Doctors often call liver diseases a silent killer and a time bomb. Sometimes it may take several years,before a person feels the first symptoms,but very often by this time the damage is already very serious. Fortunately,the liver has a truly unique ability to regenerate and in many cases it can be restored. Telling,what you should know about liver health.
Are you sure you will feel if something is wrong with you? For many diseases, this is true, but the liver is a completely different matter. This is one of the most important internal organs, the diseases of which can be asymptomatic for a very long time. The liver performs about 500 different functions in the body, including participating in the digestion of food, the production of vital proteins and removes toxins.
The statistics speak for themselves: over the past 40 years, the number of liver diseases worldwide has grown by almost 4 times, and even 20-year-olds are at risk today.
1. I do not drink alcohol. So I don’t need to worry about liver health?
Many are convinced that the main enemy of the liver is alcohol. This is true: if you abuse alcohol, then the liver takes the main blow. But in the modern world, alcoholic beverages are far from the only threat. Obesity also significantly increases the risk, and given that almost 25% of adults in the world are overweight, the situation is quite serious. Other factors include increased cholesterol, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and viral hepatitis.
2. What triggers changes in the liver
As a rule, problems begin when the liver is too overloaded. Normally, this organ contains a minimal amount of fat or does not contain it at all, but if a person abuses alcohol and receives too many calories with food, then fat begins to be deposited in the liver cells. Fat gradually accumulates, provoking inflammatory processes in the cells, while a person will not feel any obvious symptoms. Over time, healthy liver cells are replaced by scar tissue, which leads to cirrhosis. And when there are too few healthy cells and they cease to cope with their functions, the liver fails.
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3. Why a person does not feel any symptoms
There are no nerve endings in the liver, because of this a person does not feel pain until the lesions become very serious. The formation of scar tissue (fibrosis) gradually disrupts the blood supply to the liver, because of this it ceases to function properly. This condition is called cirrhosis. Many patients live for many years with liver diseases, without even knowing about it, and the diagnosis is made during examinations, which are carried out for a completely different reason. In the early stages, the only symptoms a person can feel are weakness, fatigue, and loss of appetite. But these signs can speak of many other violations.
4. Recently, I have been getting drunk much faster than before. Does this mean that the liver is not working properly?
Not at all necessary. Many people notice that with age they become more sensitive to the effects of alcohol. The fact is that over time, the amount of muscle mass in the body decreases, the fat content increases, and the water becomes less. This means that the concentration of alcohol in the blood rises, and you get drunk faster from a smaller amount. The liver also works less efficiently, and the number of enzymes that are responsible for the breakdown of alcohol is reduced.
5. In order for the liver to be healthy, do you need to completely abandon alcohol?
It’s not obligatory. It is enough to adhere to the standards recommended by doctors. The liver was created in order to remove toxins from the body, including alcohol. But if you are used to drinking a lot, then reducing the amount of alcohol will give an almost instant effect.
6. How to understand that I am at risk
Everything is simple. Calculate how much alcohol you drink, then measure your waist. If you regularly exceed the recommended norm (2-3 servings per day and no more than 12 servings per week for women, 3-4 servings per day and no more than 21 servings per week for men), the risk of liver disease increases. A standard serving is 100 ml of wine or champagne, or 285 ml of beer, or 30 ml of strong drinks. If your waist is more than 88 cm (for women) or 102 cm (for men), the risk also increases. Increased cholesterol, hypertension, type 2 diabetes also increase the likelihood of a disease. But only a doctor can determine exactly whether your liver is healthy and what are your risks.
7. How to maintain liver health
Try to follow these rules: every week, choose 3-4 days in a row, when you do not drink alcohol at all. It’s good if you arrange a month without alcohol at least once a year. If you are overweight, try to lose weight: even a 5-10% weight loss significantly reduces risks. Include regular exercise in your daily routine: this will not only help you lose weight, and will help normalize your blood sugar. If you suspect you might have contracted viral hepatitis, ask your doctor for a referral.
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