Liver Health

Liver Health

Liver is an important organ and life without a functional liver is not possible. Day and night it breaks down food, fights infection and filters bad stuff from our blood.

All of the substances released from the gut, pancreas and the stomach reaches liver, they are metabolized and then sent to the rest of the body. The liver regulate the body's supply of nutrients and filters out any harmful substances that might come from the gut.

It play multiple roles in production of various essential proteins, maintaining body homeostasis, coagulation, digestion, glucose homeostasis, protein metabolism and so on. It produces glutathione which is essential for detoxification of liver, and to protect multiple organs against oxidative stress. Liver breaks down medicinal drugs to simple elements that can be tolerated by the body. Alcohol in its original form is toxic to the human body. Liver breaks it down to a form that can be tolerated by the body.

Liver disease or damage to the liver can influence all metabolic functions and can result in serious health issues.

The liver is a silent organ. Liver disease are often asymptomatic. We only come to know about it when more than 50% or half of the liver gets affected.

Chronic liver disease is often diagnosed accidentally when testing for other health issues. If symptoms of liver disease are visible, it means that the disease has already reached an advanced stage.

Liver may get damaged due to Alcohol, Chemical Exposure, Hepatitis, Autoimmune disorders, Various Medications e.g. Statins are commonly prescribed to control increased cholesterol. Even when taken in the appropriately prescribed dose, liver inflammation can occur.

Most common cause of liver damage is excess accumulation of fat in the liver, called as Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). High levels of fat in your liver is also associated with an increased risk of serious health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and Liver cancer. Most patients with NAFLD are asymptomatic or have very nonspecific symptoms therefore, the disease often remains unrecognized.

Some patients develop  Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis or NASH, where fatty liver is associated with inflammation which can cause varying degrees of scarring in the liver resulting in fibrosis. The increasing fibrosis reduces liver function. Continued inflammation can eventually develop cirrhosis and Liver Cancer.

Even Liver Cirrhosis often has no signs or develop only non-specific symptoms in the early stages such as fatigue, nausea, and weight loss.

So to remain healthier and to have positive health outcomes as we age, we must have a better functional liver. Our habits, food and lifestyle should support better functionality of the liver.