How to Improve Liver Health: 12 Habits, Ranked

Evidence: strong. Drinking too much alcohol is one of the most common causes of liver damage, and alcohol-associated liver disease is a leading cause of cirrhosis (1). That's why this habit sits at the top of the list.

If you drink, current guidance is 2 drinks or less in a day for men and 1 drink or less for women (2). Less is better, and none is fine too! A few alcohol-free nights a week, a smaller glass, or alternating every drink with water are all easy places to start.

Curious what happens inside your body after a night out? We walked through it step by step in The Effects of Alcohol Explained.

Evidence: strong. Extra body weight, especially around the middle, is closely tied to fat building up in the liver. The good news is that the bar for progress is lower than most people think: for people who are overweight, losing at least 3% to 5% of body weight can reduce fat in the liver (3).

Slow and steady wins here. The same source notes that rapid weight loss and crash dieting can make things worse, so skip the extreme plans. Think small portion changes, more vegetables on the plate and regular movement, kept up for months rather than weeks.

Evidence: strong. Regular movement shows up in every liver-health guideline, and it helps even before the scale moves. For adults, the goal is at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, like 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, plus 2 days of muscle strengthening (4).

It doesn't have to be a gym session. Brisk walks, bike rides, dancing in the kitchen and carrying groceries up the stairs all count.

• A 10-minute walk after each meal adds up to 30 minutes
• Bodyweight squats while the coffee brews
• A weekend hike instead of brunch
• Resistance bands for the strength days

Evidence: strong. Your liver processes most of the medicines you take, so using them correctly matters. The classic example is acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol and many cold and flu products). The maximum recommended adult dose is 4,000 milligrams a day across every medicine you're taking, and taking too much can seriously harm the liver (5).

The easy mistake is doubling up without realizing it, like a cold medicine plus a pain reliever that both contain acetaminophen. Read the Drug Facts label, keep a running list of what you take, and ask your pharmacist when you're unsure.

Supplements count too, including herbal ones. Although it's still rare, more cases of sudden liver damage are being reported in people taking dietary supplements, and supplements can interact with medications (6). That goes for ours as well: if you take The Plug Pills (milk thistle, turmeric and vitamins B1, B2 and B6 with our 13-herb blend), add them to the list you share with your doctor. The same caution applies to recreational drugs, which your liver has to process too.

Evidence: strong. Viral hepatitis is an infection of the liver, and two of the three main types can be prevented with a vaccine. The CDC recommends the hepatitis B vaccine for all adults 19 to 59 and for adults 60 and older with risk factors (7). Hepatitis A is also preventable with a safe and effective vaccine (8).

There's no vaccine for hepatitis C, which is why testing matters. The CDC says all adults 18 and older should be tested at least once in their lifetime (9). It's one simple blood test, and it's worth asking about at your next visit.

1. Check your records or ask your doctor which hepatitis shots you've had.
2. Ask for a one-time hepatitis C test if you've never had one.
3. Skip shared razors, toothbrushes and nail clippers, practice safer sex, wash your hands often, and only get tattoos or piercings with sterile needles (10).

Evidence: moderate. Your liver is where a lot of sugar gets processed, and guidance for fatty liver recommends avoiding foods and drinks with large amounts of simple sugars, especially fructose, which shows up in sweetened soft drinks, sports drinks, sweetened tea and juices (11). Researchers are still studying exactly how much fructose matters, so we've ranked this one just below the big five.

Drinks are the easiest win because the sugar goes down so fast. Swap one soda a day for sparkling water with citrus, and read the label on anything bottled.

Evidence: moderate. A balanced plate with fiber from fruit, vegetables and whole grains, lean protein, and unsaturated fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds and fish is the eating pattern liver experts keep coming back to. The same guidance suggests replacing saturated and trans fats with unsaturated ones, especially omega-3s (11).

You don't need a special liver diet or a list of superfoods. Fill half your plate with vegetables, pick whole grains over refined ones most of the time, and cook with olive oil. Not sure where to start? Our guide to the benefits behind the fiber trend has plenty of easy swaps.

Evidence: moderate. Cigarette smoking has been linked to a higher risk of liver cancer, and the risk climbs with how much and how long someone smokes (12). If you smoke, quitting is one of the best things you can do for every organ you've got, your liver included.

Everyday chemicals deserve a little respect too. Cleaning sprays, aerosols and insecticides can be hard on liver cells, so open a window, wear a mask when you use them, and limit direct contact (10). We rounded up more of these sneaky exposures in Under Attack: The Hidden Daily Threats Damaging Your Liver.

Evidence: observational. Here's a fun one! In population studies, coffee drinking has been associated with lower liver enzyme levels (ALT, AST and GGT), and the link is strongest in people with risk factors for liver problems (13).

Associated is the key word. These studies show a pattern, not proof that coffee causes the benefit, which is why it sits in the middle of our ranking. If you already enjoy a cup or two of plain coffee, that's great news. There's no need to start if caffeine keeps you up, and piling on syrups and sugar undoes the point of step 6.

Evidence: emerging. Adults need 7 or more hours of sleep a night (14), and short sleep makes almost every habit above harder. Tired days tend to mean more sugary snacks, skipped workouts and one more drink than planned.

Research on sleep and the liver directly is still young, so we're honest about ranking it lower. But a consistent bedtime, a cool dark room and screens away 30 minutes before lights out are good for you either way.

Evidence: supportive. Staying hydrated is part of the basic diet advice from liver organizations (10). Water won't flush your liver clean (remember, it does that job itself), but choosing it over soda and juice quietly cuts a lot of the sugar from step 6.

Keep a bottle within reach and refill it at every meal. If you want something with a little more going on in the evening, The Plug Drink is one of our favorite swaps: a small bottle of 13 Korean botanicals with electrolytes, 15 calories and no added sugar.

Evidence: practical. Many liver conditions are silent, with few or no symptoms even as they progress (15). That's why you can't rely on how you feel. Routine bloodwork at a yearly physical often includes a liver panel, and it's one of the easiest ways to know where you stand.

Bring your medication and supplement list, mention how much you drink (honestly!), and ask whether your liver numbers are in range. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure or extra weight around your middle, ask your doctor how often your liver should be checked.