Binu John, a gastroenterologist and transplant hepatologist and associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, told Business Insider: "The best ways to support a healthy liver are well-supported by evidence: maintain a healthy body weight, follow a Mediterranean-style diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean protein, limit alcohol consumption, exercise regularly, and avoid unnecessary medications and supplements."

Those at risk of MASLD, such as those with diabetes, obesity, or metabolic syndrome, should get blood work done. If the results are abnormal, non-invasive tests can be done to check for liver disease.

"Managing risk factors for liver disease is more effective for liver health than any supplement on the market," John said.