The Expert-Backed Habit to Start for Better Liver Health

Liver health may not be as trendy as gut health, but it should be. Chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis, is the ninth leading cause of death of American adults. And it’s becoming increasingly common. By 2040, more than 40% of us are expected to develop nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), an increasingly common form of liver disease.

Fortunately, there are proactive steps you can take to protect your liver. And one of them is surprisingly easy for most people. Simply “get up!” says Julia Wattacheril, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Program at Columbia University’s Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation. Because when you sit less, you stand more, which is key for long-term liver health. 

Plus, it doesn’t require a major lifestyle overhaul. “Focusing on small changes that can be sustained over a long period of time is key,” says Wattacheril. “Simply ‘getting up’ is simple to remember and is something most people can do right now.” 

Before we dive into why this act is so effective, you may be wondering what makes liver health so important to begin with. The answer is lots of reasons. Your liver is your body’s primary detoxification system, helping to filter blood and remove toxins from the body. It also plays an important role in metabolizing nutrients and drugs, digestion, storing fat-soluble vitamins and supporting immune and thyroid health.

Read on to find out why getting up is an easy way to sit less, stand more and give your liver the love it deserves.

How Getting Up Can Support Liver Health

Empowers Positive Lifestyle Choices

Simply standing up can lead to a cascade of healthy habits that may help you make positive behavior changes that stick. “Choosing to stand expands capacity for additional positive health changes that open up longer-term benefits. For example, exercise and intentional movement is associated with other proactive health choices, [such as] better nutritional intake, alcohol avoidance, engaging mental health support, practicing good sleep hygiene and socialization,” says Wattacheril.

Builds Muscle

Standing may not seem like a workout, but it helps build and maintain muscle. And having sufficient muscle is particularly important for people with liver disease, like cirrhosis, who frequently experience frailty or weakness due to muscle loss. For instance, one study found that people with cirrhosis who needed more than 15 seconds to complete a chair stand test (which requires being able to go from sitting to standing) had an increased risk of mortality.

Keeps You Active

 Even small amounts of physical activity can have health benefits. Research has found this may be especially true for improving liver function and preventing NAFLD., Making a conscious effort to get up and out of your chair may not seem like much. But it can help you stay active by sending subtle signals to your brain that it’s time to get up and start moving. How so? “Just standing gets boring so you’re going to start moving,” says Wattacheril. “It’s an intentional, embodied quick win to enhance motivation and accountability.” 

Helps Balance Blood Sugar

Taking a break from sitting and standing more often may help your liver via another pathway: better blood sugar control. “Fatty liver disease is believed to reflect insulin resistance,” explains Arvind Reddy, M.D., M.P.H., a specialist in gastroenterology and hepatology. “Staying healthy, following a balanced diet and exercising regularly are all important factors in lowering insulin resistance.” In addition to helping protect against fatty liver, these healthy habits also prevent other disorders associated with insulin resistance, such as diabetes, hypertension and atherosclerosis, he adds. 

In fact, one systematic review and meta-analysis found that people who stood an extra 1.3 hours per day experienced a small, yet statistically significant decrease in fasting blood glucose and body fat compared to people who spent that time sitting. While standing isn’t a replacement for physical activity, it’s an easy way to support your liver and blood sugar when you’re stuck behind a desk or sitting for hours on end.

Regulates Metabolism

“The liver is the seat of metabolism, constantly in biological conversation with both muscle and fat,” says Wattacheril. This powerhouse helps metabolize protein, fat and carbohydrates. “Instead of viewing the liver only as an organ that filters toxins or receives infections, it’s helpful to think about how positive habits—like standing instead of sitting—can actively support liver health,” she says.

Other Strategies to Support Liver Health

Keeping your liver in top shape is all about balance, says Charlotte Martin, M.S., RDN. “Focusing on both limiting less-healthy habits and adding in positive ones makes liver health feel less restrictive and more like an overall lifestyle upgrade,” she says. “These changes don’t just protect the liver, they support heart health, digestion and energy levels, too.” 

To help your liver function at its best, try these expert-backed tips:

• Limit alcohol. The liver is your body’s main filter for metabolizing alcohol. “Regular drinking, even at what some people think of as “moderate” levels, can increase fat buildup in the liver, [lead to] fatty liver disease and drive inflammation that sets the stage for more serious conditions like hepatitis or cirrhosis,” says Martin. “By cutting back, or better yet, avoiding alcohol, you’re giving your liver a break from one of its biggest stressors.”
• Maintain a healthy weight: Overweight and obesity are leading risk factors for NAFLD, and the more you weigh, the greater your odds. While fad diets may seem like the answer, rapid weight loss can also increase the risk of this disease. If you could use help losing weight, speak with your health care provider, who can refer you to a registered dietitian to develop healthy weight-loss strategies. 
• Stay physically active: Standing up and sitting less is a great start toward liver health. But don’t stop there. Engaging in physical activity helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol, both of which play a key role in liver health. Shoot for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week, plus two strength-training sessions.
• Be mindful of medications and supplements: The liver processes nearly everything you consume, including over-the-counter pain relievers and herbal supplements. Taking more than directed, or combining these with alcohol, can be harmful, notes Martin.
• Get screened and vaccinated. Hepatitis A, B and C can all increase your chances of developing liver disease. Reddy recommends staying up to date on hepatitis C screenings and hepatitis A and B vaccines.

Our Expert Take

Your liver plays a critical role in nutrient and drug metabolism, digestion and total body health. So, make it a top priority. One easy, expert-backed habit for better liver health is getting up and out of your chair. This simple action can help you sit less and stand more. In return, you’ll protect your liver health by building muscle, staying more active, balancing blood sugar and regulating metabolism. You’ll also be empowered to make positive lifestyle choices. 

Of course, the act of getting up is more challenging for some people than it is for others, says Wattacheril. However, it can be modified for various needs, she says. If you could use some strategies to make getting up and standing easier, speak with your health care provider. Even the smallest changes can have big benefits.