Drinking warm lemon water in the morning has long been a habit of many people, especially in groups interested in liver health and weight control. On social networks, lemon water is often associated with phrases such as "cleansing the body", "detoxifying the liver", and even "dissolving fatty liver". Some people said that liver enzymes decrease, the body becomes more relieved after a period of maintaining this habit, thereby believing that lemon water can treat fatty liver.
However, according to experts, this belief needs to be viewed cautiously.
Fatty liver is a metabolic disease that cannot be treated with lemon juice
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition of excess fat accumulation in liver cells, often associated with obesity, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes and sedentary lifestyle. The disease progresses silently, but if it persists, it can lead to hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer.
According to Dr. Hepatology Rohit Loomba, professor of medicine at the University of California San Diego (USA), there are currently no single drinks or foods that can treat fatty liver. Fat is the result of complex metabolic disorders. Reducing liver fat is only achieved through sustainable weight loss, improved diet and increased physical activity, not through a glass of lemon juice, he emphasized.
Studies show that vitamin C and antioxidants in lemons are beneficial for overall health, but there have been no clinical studies to prove that lemon juice helps reduce liver fat or reverse disease progression.
Where does the "healthier" feeling come from and the risks of overusing
According to Elizabeth Barnes, a clinical nutritionist at Barnes Health Nutrition Center (USA), drinking lemon water in the morning can help some people feel more comfortable because they supplement enough water, reduce sugary drinks and form healthier living habits. Feeling light in the abdomen or improving digestion does not mean that liver fat has decreased, notes Barnes.
Worryingly, many people are overly convinced of the "detox" methods spread online, thereby ignoring examination, delaying treatment or abusing thick lemon juice. Citric acid in lemons can irritate the stomach, erode tooth enamel and is not suitable for people with gastric ulcers, reflux or are taking medication for metabolic diseases.
Experts recommend that if you want to drink lemon juice, you should dilute it, use a moderate amount and not consider this a treatment measure. For fatty liver, the foundation is still to lose 5 - 10% of weight, eat scientifically, exercise regularly and monitor medical staff periodically.
Warm lemon water can be a good habit for digestion and rehydration, but it is not a drug for fatty liver, which patients need to be especially alert to avoid deceiving their own health.
