For illustrative purposes
The liver, as a digestive and metabolic organ, It has more than 5 thousand functions, among them: participating directly in the digestive process through the production of bile, allowing the metabolism of drugs and external substances.
It also fulfills the role of energy producer for the body, at very small levels it produces blood and is essential in the function or protection of the body. That is why its damage could cause complications.
“The liver is the main site where harmful substances are metabolized or broken down into simple substances that the body can eliminate through urine or through bile. However, when the liver is sick, it cannot fulfill its function so easily and it itself is injured silently or is asymptomatic,” commented Wagner Ramírez, gastroenterologist and specialist in liver diseases.
The doctor listed the symptoms that can alert you to having a diseased liver:
- Abdominal swelling and pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- digestive bleeding
- Jaundice, the yellow discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes, or eyes
- Disorientation
- Personality changes
- Hypersomnolence
To do?
Dr. Ramírez emphasizes the importance of preventing these conditions with healthy lifestyles, with a balanced diet, exercise, avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, practice sports and avoid the use of herbal or macrobiotic supplements for the liver that are not approved or indicated by a doctor.
Additionally, it is recommended to know your hepatitis status and prevent it through vaccination.
“If we want to evaluate its function, there are various blood tests that are very effective, such as the coagulation test or albumin, which is a protein that we can measure in the blood, and even a blood count to see the platelet count,” he commented.
The specialist recalled, however, that the functionality of this organ remains adequate. until it is already extremely damaged, Therefore, they call for the prevention of diseases of this important organ.
“The liver has a great repair capacity, if it has any damage it repairs itself; However, if the damage persists for a long time, it can lead to chronic liver disease,” she concluded.