Liver Health

Liver Disease: Did You Know?

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Liver Disease: The Basics

Liver disease has become the 12th most common cause of death in the U.S. Over 100 million Americans have some form of liver disease, yet many of them are unaware of this. It is also the 4th leading cause of death for people between 45 to 54 years of age.

Due to the progression and spread of liver disease, medical costs for patients with HCV are expected to rise to over $85 billion by the year 2024.

Relatively little is known to the public about the causes, symptoms and prevention of liver disease. As a result, the number of newly diagnosed cases is on the rise as never before.

The tricky part is that the symptoms of an inflamed liver are not always displayed in its early stages. One might confuse the first signs of certain types of liver disease (such as physical exhaustion) with the common flu. Going to regular medical check-ups can help you get a proper diagnosis.

Some of the common types of liver disease include:

Symptoms

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Being well aware of symptoms and potential risk factors can help identify the disease in time and increase chances of survival. In addition, over the last years, the chances for successfully treating liver disease have improved due to newly-developed medications and therapies.

The symptoms of liver disease can arise suddenly (acute symptoms) or systematically (chronic symptoms).

Though the symptoms may vary depending on condition, but the most common signs of developing liver disease can include:

• Jaundice (Yellowish skin and eyes)
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain
• Black and terry or pale stool
• Dark urine
• Diarrhea
• Itching
• Fatigue
• Malabsorption
• Fever
• Unexplained weight loss
• Unexplained bruises

Liver Statistics: Fast Facts

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• Among all cirrhosis deaths in 2009, 48.2% were alcohol related ²
• Approximately 17 million adults ages 18 and older had an Alcoholic Use Disorder in 2012 (SAMHSA. 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).
• In 2009, alcohol-related liver disease was the primary cause of almost 1 in 3 liver transplants in the U.S. ³
• Fatty liver develops in about 90% of individuals who drink more than 60 g/day of alcohol ⁴
• More than two-thirds (68.8%) of adults in the U.S. are considered to be at least overweight if not obese ¹
• 29.1 million people or 9.3% of the U.S. population have diabetes, 27.8% of people with diabetes are undiagnosed (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2012)

Sources:

¹ Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Ogden CL. Prevelance and trends in the distribution of body mass index among US adults, 1999-2010. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2012; 307(5):491-97.

² Yoon, Y.H., and Yi, H.Y. Surveillance Report #93: Liver Cirrhosis Mortality in the United States, 1970–2009. Bethesda, MD: NIAAA, 2012.

³ Singal, A.K.; Guturu, P.; and Hmoud, B.; et al. Evolving frequency and outcomes of liver transplantation based on etiology of liver disease. Transplantation 95(5):755–760, 2012.

⁴ Crabb DW. Pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease: newer mechanisms of injury. Keio J Med 1999;48:184-188.

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0504-hepc-mortality.html

Interesting Facts about the Liver

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• The liver is the only internal organ which can regenerate its damaged cells.
• The liver is constantly impacted by external toxins, whether it be alcohol, drugs, medications, or polluted air. If one part of the liver gets damaged, another will take over the damaged area`s functions until the healing process is complete. Sometimes, when the new cells are replacing dead cells, the formation of scar tissue may occur, which can cause serious liver complications, such as fibrosis and cirrhosis. It is important to remember, that the liver`s unique ability to regenerate has its limits.
• In adults, the liver weighs around 3-5 pounds.
• Before birth, the liver supplies most of the human body`s blood. After birth, the liver is constantly pumping around 10% of the body`s blood.
• The medical terms starting in “hepato” or “hepatic” come from the Greek word “hepar” indicating “liver”.
• For the Ancient Greeks the liver had a sacral meaning. They performed a special procedure – “Hematoscopy”, a divination by examining and interpreting animal livers.

Tips for Liver Health

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Your lifestyle directly affects your health. The food and water you consume, your environmental conditions, your daily activities and habits can benefit or harm your liver.

When it comes to your liver health, we would like to help you make the right choices and give you some advice on how to prevent liver diseases:

Maintain a healthy diet

Since the liver is an important regulator of metabolism, storage, and nutrition, the liver directly reacts to food you consume. Regular consumption of unhealthy food and poor nutrition can cause various liver diseases. For example, fatty liver disease, one of the most common types of liver conditions, is usually associated with obesity, diabetes, and sedentary lifestyle. Find out more about a healthy liver diet here.

Limit alcohol consumption

When you drink alcohol, your liver is responsible for detoxifying your blood. Alcohol-overload can affect not only your liver, but your brain and heart. Regular alcohol consumption can damage and destroy your liver cells. As a result, this can lead to serious liver diseases. For example, fatty liver can develop in 90% of people who drink more than 60 g of alcohol per day. Over 40% of all cirrhosis deaths in 2009 were caused by high alcohol consumption.

Control your medications

Always take your medications correctly – avoid overdose and non-prescribed medication. Do not forget that any medication you take will be processed by the liver, and when combined with other medication or alcohol, it can be toxic. It is always worth talking to your physician instead of putting yourself at risk through self-diagnosis.

Workout Regularly

Regular physical activities will definitely benefit your liver. Exercise will help you enhance your immune and cardiovascular systems and generally improve your quality of life through maintaining a healthy weight. In addition, obesity contributes to a higher risk of developing fatty liver disease.

Practice safe sex

Certain liver diseases such as Hepatitis A, B, and C can be transmitted sexually. When being involved in sexual activity, it is important to remember to protect yourself to help both you and your partner avoid any possible risks.

Protect your health while traveling

You should not forget about your liver health when you are planning to travel. Travel vaccinations will protect you from various infectious diseases that can be found overseas. Find out before your trip about the possible health risks and whether you have to get vaccinated. While traveling, always make sure that the water and food you consume are safe. Avoid exposure to toxins.

Avoid exposure to toxins

Toxic substances, accumulating in the liver, can negatively affect the liver health and lead to the damage of its cells. That is why you should always wear gloves, long sleeves or a mask to avoid direct contact with toxins from chemicals, cleaning products, or insecticides.