Hepatotoxicity refers to liver damage caused by chemicals or substances, including certain dietary supplements. Several supplements have been associated with severe liver injury, sometimes leading to acute liver failure. Key offending substances include:

1. Usnic Acid: Found in fat burners and certain supplements, it has been linked to severe liver toxicity, likely due to mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress¹².
2. Green Tea Extract: Common in weight loss supplements, it can cause liver damage by creating reactive oxygen species and inducing oxidative stress¹³.
3. Guggul Tree Extracts: Another ingredient in some fat burners, which has potential hepatotoxic effects¹.
4. Hydroxycut: A popular weight loss supplement that has been associated with significant hepatotoxicity¹.
5. Ashwagandha: Known for its adaptogenic properties, it has also been reported to cause liver injury in some cases⁴.

These supplements may cause liver damage through various mechanisms, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and direct cellular toxicity¹²³⁴.

Footnotes

1. Acute liver failure caused by ‘fat burners’ and dietary supplements ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. Herbal and Dietary Supplement Induced Liver Injury ↩ ↩²

3. Liver Dangers of Herbal Products: A Case Report of Ashwagandha-Induced Liver Injury ↩ ↩²

4. Liver Injury from Herbal and Dietary Supplements ↩ ↩²

There are various supplements that are believed to help combat liver toxicity through their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Key supplements include:

1. Silymarin (Milk Thistle Extract): Silymarin is known for its hepatoprotective properties. It acts as a free radical scavenger and modulates enzymes associated with cellular damage, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Silymarin is effective in reducing oxidative stress and has been used to treat fatty liver diseases, cirrhosis, and drug-induced liver injuries¹.
2. Curcumin: Found in turmeric, curcumin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which can help reduce liver damage caused by various etiologies, including metabolic and viral hepatitis².
3. Quercetin: This flavonoid has antioxidant properties that can help mitigate oxidative stress in the liver. It may be beneficial in chronic liver diseases².
4. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC): NAC is a precursor to glutathione, an important antioxidant in the liver. It is commonly used to treat acetaminophen overdose and other instances of drug-induced liver toxicity³.
5. Vitamin E: As an antioxidant, Vitamin E can help reduce liver damage, especially in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and other chronic liver conditions³.

Sources

Footnotes

1. Anton Gillessen, "Silymarin as Supportive Treatment in Liver Diseases: A Narrative Review," PMC, 2020. ↩

2. Anna Del Prete, "Herbal Products: Benefits, Limits, and Applications in Chronic Liver Disease," PMC, 2012. ↩ ↩²

3. A. James Hanje, "The Use of Selected Nutrition Supplements and Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Liver Disease," PMC, 2024. ↩ ↩²