Liver salts are an over-the-counter effervescent powder used to relieve indigestion and constipation. The most well-known brand is Andrews Liver Salts, which has been sold in the UK and other countries since the late 1800s. Despite the name, liver salts have nothing to do with treating or supporting the liver. The name is a holdover from an era when digestive problems were widely blamed on a “sluggish liver.”
What’s Actually in Liver Salts
Liver salts contain three active ingredients: sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), citric acid, and magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt). Each plays a different role. Sodium bicarbonate is an antacid that neutralizes excess stomach acid. Citric acid reacts with the sodium bicarbonate to create the fizzing effect when you dissolve the powder in water, and the resulting compound (sodium citrate) also helps buffer stomach acid. Magnesium sulfate works as a mild laxative.
When you drop liver salts into a glass of water, the citric acid and sodium bicarbonate react to produce carbon dioxide gas, which is what creates the bubbles. This effervescence helps the ingredients dissolve quickly and can itself provide a soothing sensation for an upset stomach. The final drink is essentially a mildly salty, slightly tangy solution that goes to work in two places: your stomach and your intestines.
How They Relieve Indigestion
The antacid effect is straightforward. Sodium bicarbonate is alkaline, so it chemically neutralizes hydrochloric acid in your stomach. This raises the pH of your stomach contents and reduces the burning sensation of heartburn or acid indigestion. The relief tends to be fast, often within minutes, but relatively short-lived compared to some other antacids. The sodium citrate produced by the fizzing reaction provides additional acid-buffering action.
How They Work as a Laxative
The magnesium sulfate component is what gives liver salts their laxative effect. Magnesium sulfate is an osmotic laxative, meaning it draws water into the intestines. When the magnesium reaches your gut, it pulls fluid from surrounding tissue into the intestinal space. This extra water softens stool and increases its volume, which stimulates the bowel to contract and move things along. The effect typically produces a bowel movement within 30 minutes to 6 hours.
This is the same mechanism behind drinking Epsom salt dissolved in water as a constipation remedy. Liver salts simply package it with antacid ingredients so it can address both ends of the digestive complaint spectrum at once.
What Liver Salts Are Used For
People reach for liver salts to deal with a few common situations:
- Occasional indigestion or heartburn after heavy meals or rich food
- Mild constipation when you need short-term relief
- General stomach upset including bloating and that overly full feeling
- Hangover symptoms, particularly nausea and stomach discomfort (a popular folk use, though not a medically endorsed one)
Liver salts are meant for occasional, short-term use. They’re not designed to manage chronic heartburn, ongoing constipation, or any diagnosed digestive condition. If you find yourself using them regularly, that’s a signal something else may need attention.
How to Take Them
The standard approach is to dissolve one to two teaspoons of the powder in a full glass of water and drink it. For laxative purposes, magnesium sulfate products generally recommend 2 to 4 level teaspoons dissolved in 8 ounces of water for adults and children 12 and older, with no more than two doses in a day spaced at least 4 hours apart. Children aged 6 to 11 typically take half the adult amount. Liver salts are not recommended for children under 6.
Specific dosing varies by brand and formulation, so checking the label on whatever product you have is important. The laxative and antacid doses may also differ, since a smaller amount can settle your stomach while a larger amount is needed to get the bowel-moving effect.
Who Should Be Cautious
Liver salts contain a significant amount of sodium, which matters if you’re watching your salt intake due to high blood pressure, heart problems, or kidney disease. The magnesium sulfate component can also be an issue for people with kidney problems, since the kidneys are responsible for clearing excess magnesium from the body.
Pregnant women, people taking prescription medications (especially heart or blood pressure drugs), and anyone on a sodium-restricted diet should check with a pharmacist before using liver salts. The sodium bicarbonate can also interfere with the absorption of certain medications if taken at the same time.
Why They’re Called “Liver” Salts
In the 19th century, Victorian-era medicine attributed most digestive complaints to the liver. Constipation, indigestion, bloating, and general malaise were all chalked up to a “torpid” or “bilious” liver that wasn’t producing enough bile. Products marketed to fix these problems naturally adopted the liver label. Andrews Liver Salt, first produced in 1894, was one of many patent medicines that traded on this idea. The name stuck long after medical understanding moved on, and today it’s simply a brand identity with no connection to liver health or function.