Organ meat supplements are well heard of in today’s health centered media. For many, eating organ meats is off putting, but when packaged in capsules, they are all the rage. So what really are organ meat supplements? And do we really need them?

What Are Organ Meat Supplements?

Organ meat supplements are dietary supplements made from the organs of animals, such as liver, heart, kidneys, and spleen. These supplements are often freeze-dried or powdered to preserve the nutrients found in organ meats. Organ meats are rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other essential nutrients. They are commonly used as a way to support overall health, particularly for those who don’t consume organ meats regularly. They are popular in health and wellness circles and are marketed for their various health benefits.

The idea behind supplementing with organ meats is that they are rich in proteins as well as essential Amino Acids, notably branched chain amino acids or BCAAS, and because of that, they will help promote muscle growth and repair. Further claims mention promoting liver, heart, and spleen health through muscle growth and detoxification pathways.

Do We Really Need Them?

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Krystal Dunham says likely not. Everything found in these touted organ meat supplements can also be found in normal food sources. She notes that although the organ meat supplements do contain amino acids, the bioavailability of supplements tends to be lower than simply eating the real food itself.

Looking deeper into this, many of these supplements have serving sizes of nearly 6 capsules or more. That’s quite a few! Even with the high capsule size, you’re only getting 2 grams of protein per serving. This is significantly worse than the 24 grams you might get from simply eating 4 oz of ground beef!

Actually, certain stores sell organ meats at about 2.82 dollars a pound, notably better than the often 40 dollar plus supplements you see online or at supplement stores. So if you want to enjoy organ meats for their nutritional benefits, you could consider buying the meat directly from the store and save money as well as enjoy eating a whole food option.

The Takeaway

Organ meat supplements are probably not everything they are talked about being. They are less cost effective than buying organs at the store, and likely are not providing enough amino acids or other nutrients to make a large difference. In todays world, it is easy to overcomplicate nutrition with supplements and other fad diets, but looking at eating a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will often provide better health benefits than any supplement.

Rachel Brown

Rachel Brown is a Dietetics Student at Idaho State University. She is currently completing her bachelors degree and will be attending ISU for her Masters and Dietetic Internship come Fall of 2025. She plans to become a Registered Dietitian in the future.

Using her knowledge from her coursework and research, she helps write blogs for The Mother Road Dietitian. Outside of school, she volunteers at the Idaho State University Food Pantry and also works on her personal blog (www.rachelelieen.com) which she used to learn about social media marketing, website design, and SEO. In her spare time, Rachel loves to workout, see friends, and travel!