We Know: All About Liver Disease What is liver disease? Liver disease occurs when the liver functions poorly or stops functioning altogether. Liver disease is not limited to one cause, but can be attributable to a number of disorders or diseases. Potential causes of liver disease include alcoholism, hepatitis, cancer, drugs, or other genetically inherited conditions. Anytime a liver function test returns abnormal results, liver disease is suspected. Why is the liver so important? The liver is the largest organ in your body. It stores vitamins, removes toxins from your blood, and aids in carbohydrate and protein metabolism. It also secretes a chemical called bile which helps in emulsifying fat content. Injury to your liver can prevent your body from eliminating waste products properly, cause vitamin deficiencies, and your body is unable to process fats and proteins. You end up getting vitamin and protein deficiencies which could lead to further health problems, poor brain functions, and ultimately death. How prevalent is liver disease? Liver disease affects approximately 25 million Americans, making it the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Approximately 27,000 individual die from cirrhosis annually. What causes liver disease? There are several underlying causes of liver disease. These include: Hepatitis Autoimmune - antibodies react to liver cells in the body in cause inflammation in the liver. Chronic - caused by viral, metabolic, or immunological injury to the liver cells. Hepatitis A - results from contact with contaminated excrement. Hepatitis B - the most infectious type of hepatitis, results in cirrhosis. Hepatitis C - transmitted by contaminated drug paraphernalia, blood transfusions, or by sexual contact. Infant and children's liver disorders Neonatal hepatitis Biliary Artesia Reyes Syndrome Cirrhosis Sclerosing Cholangitis - inflammation of the bile ducts leads to scarring around the liver. Porphyria - too much porphyrin, the precursors of red blood cells, form and cause havoc in the body. Hemachromatosis - genetic condition in which too much iron is absorbed in the body, leading to liver damage. Liver cancer Alcohol abuse Wilson's disease - disorder in which too much copper is secreted by the liver, resulting in liver disease. It is a genetic disorder. Disorders that cause liver disease result in some inflammation that ultimately leads to the development of cirrhosis. How do I know if I have liver disease? The early stages of liver disease are asymptomatic and painless. The first signs that something is wrong is the appearance of jaundice, a yellowish discoloration of the skin and whites of eyes that is the result of too much bilirubin in the body. Other symptoms of include: Nausea Fever Fatigue Cholestatis, or stoppage of bile Liver enlargement Portal hypertension - high blood pressure in the veins leading from liver to intestines Build up of toxins in the body leading to liver encephalopathy Liver failure Fluid build-up in the abdomen Bleeding in the stomach Anemia Impotence How is liver disease diagnosed? Liver disease is detected using liver function tests. An abnormal liver function test means that there might be something wrong with the liver. Other tests that are used to diagnose liver disease include blood tests, liver biopsies, ultrasound, and CT scans. How is liver disease treated? The treatment for liver disease depends on the cause. Normally, if too much damage has occurred in the liver, the only course of treatment is liver transplantation. If the liver disease is caused by alcohol for instance, then alcohol consumption should stop immediately. A vaccine for Hepatitis B is available from your doctor to prevent the occurrence of that disease. Otherwise, individuals suffering from liver disease need to adhere to a special diet low in sodium, but rich in carbohydrates and moderate fats to help replace the protein that is lost. Because liver disease causes low blood proteins and nutritional deficiencies, vitamin supplementation, especially Vitamin B, is necessary to replace lost nutrients. If the liver stops functioning, it must be treated or else the build-up of waste leads to complications in brain function. It helps to avoid products that damage the liver.
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