Liver health is rarely something you think about often. However, if you have an unhealthy lifestyle, your liver can suffer in silence and might need further examination and even testing to determine the cause of any diseases which can occur. According to the assistant professor of gastroenterology at the University of Michigan, Elliot Tapper, there are major reasons to test regularly. Longevity Live Partner Content.
And since you don’t want to turn yellow or experience abdomen pain, it’s better to prevent liver disease before it progresses and gets too serious.
In this article, we’ll focus on the risk factors that can aid in developing liver disease and which tests you can do to diagnose a liver issue.
Who’s at Increased Risk?
According to Dr. Tapper, people born between 1945 and 1965 are at increased risk of developing liver disease at some point in their lives. Baby boomers are at an even higher risk of getting hepatitis C. If hepatitis C is left untreated, it can lead to liver cancer, cirrhosis, and liver damage.
Diagnostic measures like ultrasound scans, CT, blood tests, and liver function tests aid in disease detection.
As a matter of fact, you can check the non-invasive liver test options at Fibronostics and get your liver checked quickly and easily. They are a team of professionals that uses neural network-based AI tools to diagnose liver disease.
Since viruses and parasites can affect the liver and cause conditions like hepatitis, you must do regular checkups, protect your skin and avoid contact with infected people.
Photo by Artem Podrez:
Dangerous Supplements
Many natural supplements and herbs are associated with liver damage. Almost 20% of the liver damage in the US is caused by such herbs. Just because a supplement is natural, or labeled as such, doesn’t mean it’s useful for your body and metabolism.
If you are taking any supplements, talk with your doctor and discuss potential treatment or prevention of liver issues that arise.
Toxins Exposure
The liver is a powerhouse organ. This means it’s an organ responsible for removing the toxins from the body and clearing the body from the chemicals that are no longer in use.
Furthermore, we recommend reading the warning labels on the products you use around the house, like cleaning products or gardening chemicals, to ensure you are not ingesting harmful substances or pesticides. Buy clean greens and fruits to avoid pesticide consumption.
Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol consumption is considered a high-risk factor for liver disease screening. Alcoholic fatty liver disease is a liver disease that manifests with inflammation or alcoholic hepatitis that can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer in the final stage.
The good news with alcoholic fatty liver disease is that the condition can reverse itself and even if the liver is damaged beyond repair, you still have chances of normal functioning. At the end of the day, ask yourself whether it’s worth it to risk your health and drink a lot just for the sake of enjoying a couple of glasses of alcohol.
Liver Disease History
Family liver disease is considered a risk factor as well. If you or a family member has experienced liver issues, you might be at increased risk of developing as well. For example, hemochromatosis, hepatitis B, and C impose higher risks of developing liver cancer.
And if a close relative has a genetic liver disease like Wilson’s disease or hemochromatosis, make sure you don’t oversee any liver symptoms! Do an enzyme liver test annually as part of your physical exam to keep peace of mind.
Obesity
Obesity is a high-risk condition for developing liver disease, a nonalcoholic fatty liver disease that can lead to liver cancer. NAFLD – Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the main reason for a liver transplant, according to Dr. Alqahtani.
The fatty stage can be reversed in the alcoholic type of disease, however, with the nonalcoholic type it’s hard to predict how the condition will develop. Maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly to keep your body in shape and promote liver health. Avoid consuming carbohydrates like sugar or bread, or even reduce the consumption if possible.
Symptoms
Liver disease symptoms do not always show up. However, if symptoms do occur, they might cause chronic fatigue, nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite, bruising and bleeding easily, dark urine color, itchy skin, swelling in the legs, jaundice, abdominal pain, and pale stool.
Check with your physician if you have any new or persistent symptoms or abdominal pain that won’t go away.
Take Care of Your Health
If you don’t take care of your health, who will? Make sure you are aware of any new symptoms that might show up and take action quickly to prevent more serious complications. For more information regarding liver health, general health, or what types of tests to do for different diseases, check our blog.
