Liver Diseases Overview

Liver Diseases Overview

• The liver is the largest organ in the human body, weighing 1.5 kg.
• It is located in the upper right side of the abdomen.
• The liver consists of four lobes.

Liver Functions

• Distribution of amino acids: Delivers amino acids to body cells for protein production (prothrombin, albumin, globulin, fibrinogen).
• Converting glucose, fructose, and galactose to glycogen: Stores glucose as glycogen and converts excess glucose to fat, transporting and storing it in tissues.
• Converting fats to lipoproteins: Converts fats to lipoproteins in the form of triglycerides (TG) and synthesizes cholesterol and ketone bodies.
• Iron and copper storage: Stores iron as ferritin and copper, contributing to hemoglobin formation in red blood cells (RBC).
• Zinc and magnesium storage: Stores zinc and magnesium for enzyme production needed in metabolism.
• Vitamin storage: Stores vitamins A, D, E, K and B vitamins and enzymes.
• Bile production and storage: Produces bile salts, which are essential for digestion. Bile is then stored in the gallbladder before releasing into the intestine.
• Converting toxic substances to non-toxic: Neutralizes toxic substances and deactivates excess drugs.

Fatty Liver Disease

• What it is: A common condition caused by excessive fat buildup in the liver.
• Healthy liver fat content: A healthy liver contains a small amount of fat.
• Problem arises when: The problem arises when fat accumulation reaches 5% to 10% of the liver's weight.
• Causes: Increased formation of fatty acids, impaired lipid oxidation, and decreased synthesis of proteins to carry fats from the liver.
• Symptoms: Often asymptomatic, but symptoms may include abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite/weight loss, yellowish skin/eyes (jaundice), swollen abdomen/legs (edema), extreme fatigue, or mental confusion, and weakness.
• Stages: Fatty liver disease progresses through three stages: steatohepatitis (inflammation of liver tissue), fibrosis (scar tissue formation), and eventually cirrhosis (irreversible scar tissue replacing healthy tissue).

Forms of Fatty Liver Disease

• Alcohol-induced: Caused by heavy drinking; affects about 5% of the United States population.
• Non-alcoholic: Occurs in people who aren't heavy drinkers; factors like obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, and diabetes can increase risk.

Diagnosis

• Blood tests: Measurement of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels.
• Ultrasound: Imaging technique to visualize the liver.
• Liver biopsy: Tissue sample analysis to assess the extent of liver damage.
• FibroScan: Specialized ultrasound to indicate fat and scar tissue amounts in the liver.

Treatment Strategies: Diet

• Dietary restrictions: Avoid animal fats, fried foods, spicy foods, and foods containing gas-producing substances. Limit salt intake to manage edema/swelling.
• Dietary supplements: Consider B-complex vitamins, garlic, and foods rich in vitamin E, antioxidants, curcumin, and high fiber dietary sources (oats). Nuts, fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and tuna (omega-3 sources)and leafy greens may also prove beneficial.

Hepatitis

• What it is: An inflammation of the liver, which can range from mild to severe illnesses.
• Types: Viral hepatitis, such as hepatitis A, B, C, D, E; also associated with certain medications, toxins, and autoimmune conditions.
• Causes: Viral infection, medications, toxins, and infections. Various types of hepatitis infections exist. Several examples in the list of causes includes: (cortizone), heroin, drugs, allergy to sulfa compounds or penicillin, schistosomiasis, pesticides that can cause liver infections as well as immune infections
• Acute vs. Chronic: Acute hepatitis lasts for a few weeks to months; chronic hepatitis can persist for more than six months potentially leading to more severe health complications, such as cirrhosis, ascites, esophageal varices bleeding, and liver cancer.
• Symptoms: Symptoms can include loss of appetite, dizziness, nausea, jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin), dark urine, abdominal pain, general weakness, fatigue, nosebleeds, gum bleeding, vomiting blood, dark-colored stools, and high temperatures. Some patients may not show any symptoms until the advanced stages.

This quiz covers key aspects of liver anatomy and functions. Explore the diverse roles of the liver, including its storage capabilities and metabolic conversions. Test your knowledge on how the liver contributes to overall health.