Kombucha, in moderation, may improve your liver's health. The positive effects on the liver can be attributed to the detoxifying bacterial acids it produces during fermentation. These bacteria work with your body's natural bacteria to purge toxins, helping your liver.
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What Does Kombucha Do For Your Liver?
First, it’s essential to understand the liver and how it works. The liver is one of the body’s major organs. It’s responsible for breaking down toxins and filtering them out of the system. It’s also responsible for the body’s cholesterol supply.
Kombucha detoxifies the body and aids in the overall digestion process. It also reduces LDL levels and increases triglycerides. Think of it as the liver’s temporary assistant.
More specifically, kombucha supports the liver by removing harmful substances through its high acidity levels. These enzymes seek out and pair with bad bacteria in the body. Once the bacteria and acid get bonded together, they are converted into water-soluble toxins. When these toxins become water-soluble, they become much easier for your liver to filter, helping it remain healthy.
The primary detoxifying acid from the fermented tea is gluconic acid, an organic acid produced during the kombucha’s oxidation process.
Does Kombucha Cleanse Your Liver?
A major research article has proven that kombucha is a potent liver cleanser and detoxifier. As mentioned earlier, it’s rich in gluconic acid—a substance that aids the cleansing process. Besides that, kombucha helps keep the gut microbiome healthy and well-balanced. The bacterial types found in the body’s gut play a significant role in developing liver diseases.
However, for some people, this fermented drink can increase the risk of inflammation and reduce metabolism efficiency. But by drinking kombucha in moderation, these risks can be effectively curbed.
Can Kombucha Cure Fatty Liver Disease?
While insufficient evidence suggests it cures fatty liver disease outright, kombucha tea may supplement medical treatment for chronic liver disease, thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and ability to reduce oxidative stress.
Kombucha also helps to boost the metabolism of lipids and fatty acids—which can further bolster the body’s attempt to protect itself against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Is Kombucha Good For Cirrhosis?
One study suggests that kombucha can reduce bilirubin content. An excessive amount of bilirubin can indicate severe liver damage and cirrhosis.
That said, kombucha contains small traces of alcohol, ranging from 0.5% to 2.5%. Homemade kombucha tends to have a higher ABV than store-bought. Consuming alcohol is a major no-no if you have cirrhosis, so it’s best to look into other cirrhosis remedies before resorting to kombucha.
Can Kombucha Harm Your Liver?
This so-called elixir can harm your liver’s health in rare cases. For instance, avoiding kombucha is best if you have severe liver disease since it can exacerbate symptoms.
Over-indulging in kombucha can also cause lactic acidosis, which elevates the acidity of your blood’s pH levels and can lead to jaundice. If you’re drinking hard kombucha with an ABV of 5% or higher, you could also sustain liver damage due to excessive alcohol consumption.
In most cases, however, kombucha is safe and healthy to drink. Just do so in moderation and with the approval of your doctor.
Which Kombucha Flavors Are Best for Liver Health?
Most flavors contain antioxidants and probiotics that can support your liver health and immune system, so while these flavors give you a slight advantage, any flavor can provide benefits.
- Turmeric kombucha. Turmeric contains curcumin, which may reduce inflammation, helping with NAFLD.
- Ginger kombucha. Ginger has been shown to clean your blood, lower cholesterol, and aid the liver in clearing out toxins from your body.
- Plain green tea kombucha. In many cases, green tea boosts your immune system and protects your vital organs, including your liver, from toxins.
- Plain black tea kombucha. Black tea has been said to help prevent fatty liver disease.
- Lemon kombucha. Packed with vitamin C, lemon may lower cholesterol and improve liver function.
How Much Kombucha Can You Drink Daily?
Due to the numerous health benefits of kombucha on your gut health, you can drink it every day. To get the maximum benefits of kombucha, consume no more than 16 ounces daily. This can help reduce your blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and promote weight loss, among other things.
Drinking too much kombucha can cause side effects such as bloating, dizziness, and other digestive system problems. Everybody has a different tolerance, so be cautious of your consumption to avoid the harmful effects of kombucha.