I’m a sucker for a good Instagram ad. Time and time again, I’m drawn in by the siren song of influencers promising me beauty, brains, or better sleep if I just buy this one thing. For the most part, these purchases are a bust — like the collagen syrup that tasted like mango-flavored hotdog water, or the overnight anti-aging body spray that gave me a neck rash (which is still lingering months later). And yet I persist, because once in a while, my pile of mail-order trash produces a treasure.
What initially drew me to Dose, apart from the sleek packaging and fact that it’s sold at LA cult-favorite store Erewhon, was the claim that one shot of this orange juice-flavored liquid is equal to 17 shots of cold-pressed turmeric. I’ve tried and failed to add turmeric supplements into my diet more times than I can count: My stomach sometimes feels "off" after meals, and I’ve heard that curcumin can make a positive impact on digestion and gut health. Unfortunately, I find the taste so off-putting that my gag reflex kicks in just from looking at one of those big orange capsules.
To be clear: Dose isn't simply a potent serving of turmeric, it’s a daily supplement for liver support made from that beloved root and dandelion, milk thistle, and ginger. I’ll be the first to admit that before I tried it, I’d never given my liver a second thought. I’ve never had a reason to worry about it, so to me, the liver was just another enigmatic organ chugging along inside the mysterious black hole that is my body. But since I was looking for a way to up my turmeric intake, I figured I’d try it — and any additional liver support would be a bonus.
Dose does have a distinctly turmeric-y hue, so I was happily shocked by the taste: The flavor is comparable to fresh-squeezed orange juice, and it’s so refreshing that my daily shot has quickly become the best part of my morning routine.
I’ve been taking it daily for a few weeks now, and overall, I feel pretty great. That said, I take a number of other nutritional supplements, so it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact effect Dose has had on my body, besides making my mornings pleasant. So to figure out specifically what Dose does, I decided to call an expert.
Kiran Krishnan is a microbiologist with a background in research and development in molecular medicine, and he’s an expert in the dietary supplement and nutrition market. He also happens to be the liver’s number one fan. "The liver plays a crucial role in digestion, because it processes and helps eliminate unwanted elements from what we eat, drink, and breathe," Krishnan explains. "It’s the unsung hero of our organs, but nobody talks about it unless they’re concerned about its health."
That’s why Krishnan’s goal is to help people become more liver-conscious and support its overall health. Part of the problem, he explains, is that we truly are what we eat, and Americans aren't eating especially well: “We’ve dramatically increased stress on the liver over the past 50 years,” he explains. “Refined sugar and drinking create stress on the liver, but trans fats are the worst — they’re highly stable, so they’re very difficult for the liver to break down.” (Signs your liver may need more support are easily confused with other health concerns — like low energy or brain fog — which signifies the importance of getting routine bloodwork done, to get a better picture of your health.)
With thousands of supplements on the market that promise to help ease your health concerns without clinical studies to back them up, you’re right to be wary as to whether some are just placebos with nice packaging. That’s what makes Dose stand out from the pack: The brand's scientific advisory board conducted clinical research before putting the product on the market, to put customers' minds at ease. In a placebo-controlled, double-blind study using healthy liver participants, specific liver enzyme markers were studied over the course of six months: 88 percent saw a positive impact on ALT and AST levels and 90 percent saw a positive impact on ALP levels.
So what precisely is in a dose of Dose? It’s a group of four nutrients in highly bioavailable forms, designed for absorption: Milk thistle, dandelion, ginger, and of course, my old friend turmeric. The last plays a crucial role in the formula, supporting the body's natural response to daily stressors: "Think of your liver like a mail room," says Krishnan. "Everything that goes into your body gets filtered through your liver. Turmeric helps cleanse the liver of unwanted elements so it can continue to process stressors efficiently.”
Milk thistle, or silymarin, also supports liver health. “Milk thistle has been used for centuries to support the liver," Krishnan explains. Ginger supports the liver more indirectly by aiding digestion and promoting which may ease bloating. Finally, dandelion root, which is rich in bitter compounds, activates receptors in the gut, supporting bile production. Together, these four ingredients offer complementary, non-overlapping benefits; as Krishnan puts it: “There’s a synergistic effect between each of those compounds, so combining them has an additive benefit.”
Of course, Dose isn’t for everyone, and you should ask your doctor before adding any new supplement to your diet. But if you’re looking for an easy way to support your overall health, it's a great place to start. As an expert, Krishnan can vouch that the brand has done rigorous clinical research to show that Dose’s clinically backed formula is effective in supporting liver health. And as a consumer, I can vouch that the taste alone makes it well worth the purchase.
