Cirrhosis Protein Intake: How Much Protein You Really Need with Liver Disease

When you have cirrhosis, a late-stage liver disease where scar tissue replaces healthy tissue, limiting its ability to process nutrients and remove toxins. It’s also known as liver cirrhosis, and it changes how your body handles protein, a vital nutrient that builds muscle, repairs tissue, and supports immune function.

For years, doctors told people with cirrhosis to cut back on protein because they feared it would worsen hepatic encephalopathy, a brain disorder caused by toxins building up in the blood when the liver can’t filter them. But that advice was wrong. New studies, including ones from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, show that low protein intake actually makes muscle loss worse—leading to weakness, falls, and longer hospital stays. Your body needs protein to heal, even with damaged liver tissue. The real issue isn’t protein itself—it’s how much, what kind, and whether your liver can still process it.

Most people with cirrhosis need 1.2 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. That’s about 75–100 grams for a 150-pound person. Plant-based proteins like beans and lentils are easier on the liver than red meat, but dairy and eggs are fine too. If you’re struggling with confusion or memory issues (signs of hepatic encephalopathy), your doctor might suggest splitting protein into smaller meals or using branched-chain amino acid supplements. But don’t cut protein unless you’re told to—starving your body of protein won’t protect your brain, it’ll just make you weaker.

What you eat matters more than you think. A high-protein diet doesn’t cause hepatic encephalopathy—poor digestion, infections, or constipation do. Keeping your bowels moving helps flush out toxins. Drinking enough water, eating fiber, and taking lactulose if prescribed can help more than cutting protein ever could. And if you’re losing weight or muscle, that’s a red flag. Your liver might be failing, not your protein intake.

There’s no one-size-fits-all plan. Some people do fine with 80 grams a day. Others need 120. It depends on your weight, activity level, and how advanced your cirrhosis is. The key is to work with a dietitian who knows liver disease—not just any nutritionist. They’ll help you balance protein with calories, sodium, and fluids so you stay strong without triggering complications.

Below, you’ll find real-world advice from people who’ve walked this path—what worked, what didn’t, and how to spot the difference between myth and science when it comes to eating with cirrhosis.