Friday, January 25, 2008
Liver Health Problems
Watch that fatty liver
A sensible diet, adequate exercise and not too much alcohol will help the liver stay healthy.
In the initial stages, there may be no inflammation but if left untreated, the condition can cause serious scarring or damage to the organ
When Ms Maneka Shetty, 31, went for her health check last November, she was shocked by the results.
The report showed an abnormal reading when it came to her liver function tests.
The investment banker had attributed her increased fatigue to the volume of work she was handling.
She had been travelling more often for work over the past year and her diet had been erratic: too much rich food at meetings with clients, along with a drink or two after work with colleagues. She was also desk-bound the rest of the time and did not exercise.
'I was so tired on weekends that all I did was to sleep,' she said.
She was diagnosed with simple fatty liver (steatosis). This is a condition in which fat accumulates within the liver without actually causing any liver damage.
But if left untreated, it can go on to cause more serious scarring or damage to the liver.
Ms Shetty was advised to start an exercise regime, lose weight and cut out alcohol.
According to Dr Lui Hock Fong, a consultant gastroenterologist and physician who runs a liver clinic, the liver is fairly resilient but accumulates damage over the years.
'I think we tend to take health for granted when we are young and take on habits that add on to potentially burden the liver,' he said.
Most working professionals may not feel anything in terms of symptoms but, depending on lifestyles, mild damage might have already occurred, Dr Lui said.
One of the more common liver conditions related to lifestyle is a fatty liver.
'It can range from simple fatty liver with no inflammation to more serious scarring and ultimately cirrhosis, where the liver is permanently scarred,' Dr Lui said.
The risk factors for fatty liver are being overweight, having a family history of obesity, high cholesterol levels and a sedentary lifestyle.
'If you do not expend enough energy, then all those calories are stored as fat. The liver can store fat but, in excess, it will cause inflammation,' he said.
Several factors like genetics and gender can also influence the health of the liver. 'For instance, studies have shown that Orientals tolerate less alcohol than Caucasians and that women tolerate less alcohol than men,' he said.
While there are no specific rules on how much Asians should drink, Dr Lui advises that a drink a day for women, and two for men, is probably safe.
He also cautioned against mixing drinks with medication.
'It's best not to combine Panadol (acetaminophen) with alcohol. While this drug is safe when taken according to advice, it can cause acute liver injury in case of overdose,' he said.
With people who drink more than the recommended amounts of alcohol, over-the-counter medication can sometimes cause liver injury at normal doses.
Dr Lui said simple lifestyle measures like getting adequate exercise, eating a sensible diet and watching the amount of social drinking go a long way in keeping the liver healthy.
- SHEFALI SRINIVAS
Labels: liver health problem
