Alcohol Abuse Advice

Liver Failure Causes And Diet

Liver failure is basically a condition in which much of the organ has been damaged and it is no longer possible to repair it. Once this happens, the liver is no longer able to function. Noticing and correctly identifying the symptoms of liver failure is not always easy, because they can come gradually or acutely and are often mistaken for other diseases. Some of the first symptoms of a failing liver include fatigue, diarrhea, nausea and loss of appetite. These often are not diagnosed, but as the liver further degrades the symptoms also become more severe.

A condition that is characterized by irreversible damage to the liver cells is called cirrhosis. In this condition, the cells are totally damaged and replaced by non-functioning nodules. Cirrhosis is due to heavy alcohol intake, hepatitis B and C infections, and several others. Cirrhosis, when it is in its final stage, can lead to liver cancer.

Symptoms:

The most general liver failure symptoms that you may feel to show signs of liver problems are just numerous. You may experience chronic tiredness. You feel tiredness recurrently. Your energy level falters even just at the start of your day. You may also experience frequent headaches, different kinds of allergy and intolerance to food, alcohol and some reactions to various drugs and medicines. You may also feel hot flushes, weight loss difficulty, indigestion. And even bad breath. This maybe because the liver fails to metabolize the food we eat that the wastes cannot be flushed out.

Causes:

There are many possible causes of liver failure, but also many things that can be done to prevent it. The most common causes of chronic liver deterioration include Hepatitis B and C, cirrhosis, malnutrition and long term alcohol abuse. In acute cases of rapid failure a virus is often the culprit, but also poisonous mushrooms, a reaction to medication or a Tylenol overdose. Prevention is best done by not consuming too much alcohol for a long period of time, proper hygiene, eating balanced meals and keeping up to date on hepatitis vaccines.

Diet:

Liver failure diets concentrates on the goal of balancing the necessary nutrients needed by a damaged liver. Vitamins must be taken in moderation depending on the severity of liver damage of any patient. Minerals such as calcium, iron and sodium also have significance in proper balance and function of the body. When the liver is damaged, calcium content of the body may decrease. Calcium supplement may be necessary. Sodium and iron on the other hand, must be taken with supervision so the damaged liver could function better.

Proteins and Amino Acids, like sodium and iron, must also be taken with moderation and supervision. Animal proteins may be harmful to the damaged liver, so it is recommended to avoid these. Patient may instead be given vegetable proteins.

Carbohydrates should also be taken in moderation. The diet must be low in saturated fats so as not to add up to the clogging of arteries and increase the amount of bad cholesterol in the body.