July 6, 2023 general

Most of us don’t pay much attention to our liver because it doesn’t talk to us like our heart or digestive systems do and we usually can’t feel it. According to a Columbia University Department of Surgery article about the organ, “The liver filters all of the blood in the body and breaks down poisonous substances, such as alcohol and drugs. The liver also produces bile, a fluid that helps digest fats and carry away waste.” It is easy to see that real trouble might ensue if the liver stopped doing those jobs. Most people have heard of jaundice (it causes yellowing of skin and eyes usually in newborns) and cirrhosis (serious damage from alcoholism). Less well known but actually much more common is Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). It is a problem for 1 out of 4 American Adults! Twenty five percent—that is a pretty big deal.

We learn from the Mayo clinic that “NAFLD usually causes no signs and symptoms. When it does, they may include fatigue and pain or discomfort in the upper right abdomen.” The National Institutes of Health discusses the types of testing that are used to diagnose NAFLD. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among those with NAFLD, but then that is also the leading cause of death for everyone. So, it isn’t clear if the NAFLD is the fatal factor or it is that the problems which cause the liver problem are also causing heart disease.

The cause of NAFLD is typically “overweight or obesity, insulin resistance, high blood sugar (hyperglycemia indicating prediabetes or type 2 diabetes), and high levels of fats, particularly triglycerides, in the blood.” Obviously, diet (e.g. reduced simple carbohydrates) and lifestyle are key to improving those issues.

Curcumin, the active property in the spice turmeric has been shown in some studies to be helpful for NAFLD. (The supplement has also shown benefit for glucose-lowering and anti-atherosclerotic effects in type 2 diabetes.) However, a recent study concluded that “Curcumin Supplement Provides No More Cardiometabolic Benefits than Lifestyle Modification Alone in Patients with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver.”

My bottom line. Since one study is not usually the final word, and because there are so many additional benefits to maintaining normal body weight, improving blood sugar management and the use of curcumin, why not be kind to your liver and the rest of your body and brain by doing all the above? Of course, we should also moderate alcohol intake because excess is a shortcut to serious liver trouble.