Beef Liver
Bos taurus (liver)
TL;DR
Beef liver is very high in vitamin A, B12, copper and iron. One small trial in anaemic children was positive, but there is no capsule trial in adults, and one serving exceeds the adult vitamin A limit.
Ideal For
- Adults with confirmed low B12 or iron who want a food-based source alongside clinician guidance
- People who eat meat and want small, occasional liver portions
Avoid If
- Pregnant or trying to conceive
- Taking vitamin A or retinol-containing multivitamins at high doses
- Young children, whose vitamin A upper limit is only 600-900 mcg RAE a day, unless a clinician sets the amount
Frequently Asked Questions
How much vitamin A is in beef liver, and how much is too much?
Can I take beef liver capsules while pregnant?
Does beef liver treat anaemia or low B12?
Are desiccated liver capsules the same as eating cooked liver?
Is beef liver good for your own liver?
Overview
Beef liver is an organ meat sold as a food and as dried (desiccated) powder or capsules. Its appeal is nutrient density: NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements lists a 3-ounce serving of pan-fried beef liver at 6,582 mcg of vitamin A (as retinol activity equivalents, RAE), 70.7 mcg of vitamin B12, 12,400 mcg of copper and 5 mg of iron. Those figures are far above the daily values for the first three, which is both the attraction and the main safety issue.
The human evidence for liver as a supplement is thin. The best-matched trial we found was a randomised trial in 60 children aged 3 to 9 in Egypt, where liver meatballs eaten three times a week for 90 days were followed by the disappearance of mild-to-moderate anaemia in children under 72 months. It had no placebo, the comparison group received nothing, and the meatballs are a food, not a capsule. A second trial tested only whether Indonesian toddlers would eat meals with desiccated beef liver powder added; the strong smell and fishy odor were the main complaint. We found no trial of liver capsules for fatigue, energy, liver health or any other outcome people commonly buy them for.
Safety matters more than benefit here. Preformed vitamin A at high intakes is teratogenic (it can cause birth defects) in pregnancy, and one serving of liver supplies about 2.2 times the 3,000 mcg adult upper limit for preformed vitamin A and more than the 10,000 mcg upper limit for copper. If you take liver in any form, count it with every other source of vitamin A and copper, and skip it if you are pregnant or trying to conceive unless your clinician says otherwise.
How It Works
- Supplies preformed vitamin A (retinol), which the body uses directly, so intake from liver adds to every other source: 6,582 mcg RAE in a 3-ounce serving.
- Provides vitamin B12 in food form, 70.7 mcg per 3-ounce serving of pan-fried liver, from animal tissue where it is stored.
- Contains iron (5 mg per 3 ounces) and copper (12,400 mcg per 3 ounces), the latter above the 10,000 mcg adult upper limit.
- Retinoic acid, the form of vitamin A linked to birth defects, rose far less after liver than after a retinol supplement at the same dose in one human study.
Quick Facts
- 3 oz pan-fried liver: 6,582 mcg RAE vitamin A
- Adult vitamin A upper limit: 3,000 mcg RAE per day
- 70.7 mcg B12 per 3 oz serving
- 12,400 mcg copper per 3 oz; upper limit 10,000 mcg
- One small randomised trial in 60 children; no adult capsule trials
Benefits & Outcomes
No linked outcomes yet. Research is ongoing.
Health Concerns Addressed
Iron Deficiency
Insufficient evidence: eat it as an occasional food at most, and treat deficiency with iron under clinical guidance.
B12 Deficiency
Insufficient evidence: liver is a B12-dense food, not a tested treatment for deficiency, so confirm and treat deficiency with your clinician.
Supporting Research11 studies
Development and evaluating the biopotency of ready to eat liver meat balls in fighting anaemia and vitamin A deficiency, improving selected nutritional biochemical indicators and promoting the cognitive function among mildly anaemic Egyptian children aged 3-9 years
Bassouni R, Soliman M, Hussein LA +2 more
disappeared completely from all children aging < 72 months
Systematic review on daily vitamin B12 losses and bioavailability for deriving recommendations on vitamin B12 intake with the factorial approach
Doets EL, In 't Veld PH, Szczecińska A +4 more
dose of 38 µg from consumption of liver
An Acceptability Trial of Desiccated Beef Liver and Meat Powder as Potential Fortifiers of Complementary Diets of Young Children in Indonesia
Duizer LM, Diana A, Rathomi HS +4 more
mothers declared they would continue using the powder on account of the nutritional value
Antenatal Iron-Rich Food Intervention Prevents Iron-Deficiency Anemia but Does Not Affect Serum Hepcidin in Pregnant Women
Xu S, Zheng H, Tang Z +4 more
Antenatal IRFs reduce the risk of ID and IDA in late pregnancy
Teratogenicity of high vitamin A intake
Rothman KJ, Moore LL, Singer MR +3 more
High dietary intake of preformed vitamin A appears to be teratogenic
Effect of Increasing Red Meat Intake on Iron Status in Adults with Normal and Suboptimal Iron Status: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis of Intervention Studies
McManus L, Veras K, Faria VS +2 more
Increasing red meat intake can improve iron status
High vitamin A intake in early pregnancy and major malformations: a multicenter prospective controlled study
Mastroiacovo P, Mazzone T, Addis A +4 more
did not provide evidence for an increased risk of major malformations
Total iron and heme iron content and their distribution in beef meat and viscera
Valenzuela C, de Romaña DL, Olivares M +2 more
only 13.6% in liver
The teratogenic metabolites of vitamin A in women following supplements and liver
Buss NE, Tembe EA, Prendergast BD +2 more
liver and supplements are not of equivalent teratogenic potential
Exposure to retinoic acids in non-pregnant women following high vitamin A intake with a liver meal
Hartmann S, Brørs O, Bock J +4 more
women should be cautious regarding their consumption of liver-containing meals during pregnancy
Analysis of retinol concentrations in bovine liver and its habitual consumption by pregnant women
Praxedes de Aquino RC, Pereira de Melo IL, da Silva Lourenço RM +1 more
the daily consumption of the bovine liver is not recommended for pregnant women
Safety Information
Potential Side Effects
Liver has a strong smell and fishy odor that put some children off meals. Copper and vitamin A upper limits are exceeded by a single 3-ounce serving of cooked liver.
Contraindications
Pregnancy and trying to conceive, because high preformed vitamin A intake is teratogenic.
Drug Interactions
- Vitamin A supplements and multivitamins with retinol: these add to liver's preformed vitamin A, and the adult upper limit is 3,000 mcg RAE a day in total
- Other copper supplements: these add to liver's copper, and the adult upper limit is 10,000 mcg a day in total
- Orlistat: can lower absorption of vitamin A and other fat-soluble vitamins, so ask your prescriber before relying on liver for vitamin A
- Retinoid medicines such as isotretinoin: they are separate vitamin A-related drugs with birth-defect risk, so check with your prescriber before adding liver
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Pregnancy: Likely unsafe
Breastfeeding: Not enough evidence to judge
Dosage Guidelines
Dosage Used in Studies
Consult healthcare provider
Best Time to Take
With a meal; no timing has been tested
Best Form
Cooked liver in small portions, or capsules with a stated vitamin A content
Bioavailability
The abstract of the Egyptian trial describes liver as a source of highly bioavailable iron and vitamin A, but no study we read compared liver capsules against other supplements.
Dosing by Goal
| Goal | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trial evidence | No supplement dose has been tested in adults | The one efficacy trial gave children liver meatballs three times a week for 90 days; the amount of liver per portion is not given in the abstract. |
| Vitamin A ceiling (adults) | 3,000 mcg RAE of preformed vitamin A per day from all sources | NIH ODS upper intake level. One 3-ounce serving of pan-fried beef liver has 6,582 mcg RAE, so size portions and count multivitamins too. |
| Copper ceiling (adults) | 10,000 mcg (10 mg) per day from all sources | A 3-ounce serving has 12,400 mcg, above this ceiling. |
| Capsules | Follow the label, and read the vitamin A and copper lines first | No source we read standardises per-capsule vitamin A, so total it with everything else you take. |
Forms Compared
Cooked beef liver (food)
Best for People who eat meat and want a food source of B12 and iron in small portions
The form used in the liver-meatball trial in children and the form the ODS nutrient figures describe. Easy to eat too much of.
Desiccated (dried) liver capsules or powder
Best for People who dislike the taste, with label checks for vitamin A and copper
Powder was tested for acceptability in Indonesian toddlers; the strong smell and fishy odor were the main objection. Capsule vitamin A content varies by product.
Food & Timing
Take with food. No study has tested timing against other supplements.
Medical Disclaimer
The information provided on this website is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or before starting any supplement regimen.
Individual results may vary. The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.