What our overworked liver is dying to tell us

THE LIVER is the second largest organ in our body, second only to our skin. It’s one of the most complex organs and it is responsible for critical bodily functions: breaks down harmful substances including drugs and alcohol; removes waste products from the blood; stores nutrients and vitamins; moderates chemical levels in the body; and even kills germs that enter the body through the intestine.

With such crucial roles, it’s not surprising that our liver is also built to be tough as well as resilient—in fact, it even has a remarkable power to regenerate itself.

But the liver can only take so much abuse.

Fatty liver

Among the things doctors are advising us to be watching out for is the development of fatty liver, which as the name suggests, refers to the buildup of excess fats in the liver cells.

While people with fatty liver may feel no symptoms (although a few may feel tired or have mild abdominal discomfort), such a condition should not be allowed to go unmanaged.

“A suspected diagnosis of fatty liver should prompt further evaluation. The cause should be identified and remedied because it can have serious consequences. Having fat in the liver over a long period may lead to liver inflammation, causing hepatitis, and then to scarring (fibrosis). In some people, this can progress to a condition known as cirrhosis, which can be life-threatening,” warned professor Alexander Nersesov, head of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology of Kazakhstan’s National Research Institute of Cardiology and Internal Medicine.

In addition to the well-known effects of excessive alcohol intake on the liver, he warned that doctors should also be aware of the increasing prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in certain group of individuals.

Most common

Nersesov said the NAFLD is now the most common liver disease in the world, affecting 10-15 percent of the population, especially in countries with higher rates of obesity and notable intake of high glycemic index foods (for example, carbohydrate-only foods such as bread, cereal, rice and pasta that are going to break down more quickly into glucose).

The NAFLD is a term for a wide range of conditions characterized by the buildup of fat in the liver cells of people who drink just a few alcoholic beverages.

Nersesov said people most at risk of NAFLD are those who are obese, have diabetes and insulin resistance, high blood pressure, or have too much cholesterol and triglyceride in their blood.

“Over time, the NAFLD, could lead to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), wherein the liver gets inflamed and could later progress to scarring of the liver and eventually, cirrhosis, which represents an irreversible damage to the liver and is the most severe stage in the entire NAFLD spectrum,” Nersesov explained.

He added that several studies have shown that weight loss and physical activity—the cornerstones of a healthy lifestyle—have a specific role in NAFLD, preventing disease progression and reducing the burden of the disease.

Nersesov added that there are emerging treatments for NAFLD, notable of which are the phospholipids.

“They facilitate metabolism of neutral fats and cholesterol. They have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. They likewise promote regeneration of liver cells,” he explained.

He also lauded the fact that pure de-oiled phospholipids from soya beans are now available here (Essentiale Forte P) saying the product should not be considered as mere dietary supplement but an effective drug.

Essentiale Forte product manager Macky Quidato explained that Filipinos could supplement their lifestyle changes with the phospholipids as it is one of the most well established hepatoprotectors—liver protector—considering it is backed by numerous researches and studies that support its effectiveness in stopping fatty liver from progressing any further.