The Liver is the largest internal organ of the body and is involved in more than 500 functions of the body including digestion,metabolism, nutrient storage and removal of toxins. There are several things that cause liver damage
(1)ALCOHOL: Alcohol consumption is the most cause of liver damage. When one drinks alcohol, the liver gets diverted from its other functions and focus mainly on converting alcohol into a less toxic form. Absorption of alcohol by the liver causes fatty liver disease ,inflammation of the liver and cirrhosis.
(2)OBESITY: People who are obese, have amounts of body fat which tend to accumulate around the liver causing what is known as fatty liver disease. Obesity is also linked to cirrhosis
(3).DIABETES: Having diabetes increases the risk of liver disease by 50%.People with diabetes due to insulin resistance have high levels of insulin in their blood. This causes liver to store fat internally, causing liver disease.
(4)HIGH SALT INTAKE: High salt intake is well known to increase blood pressure, but can also cause fatty liver disease by building up fluid in the liver(water retention)and swelling it up.
(5) SMOKING: Although cigarette smoke does not have a direct effect on liver function,harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke increases oxidative stress of the system after reaching the liver, causing irreversible damage to the liver cells .
(6)OVERUSE OF MEDICATION: Overuse of over-the-counter drugs and certain prescription drugs known to cause liver damage. Some of these drugs include anti depressants, mood stabilizers, corticosteroids(used in treating inflammation) and pain relievers. It's therefore important to review the side effects and adverse effects of medication before taking them.
(7)NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS: Research suggests that dietary or nutritional supplements can increase the production of certain liver enzymes when taken in excess amounts causing liver damage. A well known cause of toxicity is overdose of vitamin A
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