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How To Take Care Of Your Liver After An Alcohol-Filled Night

Author:

Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN

February 26, 2024

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

By Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN is a Registered Dietician Nutritionist with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Texas Christian University and a master’s in nutrition interventions, communication, and behavior change from Tufts University. She lives in Newport Beach, California, and enjoys connecting people to the food they eat and how it influences health and wellbeing.

Close up on a woman drinking a glass of wine

Image by Lumina / Stocksy

February 26, 2024

Even if you're typically mindful about alcohol consumption, a more wild night out may leave you feeling sluggish, lethargic, and just all around blah the next morning. And your liver likely feels the same.

It's the liver's job to process all toxins that enter the body—and alcohol is treated like a toxin. So effectively clearing the alcohol from your system means you can go back to feeling like your best self swiftly.

Here's what you can do to give your liver a healthy wake-up after a night out.

Hydrate (with electrolytes)

Drinking alcohol usually has you running to the bathroom more frequently than usual, which means you're losing water and electrolytes. "Dehydration makes it harder for all organs to function, including the liver," Jessica Cording, M.S, R.D., CDN, INHC, previously told us.

So one of the first things you should do is to restore that fluid balance.

"Hydration and drinking enough water is important, but electrolytes can help even more with rehydrating after a night of drinking," says Rachel Muzzy, M.S., R.D. "Look for an electrolyte mix with potassium, magnesium, and a little sodium, or mix up your own with ingredients like coconut water, lemon or lime juice, plus a pinch of salt." (This is our favorite recipe.)

If you plan ahead enough, you can even have a glass of water and your favorite electrolyte mix ready on your nightstand so you don't even have to crawl out of bed for this.

Eat a well-balanced meal

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This may be easier said than done. "You may want to indulge with junk food, but it's better to eat a well-rounded meal with a quality protein and fiber source the next day to get nutrients to support the liver," says Muzzy.

Fiber in particular helps bind to and carry out waste and toxins. Check out these 11 high-fiber breakfast recipes that will surely quell your hunger and help bring some energy to the rest of your day.

Avoid imbibing in more alcohol

Your body and liver need to recover from the alcohol it was exposed to the night before. Adding more to the mix will just prolong the process.

"It's better to focus on hydration and rest rather than drinking more, which can increase toxic load on the liver," warns Muzzy.

How to consistently support your liver

It is possible to protect your liver without completely going sober. And these are some of our top tips for doing just that:

Give your liver a little rest: Turns out, having a regular nightcap is linked to worse liver outcomes than drinking the same amount of alcohol but giving your liver a few days off from filtering out excess (and avoidable) toxins each week.
Try a targeted liver supplement: While laying off libations gives your liver somewhat of a break, the truth is, your liver is always working. Detoxification processes are on 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And certain antioxidants can help make sure these pathways have extra support to keep things running smoothly. mindbodygreen's liver detox+ is designed to do just that. It feeds your liver with the bioactives glutathione, milk thistle, and NAC—all of which play vital roles in helping the body efficiently eliminate toxins before they become a burden.*
Swap plastic containers for glass: "Plastics are a source of chemicals that the body has a hard time removing," Muzzy previously said. "Microplastics can enter the body and accumulate in the liver—among other organs—and cause harm."

The takeaway

One bout of drinking can not only derail the next day, but it also stresses out your liver. To help your main detox organ do what it does best, make sure you rehydrate with electrolytes and eat a balanced meal the next morning (don't just keep drinking).

And for daily liver support, consider adding a science-backed supplement (like liver detox+) to help your body's natural detoxification pathways.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.