What is Liver Health
Let’s break it down, liver health refers to how well your liver is working. Your liver is a vital organ that performs many jobs in the body everyday.
Key functions include:
- Filtering toxins and harmful substances from the blood
- Processing medications and alcohol
- Helping digest food and absorb nutrients
- Storing energy for the body to use later
- Supporting the immune system
- Helping regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels
When the liver is healthy, it can carry out these functions effectively, if the liver becomes damaged over time, it may not work as well.
Why is Liver Health Important
The liver plays a major role in overall health, when the liver becomes damaged, it can lead to serious health problems.
Maintaining liver health can help:
- Prevent long-term liver disease
- Processing medications and alcohol
- Reduce the risk of cirrhosis (permanent scarring of the liver)
- Lower the risk of liver cancer
- Support digestion and energy levels
- Help the body remove harmful substances
Many liver conditions develop slowly and may not cause symptoms at first, this is why awareness and early testing are important.
Are There Symptoms of Liver Problems
Many people with liver problems or liver disease do not experience symptoms in the early stages.
When symptoms do occur, they may include:
- Ongoing tiredness or fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Abdominal discomfort or swelling
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
- Dark urine or pale stools
- Easy bruising or bleeding
Because symptoms may not appear until later, testing is often the best way to check liver health.
How Can I Look After My Liver
There are several ways to support liver health.
Steps that can help include:
- Getting tested for hepatitis B and hepatitis C
- Receiving recommended vaccinations, including hepatitis A and hepatitis B
- Reducing or avoiding alcohol
- Eating a balanced diet
- Staying physically active
- Using sterile injecting equipment and never sharing
- Speaking with a GP about medications or supplements
- Having regular health checks if you have risk factors
Looking after your liver is an important part of protecting your long-term health.
What Affects My Liver?
Many different factors can affect liver health, some liver conditions can develop even when a person feels well.
Common causes of liver damage include:
- Fatty liver disease and MASLD
- Alcohol use
- Viral infections such as hepatitis B and hepatitis C
- Certain medications or supplements
- Exposure to toxins or chemicals
- Metabolic conditions such as diabetes
- Sharing injecting equipment or other blood-to-blood exposure
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