benefits of liver pills, best beef liver supplements

What is the Best Desiccated Liver and Why Should You Take It?

Last modified on February 15th, 2023

Desiccated liver is a type of freeze-dried version of animal liver. It’s an increasingly popular supplement because it can support nutrition, health, and wellness. Some people use these supplements as a source of iron to correct anemia since they have well-absorbed heme iron. You can also use these supplements in place of a multivitamin.

Key Takeaways

  • Desiccated liver is a way to get the health benefits of liver in supplement form without cooking it or dealing with the taste.
  • Iron in desiccated liver is very bioavailable, so it’s well-absorbed by the body.
  • Desiccated liver is a perfect source of protein and has essential and non-essential amino acids.
  • Contains B vitamins, folic acid, copper, zinc, and fatty acids.
  • A desiccated liver supplement may boost energy, reverse anemia, and repair RNA and DNA.

The Best Desiccated Liver Supplements

The following are our choices for the best available liver supplements right now.  

Ancestral Supplements Grass Fed Beef Liver

  • Made from the liver of pasture-raised New Zealand cows that are grass-fat and grass-finished
  • Cows are hormone and pesticide-free
  • 100% freeze-dried to preserve all of the biological activity, co-factors, and heat-sensitive nutrients
  • Superfood packed with vitamin A, B12, CoQ10, and bio-available heme iron
  • Supports mood, metabolism, joints, and brain health
  • Completely free of all additives
  • Third-party tested
Ancestral Supplements has one of the best desiccated liver supplements for nutrition.

Wholesome Wellness Grass-Fed Beef Liver Capsules

  • Comes from cows humanely pasture-raised in New Zealand without chemicals or hormones
  • 4500 mg per serving for maximum potency
  • No fillers, no flow agents, GMO-free
  • Freeze-dried to preserve all of the nutrients and co-factors
  • Supports liver, heart, and brain health
  • It may help you have stronger teeth, gums, and nails
  • Supports collagen synthesis
  • Supports balanced methylation, which is gene expression that allows your body to function at an optimal level
Learn about the benefits of taking a grass-fed liver supplement.

Vital Proteins Grass-Fed Beef Liver Pills

  • Rich in micronutrients, including copper and B12, to boost energy levels
  • It provides all of the health benefits of beef liver without the taste
  • According to reviews, this product helps with new hair growth, reduces morning stiffness, and is one of the most effective iron supplements available
  • Sourced from pasture-raised, grass-fed New Zealand beef
  • 30 servings per bottle with 750 mg each
  • Contains 3400 IU of Vitamin A per serving
Learn why taking liver as a supplement has health benefits.

ForestLeaf Liver Pills

  • It contains bioavailable heme iron, folate, choline, and copper
  • Supports thyroid health and metabolism, fertility, and immune function
  • Bulk discount available if you buy through Amazon
  • Cattle never receive any drugs or hormones
  • The freeze-dried liver is used to preserve all of the nutrients
  • Grass-fed and pasture-raised cattle are used
  • According to reviews, this liver supplement helped users with the health of their skin, and their energy levels and in reversing B12 deficiency
Liver pills have heme iron, vitamin A and other nutritional benefits.

Ancestral Supplements Grass Fed Beef Organs

  • Ancestral Supplements’ Grass Fed Beef Organs includes 600 mg of liver per serving
  • It also includes 600 mg of grass-fed heart which is the richest naturally occurring source of CoQ10
  • Formulation includes the pancreas, which helps with blood sugar regulation and optimal digestion
  • Spleen is included, which is the most concentrated source of heme iron found in nature and also helps build blood
  • No fillers
  • Freeze-dried
  • Research has shown that when organs and glands are eaten, they travel to the corresponding organ in the body and provide nutrients specifically to that place of the body
Grassfed beef organs have heme iron, choline and other benefits for nutrition.

What Are the Benefits of Eating Liver?

There are serious benefits of eating liver; desiccated liver pills or tablets can give you those benefits without buying, preparing, and eating liver.

Liver is described as the most nutrient-dense superfood available. The liver is packed with protein, essential vitamins, and minerals and is low in calories.

The liver is the largest internal organ and used to be a favored food. It has fallen out of favor in modern kitchens, and we now prefer muscle meat over organ meat.

Liver has the following benefits, whether you eat it as a food or take it as a supplement.

  • The liver is packed with the fat-soluble vitamin A, essential for cellular turnover, eye health and skin health. There are two different forms of vitamin A—bioavailable at provitamin A, an example of which is beta-carotene. People mistakenly think they can get a full among of vitamin A from fruits and vegetables. Still, your body has to convert the compounds in fruits and vegetables into vitamin A. it’s an inefficient process, meaning you get very little vitamin A. If you don’t get enough vitamin A, your hair, skin, and nails aren’t be as healthy as they could be. You’re also not going to have as much collagen production as you could with an adequate amount of vitamin A, which can come from having desiccated beef liver. An estimated 80% of vitamin A from animal sources like liver is absorbed.
  • The liver has iron, which we need to create hemoglobin, brain function, and muscle function. Liver has an iron source bound to hemoglobin which is called heme iron. Up to 33% of heme iron is absorbed compared to non-heme iron, often with absorption rates as low as 2%.
  • Copper is an essential mineral that we don’t hear about or think that much about, but we should. Copper plays a role in the health of our immune and nervous systems. Copper also helps your body produce collagen, promoting joint, hair, skin, nail, and bone health.
  • The liver, including desiccated liver pills and tablets, is packed with B vitamins. In particular liver is high in folate and vitamin B12.
  • Choline plays a key role in liver function and brain development, and liver provides the adequate intake of choline for women and nearly all of it for men.
  • Liver is packed with riboflavin, which helps our body adequately turn food into energy.
  • Per calorie, liver is the most nutrient-dense food available, and muscle meats have a much weaker nutritional profile in comparison.

Liver is High in Protein

One of the big benefits of eating liver or taking a desiccated liver supplement is that it provides a clean, high-quality source of protein. Around one-quarter of beef liver is protein, and protein from liver provides all of the essential amino acids.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and most of them need to come from our food because our bodies can’t make them.

When you have a diet high in protein, it reduces hunger and appetite, helping with weight loss.

Having a high-protein diet can also help boost your metabolism.

Taking a desiccated liver supplement or eating liver can help protect against muscle loss and promote the building of lean muscle.

What is Desiccated Liver?

The supplements we rank above are desiccated liver and, more specifically, desiccated beef liver. Desiccated liver tablets or pills are created by taking fresh, high-quality beef liver and dehydrating it. The dehydrated liver is made in a way that retains its essential nutrients, and then it’s ground into a fine powder and put into a capsule or made into a tablet.

The primary benefit of supplemental liver is that you get all the nutrients and wonderful health benefits of fresh liver without having to source, cook, or eat it, which many of us might find unpleasant.

Even if you aren’t squeamish about eating organ meat, it’s tough to find high-quality organs like liver in the U.S. To enjoy the full benefits of liver, you need it sourced from a healthy, chemical-free animal.

Many industrial farms will give animals chemicals to make them leaner, and then the byproducts of those chemicals can end up in the animal’s liver.

The Benefits of a Liver Supplement

With desiccated liver, you get the benefits named above, as well as the following:

  • Eating desiccated liver tablets or fresh animal liver can give you clean energy without the caffeine crash. One reason liver can boost your energy levels is the high B vitamins content. B vitamins help your body convert food into energy, giving you the fuel you need. B vitamins also help your body burn fat more effectively, so taking a desiccated liver supplement can help you lose weight.
  • Are you looking for a way to improve the health and appearance of your skin? Most of us are, and desiccated liver benefits include skin improvement, largely because of the active form of vitamin A they contain. Vitamin A is an antioxidant that protects your skin cells from oxidative damage. It can also slow signs of aging, smooth wrinkles, even your skin tone, and encourage the production of healthy skin cells. Desiccated liver also contains glycine and copper, which help your skin produce collagen, reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
  • Strengthen your bones with desiccated liver, thanks to the high amounts of vitamin K2 liver contains. When you have a traditional American or western diet, you’re likely getting little to no vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 can help improve bone density and reduce fracture risk. K2 helps direct calcium into your bones and keeps it out of your arterial walls. Taking a calcium supplement, on the other hand, can lead to calcification on the walls of your arteries.
  • Liver has nutrients that may help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. For example, folate, riboflavin, and choline are all associated with improving heart health. Copper is also available at high levels in the liver and can help your heart’s health.
  • Consider giving your brain a boost with desiccated liver pills. Choline is one nutrient that is good for your brain. Having adequate choline in your diet can reduce anxiety and mood disorders and boost cognitive performance. Vitamin K2 may help prevent brain plaque too.
  • Help your body rid itself of toxins. Of the many desiccated liver benefits or benefits of eating liver is that it can help you detox. Liver contains a mineral called molybdenum, which is a coenzyme that helps your body more effectively metabolize toxins such as alcohol and medicines.
  • Many of us are giving more thought to our immune systems than ever before, and desiccated liver can also help in this area. Around 70% of our immune system is located in our gut, and the protein content in liver can help repair the lining of your digestive tract. Plus, liver is like a food-based multivitamin, which is also good for your immune system.

Choosing a Liver Supplement

There are a few considerations when choosing a desiccated liver supplement. You should look for desiccated liver pills from healthy cows—the healthiest options will come from 100% grass-fed cows.

They should be free of chemicals and ingredients like pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics. You should also look for a desiccated liver supplement without any fillers or added ingredients.

You’ll notice that many of the supplements we named above come from New Zealand cows, which tend to be healthy and contaminant free.

Summing Up

You should include organ meat in your diet, but the desiccated liver is the next best thing if you can’t stomach it. Desiccated liver can help improve nearly every aspect of your health, and all of the supplements above are top-rated.

Additionally, if you would like to learn more about “nose-to-tail nutrition” that advocates for eating the entire animal for optimal health, The Carnivore Code by Paul Saladino, MD, is an excellent resource.

The Carnivore Code discusses the importance of including foods like liver in our diet and, if that’s not possible, using supplements like desiccated liver pills. It also shows that reclaiming your health may come from an ancestral diet, which flies in the face of what many of us think we know about food and nutrition.

In writing The Carnivore Code, Dr. Saladino talks about the benefits of a carnivorous diet and backs up everything he says about optimal human health with science and research.

 

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All of our reviews are completely unbiased. We have an in-depth review and ranking methodology for each of our products. We base our reviews on:

  • Peer-reviewed scientific studies and research
  • Real customer reviews
  • Our own experience using products
  • Price and availability

Whenever possible, we review and rank products that we actually use to provide a better understanding of what you can expect. 

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Ashley Sutphin Watkins
Ashley Sutphin Watkins is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She's a medical content writer, journalist and an avid researcher of all things related to health and wellness. Ashley lives near the Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee with her family.
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