The Dr. Gundry Podcast — EP 381.B

Episode Title: 5 Worst Things for YOUR Liver Health - Dr. G's Quick Health Tip
Host: Dr. Steven Gundry
Release Date: December 11, 2025
Duration: ~21 minutes

Episode Overview

In this "Quick Health Tip" episode, Dr. Steven Gundry dives into common misconceptions and practical advice about liver health. He debunks popular detox myths and identifies the five worst things you can do for your liver—some of which may surprise you. Emphasizing a blend of scientific explanation and clinical insight, Dr. Gundry not only points out risks but also offers actionable strategies to keep your liver and gut functioning at their best.

Key Points & Insights

1. The Liver's Crucial Role as the Body's Gateway

[00:27]

• The liver is more than a "detox center"; it's the essential gateway for all nutrients absorbed from the intestines.
• "There are literally checkpoints, security guards that scan everything that's coming from the intestines..."
  (Dr. Gundry, 00:44)
• If troublemakers (toxins, bacteria) are found, the liver takes them out before they reach the bloodstream.

2. Myth-Busting: Detox Diets & Fructose

[01:20]

• Mainstream "detox" diets (e.g., fruit cleanses) often harm the liver more than they help.
  • “When you do a fruit cleanse, for instance, fruit contains fructose... Fructose is a toxin.”
    (Dr. Gundry, 01:55)
• Fructose is metabolized in the liver into triglycerides and uric acid—both potentially harmful.
  • Fructose is a "mitochondrial poison," stressing the liver instead of cleansing it:
    “Your liver has to work double hard to detoxify your detoxification diet when you're having your fruit smoothies.”
    (Dr. Gundry, 02:43)
• Recommendation: Avoid fruit smoothies and high-fructose diets if you want to ease the liver's workload.

3. Are Green Tea, Turmeric, and Borage Oil Dangerous?

[03:21]

• Despite CDC warnings about liver injury from some popular supplements:
  • "I have never in 25 years seen a problem with liver enzymes from these compounds..."
    (Dr. Gundry, 03:44)
• Instead, fruit-based diets pose a much greater risk in his clinical experience.

4. Alcohol Consumption: Daily Sipping vs. Binge Drinking

[04:11]

• Chronic moderate alcohol use isn’t as dangerous as binge drinking:
  • “You could bathe your liver in alcohol all day and you won’t develop cirrhosis. However, you can easily damage your liver by... binge drinking.”
    (Dr. Gundry, 04:17)
• Alcohol damages the gut lining, causing "leaky gut," allowing bacteria to reach the liver:
  • “As the bacteria come up to the liver, there’s a battle between your white blood cells...and these bacteria. And that battle actually causes scar tissue to form.”
    (Dr. Gundry, 05:10)
• Daily moderate drinking (ex: red wine with meals) in European or Japanese diets doesn't cause this issue, but U.S.-style binge drinking does.
• Notable finding:
  • “Red wine actually had the best effect on improving the diversity of the gut microbiome... The gin was detrimental.”
    (Dr. Gundry, 06:20)

5. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) – The Silent Threat

[07:02]

• Regular high doses of acetaminophen (Tylenol) are "very damaging to the liver."
• Common misconception that Tylenol is always safe because it's hospital-issued.
• Overuse can "kill" liver cells; he recounts ER cases where Tylenol toxicity required urgent care.

6. Supplement: NAC as a Liver Protector

[11:02]

• The antidote in Tylenol (acetaminophen) overdose is N-acetylcysteine (NAC).
  • About NAC: “A couple years ago, believe it or not, the FDA banned NAC from sale... After a couple of years, the FDA realized that was silly... NAC came back on the market.”
    (Dr. Gundry, 11:10)
• Practical tip: Tylenol users should consider 500mg NAC per dose to prevent toxicity.
• Europe: The same risk applies to paracetamol, Tylenol's cousin.

7. The Dangers of Colloidal Silver

[12:10]

• Topical silver (as an antiseptic) has merit, but ingesting colloidal silver is hazardous.
• Highlights a clinical case (“the blue man”) where a patient permanently turned blue from chronic consumption.
  • "Silver is really good against bacteria, but... really bad for normal cell growth as well."
    (Dr. Gundry, 13:23)

8. Supplements That Genuinely Support Liver Health

[15:34]

• Proven liver-supporting supplements:
  • Milk Thistle: Boosts detoxification enzymes, with indirect benefits via the gut microbiome.
  • Artichoke Extract: Similar effects through gut-liver axis.
  • D-Limonene: Found in orange peels, also helps.
  • "They don’t work actively in the liver...they work by changing the gut microbiome."
    (Dr. Gundry, 16:24)
• Fish Oil/Perilla Oil/Flaxseed Oil: Prevent “little pieces of shit” (LPS endotoxins) from entering circulation.
• Dandelion Greens: Available in stores; help boost liver function and detoxification.

9. The Power of Intermittent Fasting

[18:20]

• Restrict feeding to a 6-8 hour window daily ("time-restricted eating") gives the gut time to heal, thus reducing liver stress.
  • "The more downtime your gut has to repair... your gut has to have downtime to repair."
    (Dr. Gundry, 19:05)
• Most Americans eat 16-18 hours per day, allowing little time for gut/liver repair.
• Intermittent fasting is one of the "most potent ways to repair your liver".

Notable Quotes

• On Fructose Detoxes:
  “Fructose is a mitochondrial poison. It’s also a kidney poison. So your liver has to work double hard to detoxify your detoxification diet when you’re having your fruit smoothies.”
  (Dr. Gundry, 02:40)

• On Alcohol's Liver Impact:
  “You could bathe your liver in alcohol all day and you won’t develop cirrhosis. However, you can easily damage your liver by the drinking the effects of alcohol rapidly.”
  (Dr. Gundry, 04:17)

• On Tylenol Misconceptions:
  “Problem with Tylenol is if used to excess... it can be very damaging to the liver.”
  (Dr. Gundry, 07:25)

• On Colloidal Silver:
  “Silver is really good against bacterial growth. But here's the bad news. Silver is really bad for normal cell growth as well.”
  (Dr. Gundry, 13:23)

• On Supplements:
  “Milk thistle is a polyphenol...they work by changing the gut microbiome, and it’s the change in the gut microbiome that’s impacting how the liver heals itself.”
  (Dr. Gundry, 16:14)

• On Intermittent Fasting:
  “That’s why intermittent fasting is one of the most potent ways to repair your liver.”
  (Dr. Gundry, 19:55)

Timestamps for Major Topics

• 00:27 — How the liver works as the body's security checkpoint
• 01:20 — The myth of fruit cleanses & dangers of fructose
• 03:21 — Green tea/turmeric/borage oil: risks vs. benefits
• 04:11 — Alcohol: why binge drinking is uniquely harmful
• 07:02 — Tylenol’s hidden dangers
• 11:02 — NAC and preventing acetaminophen liver toxicity
• 12:10 — Dangers of ingesting colloidal silver
• 15:34 — Supplements for genuine liver support
• 18:20 — Intermittent fasting for liver health

Summary Table: 5 Worst Things for Liver Health

| # | Threat | Mechanism | Gundry’s Advice | |---|--------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| | 1 | High-Fructose Diets | Overloads detox pathways; creates uric acid & fat | Avoid fruit smoothies/fruit cleanses | | 2 | Binge Drinking | Gut barrier breakdown; floods liver with toxins | Moderate daily drinking (wine OK) | | 3 | Tylenol Overuse | Direct hepatotoxicity; kills liver cells | Limit use, consider NAC if needed | | 4 | Colloidal Silver Ingest. | Toxic to normal cells; irreversible side effects | Use only topically, never ingest | | 5 | Poor Gut Health (LPS) | Gut endotoxins stress/damage liver | Support gut with fasting, good oils |

Actionable Health Tips

• Avoid high-fructose foods and fruit-heavy “detox” diets.
• Drink alcohol in moderation, ideally with meals.
• Limit Tylenol; use NAC if usage is necessary.
• Never ingest colloidal silver for “detox.”
• Support your liver with proper fasting, polyphenol-rich supplements, and good gut oils (fish, perilla, flaxseed), and dandelion greens.

Dr. Gundry closes with a reminder: real liver support comes from what you don’t do to harm your liver, more than what you “add” to detox it. Intermittent fasting, polyphenols, and gut health all play a central role.

For further resources and health tips, visit the official Dr. Gundry Podcast channel.