A recent article in a UK based newspaper warning readers about the sharp increase in the cases of liver disease of late caught my eye recently. It said that by the year 2020, liver disease will be a top cause for premature death, higher in position than even heart disease owing to excessive alcohol consumption and obesity. Another news piece on the same issue states that many people suffering from liver disease do not even know that their liver is compromised. These are both very shocking revelations and it makes one at least worry, if not panic, about the situation.
Our liver is one of our most important organs. It performs critical functions in our body like:
- Detoxification of the blood which flows from the digestive tract
- Acting as a storehouse for energy in the form of glycogen and nutrients
- Breaking down fats by producing bile
- Breaking down alcohol ingested
- Producing amino acids (proteins) responsible for fighting infection
- Processing and storing iron necessary for the body
Unfortunately, despite being such a critical organ, our liver still gets subjected to maximum amount of voluntary abuse in the form of alcohol indiscretion, consumption of junk food, obesity etc. There are a host of diseases that are associated with a malfunctioning liver.
Diseases caused by a malfunctioning liver:
- Hepatitis: This disease leads to the inflammation of the liver. It can be caused by viruses and can present itself in one of three forms – Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C. It can also be caused by alcohol abuse and obesity.
- Liver Cirrhosis – When the liver is subjected to damage for a prolonged period due to any of the liver diseases, it may cause permanent scarring which is also known as liver cirrhosis.
- Liver cancer – One of the most common outcomes of liver cirrhosis is liver cancer which can present itself in the form of abnormal growths on the liver.
- Liver failure – When the liver ceases to function due to excess damage caused by prolonged alcohol abuse or an untreated infection it leads to liver failure.
Symptoms of liver disease –
The symptoms of liver disease are not very easy to catch which is why most liver conditions go unnoticed till it is very late for any form of treatment. This is why liver related diseases are known to be silent killers. Some of the early symptoms of liver disease are:
- Weight loss
- Fatigue and listlessness
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Jaundice
Once liver disease has blown up fully some of the following more dangerous symptoms may appear:
- Impotence in men
- Gynecomastia or enlarged breasts in men caused by an imbalance of hormones
- Muscle wasting
- Confusion and fogginess
- Swollen veins around the stomach and esophagus that may bleed
Some of the known causes of liver disease are:
- Alcohol abuse – An excess amount of alcohol consumed over a prolonged period of time will in all likelihood lead to liver damage and cirrhosis. This is because alcohol is very difficult to break down and contains toxins. Once consumed, alcohol passes through the liver where the liver tries to break it down and remove the toxins which are a very tough job. Over time fat gets accumulated over liver cells leading to inflammation and scarring.
- Drug related liver disease – Overdose of acetaminophen and niacin, for example, is related to liver disease. It can cause liver inflammation and scarring
- Viruses ingested through contaminated food or water cause liver infection which if left untreated may lead to further complications like cirrhosis and liver failure
- Obesity – Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is caused due to excess body weight as the liver is unable to break down all the fat consumed.
Curcumin supplements to prevent and treat liver disease:
- Curcumin is known as a blood purifying agent. It helps in removing toxins from the body so that the liver does not get over-burdened thereby eliminating the risk of liver disease.
- It negates the effect of excess alcohol consumption by giving the affected liver additional strength.
- The anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin help in bringing down the inflammation caused by liver disease thus bringing relief to the patient.
- The antioxidant properties of curcumin help in mitigating oxidative stress by discouraging production of ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species)
Livturm is an organic curcumin based supplement produced at Bagdara Farms in Madhya Pradesh. It consists of curcumin which is not just 100% organic but also of a very high quality. Livturm is specially meant for preventing and treating liver diseases of any kind. It is also free from all sorts of chemical residues that may be found in other non-organic supplements.
½ a teaspoon of Livturm with a pinch of black pepper and coconut milk should be boiled and consumed once a day to show maximum results.
Click here for more details : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29114108