What happens when the liver is damaged?

What Happens When the Liver is Damaged?

When the liver gets sick, as in cirrhosis (severe scarring), it struggles to juggle all its important jobs. This is why understanding liver damage is crucial when planning a healthy liver diet.

Imagine your liver as a busy factory that starts to lose power. As damage progresses, the liver begins to prioritize its tasks, giving up some functions to keep you alive:

• Less Energy Storage:
  Think of it like an old phone battery that dies at 50%. With less energy stored, your body may feel tired faster.
  

• Vitamin Deficiencies:
  A damaged liver may not store enough vitamins like Vitamin K (important for blood clotting) and Vitamin D (vital for bone strength and immunity). This is why nutrition for liver disease often focuses on these vitamins.

  
  

• Fluid Imbalance:
  The liver makes less albumin, which helps keep the right amount of water in your blood. Without enough albumin, you may experience swelling in your belly (ascites) or legs.
  

• Weakened Immune System:
  With reduced toxin removal and protein production, your immune system may not work as well, increasing the risk of infections.
  

• Digestive Problems:
  If bile production drops, your body struggles to digest fats. This can lead to malabsorption, where you miss out on vital nutrients.
  

Good liver disease nutrition can help manage these problems by providing the right balance of nutrients to support liver function and overall health.