Liver Disease Goes Beyond The Liver: Here Is How It Can Manifest

The Liver´s Functions

The liver is the largest organ in the body and is responsible for hundreds of functions. Some of these functions include:

• Protein production and storage
• Glucose and iron metabolism
• Structuring muscle and bones
• Regulation of nutrients
• Production of bile
• Regulation of fat and controlling of cholesterol production and excretion
• Cleaning the blood by eliminating and destroying toxins, medications, hormones, and infectious substances

Since other organs in the body rely on the liver´s ability to perform its tasks, the damage caused by liver disease can extend way beyond the liver and lead to various health complications and alterations in the body.

Heart

According to studies*, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) increases the risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular diseases. One of the most common explanations of this connection between NAFLD and heart diseases is the underlying metabolic syndrome (a group of health conditions including blood pressure, high blood sugar, obesity that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes) which is highly prevalent in those with liver disease. Due to common risk factors, it is recommended that patients with NAFLD should be screened for heart conditions and those with heart conditions should be tested for liver disease.

Bones

Disrupted metabolism and micronutrient deficiencies are a frequent complication of liver disease. Studies* show that a vast majority of individuals with liver disease experience vitamin D and calcium imbalance. These nutrients are essential for bone health and their dysregulation can worsen bone health, decrease bone density, and lead to osteoporosis. The liver´s impaired ability to produce proteins (e.g. IGF-I and fibronectin) that are crucial for bones can also play an important role in deteriorating bone health.

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Brain

The liver is the body´s filter and an important regulator of the metabolism, storage, and absorption of nutrients. When the liver is not functioning properly, toxins start building up in the blood. When these unprocessed toxins enter the brain, this can have many psychiatric, psychological, and neurocognitive implications. One of the most frequent neurological complications of chronic liver disease is a neurological disorder called Hepatic Encephalopathy.

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