Homemade recipes claimed on social media to be liver detoxifiers have no scientific validity, said Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, Chairman of the Kerala State IMA Research Cell on Wednesday.
In his address at the 32nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Indian National Association for the Study of the Liver (INASL-2024), being held in Kochi, Dr Jayadevan said there is no need for such artificial means or shortcuts to protect the liver as it emphasised the organ’s capability to rid the body of its own waste products as well as ingested substances.
“Many people use the term detox in modern times because it is associated with the ancient belief of cleansing the mind of toxic thoughts, but it is not possible to cleanse the liver through such shortcuts,” the gastroenterologist said.
“The liver is perfectly capable of cleansing itself. It is more important to avoid intake of substances that damage the liver, such as alcohol,” he emphasised.
The health expert also warned against relying on self-proclaimed health experts on social media, who often lack proper knowledge or have commercial interests.
As the largest organ in the body, the liver functions like a chemistry lab, efficiently sorting beneficial and harmful substances that enter the stomach. However, early-stage liver disease often shows no symptoms.
Among the rise of lifestyle-related diseases, fatty liver diseases, including Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), are becoming alarmingly prevalent in India.
Last month, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh who is himself a nationally renowned diabetologist, said that every third Indian has fatty liver, which predates Type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders.
Meanwhile, health experts at the convention highlighted the increasing prevalence of fatty liver disease due to alcohol consumption and unhealthy lifestyles, and advised to take early preventive lifestyle measures rather than rely on scams and shortcuts. Key recommendations included giving up alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling sugar intake, exercising regularly, and adopting a balanced diet.