Five Strategies for Boosting Liver Health

When’s the last time you thought about your liver? The body’s largest organ, this football-sized dynamo cleans impurities from your blood. That means the toxic effects you might face from a night of binge drinking or excessive reliance on over-the-counter medications are greatly reduced by this hardworking organ. Did you know the three-pound liver has been linked to over 500 vital functions including regulating the clotting of your blood and resisting infection by removing bacteria from your bloodstream? So you want to make sure your liver functions and functions well.  

The challenge is what when it comes to liver health, it’s not easy separating fact from fiction. Alcohol plays an outsized role in how well the liver functions. Overeating or overusing medications can also harm this organ. The good news is that reversing liver damage is usually possible and often happens with some simple changes in lifestyle. First, however, you need to check your liver functions. This can be accomplished by a simple, low-cost, at-home test like the ones offered at Kyla. If you want to learn more liver health and about how to take care of this vital organ, read on. Because while Paul Simon once sang about “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” he might not have realized there are also five ways to love your liver.

Most people who regularly drink are not alcohol dependent or addicted. In fact, one study concluded that, “Most excessive drinkers (90%) did not meet the criteria for alcohol dependence.” In other words, even if alcohol is not affecting your career or relationships, it can still affect your liver health and overall physical wellbeing. 

Binge drinking standards are fairly low –– just four drinks in a single occasion for women, five for men according to the CDC. Since your body metabolizes about half a drink an hour, it’s quite possible for someone who drinks consistently to be both a binge drinker and rarely feel drunk or hungover. Yet there’s no escaping the connection between alcohol and liver damage –– even if you don’t feel like you drink to excess.  

There’s also no escaping the risks that happen whenever someone binge drinks. Twenty percent of the deaths among people aged 20-49 years are linked to excessive drinking. During the pandemic in 2020, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reported that an “analysis of death certificates from 2019 and 2020 showed that deaths involving alcohol rose from approximately 79,000 to more than 99,000, a 25.5% increase.”  Further, the The Alcohol-Related Disease Impact application links some 178,000 deaths in the U.S. each year to excessive drinking. 

Frighteningly, some studies on alcohol and liver damage have found an increasing incidence of the most advanced form of liver disease, cirrhosis, among younger adults –– though a 2023 study published in the medical journal JNMA concluded that, “The prevalence of liver cirrhosis in young adults was found to be lower than the other studies done in similar settings.” Still, around a quarter of the 22,000 Americans who die of alcoholic liver disease are under aged 49 with many in their 20s or 30s.

What’s really scary is that there are few if any symptoms of liver disease. Until it reaches its most advanced stages, it’s likely you won’t know if you have an issue. That’s why doctors recommend that people either abstain or consume no more than two drinks per day. While some studies have suggested that moderate drinkers outlive teetotalers, the evidence is very mixed. 

1. If You Drink, You May Want To Reduce Alcohol Consumption

If you are drinking regularly, the best thing you can do for your health is to moderate. The next best thing? Get a liver function test.  Testing from Kyla is convenient, inexpensive, and best of all done from the privacy of your own home. No need for an uncomfortable conversation with the doctor who’s been treating you since you were 12. Even better, follow-up care is available which will include a health profile and access to a data-driven risk engine to help you extend your healthy life and make the best choices you can. You’ll even have an opportunity to speak with a healthcare professional. 

2. Watch Out For Medication

You could fill pages listing the many liver functions. Just know that it is a very hardworking organ, responsible for everything from vitamin and mineral storage to metabolizing proteins, carbs, and fats. It receives nearly one-third of your cardiac output –– in other words, the blood from your heart. Uniquely, it actually gets both arterial and venous blood. Along with metabolizing alcohol, it also metabolizes medications. 

Just as with alcohol, taking higher doses of medications or using them for longer than recommended can cause serious liver damage. What you may not realize, is that many common, over-the-counter medications pose a potential risk. Tylenol, for example, has been linked to liver damage. If you’re in the habit of going to sleep with a TylenolPM after a glass of wine or three, you’re taking a serious risk and could do long term damage to liver functions. Other drugs including anabolic steroids and anti-seizure medicine have been conclusively linked to liver damage. Less certain is green tea extract, a common weight loss supplement, which has caused issues among those with a genetic predisposition. 

The key, as with alcohol, is moderation. If your doctor is about to prescribe a new medication and you regularly consume more than two drinks per day it’s important that you are honest and forthright about your consumption. Your liver is depending on you. To make sure you enjoy optimal liver health, the primary care panel from Kyla can make a real difference. With a simple needle prick and submission of the sample to Kyla, you’ll quickly get results from a wide variety of tests including thyroid and cortisol levels, along with hormone, liver, and heart health. Best of all, while other companies charge hundreds of dollars, Kyla’s test is just $99. 

3. Add Liver Healthy Foods To Your Plate

Alcohol and medications are not the only things affecting liver function. In fact, they aren’t responsible for the most chronic liver disease in the world: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. As the name implies, damage to this vital organ occurs when the liver becomes too fat –– the result of its owner being overweight or obese. Fat deposits can swell the liver and lead to scarring of the organ –– also known as cirrhosis. This is an irreversible condition. Liver cancer has also been linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

So, even if you don’t drink or take medications to excess, you could be at risk from other things you put into your mouth. High sugar, high fat, processed foods can do as much if not more damage to this organ as an alcoholic drink. 

The good news is that reversing liver damage is as simple as changing what you put on your plate. Turns out upping your protein could save your life. Science Daily reported on a recent study on protein and liver health that showed “a calorie-reduced, high-protein diet decreased liver fat more effectively than a calorie-reduced, low-protein diet: while the liver-fat content in the high-protein group decreased by around 40 percent, the amount of fat in the liver samples of the low-protein group remained unchanged.” 

Although participants in both groups lost a few pounds, only the high-protein, reduced calorie group reduced their liver fat. Keep in mind the secret to increasing both your protein and liver health is dependent upon which proteins you choose. Just scarfing cheeseburgers won’t solve anything. Lean protein sources include boneless skinless chicken breast (baked or broiled not fried) and fish. Occasional cuts of lean red meat are acceptable but as always moderation is the key.

Of course, these aren’t the only foods for liver and kidney health. High fiber foods actively promote organ health and may help with reversing liver damage. A 2023 study published in Frontiers in Public Health concluded that “increasing dietary fiber intake could confer a greater benefit to protect against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.” It also suggested that increasing fiber intake could improve liver health and prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Not coincidentally, many of the best foods for liver and kidney health are also great for reducing belly fat and helping other organs. For instance, some great options for liver health include oatmeal, blueberries, broccoli and almonds. Along with at-home testing, Kyla offers some amazing recipes for everything from a Pomegranate Guava Smoothie to Blueberry Peach Feta Salad. Check them out!

Not everything ideal for your largest internal organ has to be chewed. Green tea, coffee, and water are all excellent for your liver while also being heart healthy.

4. Regular Testing Is Key To Liver Health 

Although we’ve covered alcohol and liver damage, you might be surprised to learn that the same behaviors that can damage that organ also put your heart at risk. Yes, there have been multiple studies showing that alcohol and in particular red wine can raise your HDL cholesterol levels –– the good cholesterol. Red wine is also loaded with heart-healthy antioxidants. However, these benefits diminish with excess. A glass or two is fine. Four or more can be a problem, leading to hypertension, and even heart failure or stroke. It has also been linked to a disorder of the heart muscle called cardiomyopathy. 

That’s what’s so great about a convenient, at-home test from Kyla. You’ll get results that examine your heart health including a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) test that indicates inflammation. A common side effect of excessive alcohol use, among other things, this is a marker that can predict a wide variety of heart diseases. You’ll also get a lipid panel which will look at how much cholesterol and other fats are present in your blood. 

The panoply of tests are available for just $99 and include an explanation of what the results mean for your liver health, your heart health, and your overall well being. Remember the symptoms of liver disease are often nonexistent but reversing liver damage is possible if it’s discovered early. That’s why testing is so important. 

5. Follow up Is The Key To Good Liver Health

Yes, reversing liver damage is possible which is why you want more than just a test. You want a holistic approach that will pair you with a medical professional who can discuss your options and help you develop a program to optimize your liver health. Kyla’s data-driven risk engine uses state of the art AI to extend your lifespan and lengthen your years of good health. Of course this starts with healthy choices –– which is why the team of medical experts at Kyla don’t believe in one and done. Rather they hope you’ll join them on a lifetime journey that will overcome any obstacles to your living a long and healthy life. 

Sources: 

1. Feaster, Rachel, PharmD, BCOP, BCPS. “ Ten Medications That May Raise Your Risk of Liver Damage.” GoodRx. April 26, 2023. https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/liver/the-ten-worst-medications-for-your-liver
2. “Liver: Anatomy and Functions,” John Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/liver-anatomy-and-functions#:~:text=All the blood leaving the,body or that are nontoxic.
3. Esser MB, Hedden SL, Kanny D, Brewer RD, Gfroerer JC, Naimi TS. “Prevalence of Alcohol Dependence Among US Adult Drinkers, 2009–2011,” Preventing Chronic Disease. 2014. https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2014/14_0329.htm
4. “Alcohol Use and Your Health,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 29, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm#:~:text=Long-Term Health Risks,liver disease, and digestive problems.&text=Cancer of the breast, mouth,liver, colon, and rectum.
5. “Alcohol-Related Emergencies and Deaths in the United States,” National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 2024. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-topics/alcohol-facts-and-statistics/alcohol-related-emergencies-and-deaths-united-states
6. LBhusal, Mohan et al. “Liver Cirrhosis among Young Adults Admitted to the Department of Gastroenterology in a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.” JNMA; Journal of the Nepal Medical Association February 1, 2023, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10088990/#:~:text=Therefore, cirrhosis cases are increasingly,the cause of this condition 
7. Chen, Nancy. “Alcohol-related Liver Disease Rising Among Young people,” CBS News. January 16, 2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alcohol-related-liver-disease-rising-young-people/
8. Vaja, Rakesh, and Meenal Rana. “Drugs and the liver,” Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Vol. 21,10 (2020).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7508170/#:~:text=Metabolism of drugs by the,oxidation, reduction and hydrolysis reactions.
9. Smith, Andrew.“Green Tea Extract May Harm Liver in People With Certain Genetic Variations,” Rutgers Today. December 1, 2022.https://www.rutgers.edu/news/green-tea-extract-may-harm-liver-people-certain-genetic-variations
10.  “Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease,” Mayo Clinic. April 4, 2024. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20354567
11. “How Protein Protects Against Fatty Liver,” Science Daily. August 18, 2020. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200818103815.htm
12. “14 Best and Worst Foods for Your Liver,” WebMD.November 26, 2022. https://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/ss/slideshow-best-and-worst-foods-for-your-liver
13.  Zhu, Yu et al. “Dietary Fiber Intake and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: The Mediating Role of Obesity,” Frontiers in Public Health. January 6, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9853063/