Why use artichoke and dandelion for liver support? Artichoke leaf and dandelion root are milk thistle's traditional partners. Both have long been used to support bile flow and digestion after meals, which is part of how the liver handles fats and clears what the body no longer needs. Liver+™ builds on 200 mg of milk thistle seed with 50 mg each of artichoke extract and dandelion root, plus chicory, beetroot, choline and zinc, to support healthy liver function and digestive health.* Here is what each ingredient is and how the formula fits together.
Key takeaways
- Artichoke leaf and dandelion root are milk thistle's traditional partners for digestion.
- The liver makes bile, which helps digest fats, so liver and digestion are closely linked.
- The liver uses choline to move fat out; food, not the 12 mg in Liver+, is the main source.
- The label directs two veggie capsules once a day, 20-30 minutes before a meal, so one bottle lasts 30 days.
How the liver and digestion work together
Your liver does hundreds of jobs, from storing energy to processing nutrients and filtering the blood. One of its most practical jobs is making bile. Bile is the link between the liver and digestion, because the liver makes bile to help digest fats. It is stored in the gallbladder and released into the gut when you eat, and it also carries some waste products out of the body.
That is why traditional liver herbs are so often digestive herbs as well. Artichoke and dandelion are known as bitter herbs: plants whose taste and compounds are thought to encourage bile flow and digestion.
Artichoke leaf for liver and digestive support
The globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is better known as a vegetable, but supplements use an extract of the leaves. The leaves contain cynarin and other caffeoylquinic acids, and luteolin, which give them their bitterness and antioxidant activity.
Artichoke leaf extract is one of the better-studied digestive botanicals. In a six-week, placebo-controlled trial of 247 adults diagnosed with functional dyspepsia (recurring indigestion), people taking artichoke leaf extract reported greater improvement in fullness, bloating and discomfort after meals than those on placebo. Laboratory research also points to antioxidant activity and support for bile flow.
Dandelion root for the liver
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is the familiar garden plant, and its root has a long history in European, Chinese and Native American herbal traditions as a bitter tonic for the liver and digestion. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that dandelion has been used traditionally for liver and digestive support and as a mild diuretic, and that there is little high-quality human research, so its traditional role is the main reason it appears in liver formulas.
Chicory root, a close relative of dandelion, is also in Liver+ at 50 mg. It is a traditional bitter and a natural source of inulin, a prebiotic fiber.
Milk thistle: the lead ingredient
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) seed contains silymarin, a group of antioxidant flavonoids, and has been used for liver support for more than two thousand years. It is the anchor of Liver+ at 200 mg per serving. NCCIH notes that milk thistle is generally well tolerated and that human research on it is mixed. Our guide to milk thistle and silymarin covers it in depth.
Liver+ ingredients, explained
Each two-capsule serving lists ten ingredients with their amounts, plus a 512 mg proprietary blend of eleven more. Blend totals are on the label; the amounts inside each blend are not.
| Ingredient | Per serving (2 capsules) | Role in the formula |
|---|---|---|
| Milk thistle seed | 200 mg | Lead botanical, source of silymarin |
| Artichoke leaf extract | 50 mg | Traditional bitter for digestion and bile flow |
| Dandelion root | 50 mg | Traditional bitter tonic |
| Chicory root | 50 mg | Bitter root, relative of dandelion |
| Beetroot | 50 mg | Root vegetable with natural betalain pigments |
| Phyllanthus | 50 mg | Traditional Ayurvedic liver herb |
| Yarrow flowers and jujube fruit extract | 50 mg each | Traditional digestive and tonic herbs |
| Choline | 12 mg | Nutrient the liver uses to move fat out |
| Zinc | 30 mg | Mineral involved in hundreds of enzymes |
| Proprietary blend | 512 mg | Alfalfa, burdock, celery seed, feverfew, grape seed extract, methionine, yellow dock, raspberry, turmeric, berberine HCl, ginger |
Choline and zinc
Choline is a nutrient the liver uses to move fat out, and most adults get less than the adequate intake from food. Liver+ provides 12 mg (2% DV), so eggs, meat, fish and soybeans, the richest food sources, remain the main ones. Zinc is part of hundreds of enzymes. At 30 mg per serving, the zinc in Liver+ is 273% of the Daily Value, so add up your totals if you also take a multivitamin or a zinc product.
The antioxidant group
Grape seed extract, turmeric and jujube, together with milk thistle and artichoke, make the formula a good source of antioxidants.* Antioxidants help protect cells from everyday oxidative stress.
What Liver+ supports
As its product page lists, Liver+ supports healthy liver function and digestive health, offers detoxification properties and is a good source of antioxidants.* It is a daily supplement, not a cleanse and not a substitute for the habits that matter most for the liver: limiting alcohol, eating plenty of plants and fiber, staying active and keeping a healthy weight.
How to take Liver+
The label directs two veggie capsules once a day, 20-30 minutes before a meal, so one bottle lasts 30 days. The full Suggested Use reads: take two (2) veggie capsules once a day, 20-30 minutes before a meal with an 8 fl oz glass of water, or as directed by your healthcare professional.
- Before your largest meal of the day fits the formula's digestive role.
- Take both capsules at once with a full glass of water.
- Give it several weeks of steady use before you judge it.
Who should check with a professional first
The label says pregnant or nursing mothers, anyone under 18, and anyone with a known medical condition should consult a physician first. Do not exceed the recommended dose. The blend contains berberine, turmeric, ginger and feverfew, which can interact with some medicines, including blood thinners and blood sugar medicines, and dandelion and chicory can affect people sensitive to ragweed-family plants. If you take any prescription, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start.
Tested, every batch
Every batch of Liver+ is third-party tested for purity and potency by an outside lab. It is manufactured in USA with globally sourced materials, in an NSF-certified, GMP-certified, FDA-registered facility, in a vegetable capsule. See Our Standards for how we test.
Frequently asked questions about artichoke and dandelion for liver support
Can you take artichoke and dandelion together?
Yes. They are traditional partners in liver and digestive formulas, often alongside milk thistle. Liver+ contains 50 mg of each per serving. Check with your healthcare provider first if you take any medicines.
Is artichoke extract the same as eating artichokes?
Not quite. Supplements use an extract of the leaves, which are not the part people eat and are much richer in the bitter compounds. Eating artichokes is still a good source of fiber.
Does Liver+ contain caffeine?
No. Liver+ is caffeine-free.
Is Liver+ vegan?
Yes. It uses a hypromellose (vegetable) capsule and is labelled vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and non-GMO.
Is Liver+ a detox cleanse?
No. It is a daily supplement taken at a steady serving, not a short cleanse. Your liver does the detox work every day; Liver+ offers nutritional support for that work alongside healthy habits.*
Related reading from our Wellness Hub
- Milk Thistle and Liver Health: What Silymarin Actually Does
- Liver Support: Meet Liver+ with Milk Thistle
- Do 'Detox' and Cleanse Supplements Work? A Realistic Guide
Sources
- Holtmann G, et al. Efficacy of artichoke leaf extract in the treatment of patients with functional dyspepsia: a six-week placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicentre trial. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2003
- NCCIH: Dandelion
- NCCIH: Milk Thistle
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Choline
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Zinc
Individual results vary.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
