Between 2000
and 2016, the annual death toll from liver cancer in the U.S. rose by 43
percent for men and 40 percent for women. Globally, hepatocellular
carcinoma is the second leading cause of cancer death
Other
liver-related diseases such as cirrhosis and nonalcoholic fatty liver
disease (NAFLD) are also becoming more prevalent, both of which raise
your risk of liver cancer
Between 2001
and 2013, diagnosed cirrhosis cases nearly doubled; deaths from
cirrhosis increased by 65 percent between 1999 and 2016. The greatest
increase was among those between the ages of 25 and 34, where alcoholic
cirrhosis has become rampant
Alcohol-induced
cirrhosis and NAFLD can be reversed in their early stages by quitting
drinking and cutting out processed fructose, respectively
Folate, milk thistle, NAC, coffee and broccoli all help promote healthy liver function
By Dr. Mercola
According to the American Cancer Society,1 liver cancer affects an estimated 41,000 Americans each year, and prevalence is rising.2 Between 2000 and 2016, the annual death toll from liver cancer rose by 43 percent for men and 40 percent for women,3 killing more than 11,000 people in 2016.4
The five-year survival rate for localized liver cancer is 31 percent,
while regional cancer that has spread to other organs and distant liver
cancer have survival rates of just 11 percent and 3 percent
respectively.
Globally, the liver cancer hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the
second leading cause of cancer death due to the high prevalence and
difficulty of treatment. Researchers warn that by 2030, the global rate
of liver cancer will double, affecting upward of 1.2 million.5
Other liver-related diseases such as cirrhosis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are also becoming more prevalent. Between 2001 and 2013, the number of diagnosed cirrhosis cases nearly doubled,6 and deaths from cirrhosis increased by 65 percent between 1999 and 2016.7
The greatest increase (10.5 percent) was among those between the ages
of 25 and 34, where alcoholic cirrhosis has become rampant.8,9
Excess Alcohol Consumption Is Driving Rising Rates of Liver Damage
According to researchers, the rise in cirrhosis mortality is entirely driven by excess alcohol consumption
by young adults. While, historically, alcohol-related liver cirrhosis
has been regarded as a condition that develops after two or three
decades of heavy drinking, these newer statistics reveal it doesn't have
to take that long at all, as it's now occurring in (and killing) 20-
and 30-year-olds.
In the 25 to 34 age group, death from alcohol-related liver disease
nearly tripled between 1999 and 2016. This increase parallels statistics10 showing a rise in binge drinking
between 2002 and 2012. It also correlates with the global financial
crisis in 2008, after which more people began dying from cirrhosis.
Researchers believe financial worries and unemployment may have been
significant contributing factors, causing more people to drink more
heavily.
Cirrhosis (irreversible scarring of your liver) can also be caused by
obesity, NAFLD and hepatitis, and can in turn lead to fatal liver
failure and/or liver cancer. Men are particularly at risk, in large part
because they're five times more likely to develop NAFLD than women.
Lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, weight, smoking
and alcohol consumption also play important roles in exacerbating (as
well as reducing) your chances of developing some form of liver disease.
People at increased risk also include those who have an autoimmune
disease, chronic liver inflammation, and those whose livers have been
damaged due to bouts of hepatitis B or C. The good news is that
alcohol-related liver cirrhosis can be reversed if caught early enough —
and provided you quit drinking.
While alcohol-related cirrhosis is driving up mortality rates, rising
prevalence of NAFLD is contributing to the overall burden of
liver-related diseases. In the case of NAFLD, the fatty liver occurs in
the absence of significant alcohol consumption, and is driven instead by
excess sugar, which is why this condition is now found even in young
children.
NAFLD often has no symptoms, although it may cause fatigue, jaundice,
swelling in the legs and abdomen, mental confusion and more. If left
untreated, it can cause your liver to swell, called nonalcoholic
steatohepatitis (NASH), and can lead to liver cancer or liver failure.
As with alcohol-related cirrhosis, however, NAFLD can be reversed in its
early stages by eating right and exercising.
Most importantly, you need to eliminate processed fructose
and other added sugars from your diet. Fructose actually affects your
liver in ways that are very similar to alcohol. Unlike glucose, which
can be used by virtually every cell in your body, fructose can only be
metabolized by your liver, as your liver is the only organ that has the
transporter for it.
Since all fructose gets shuttled to your liver, if you consume high
amounts of it, fructose ends up taxing and damaging your liver in the
same way alcohol and other toxins do. The way your liver metabolizes
fructose is also very similar to that of alcohol,11 as both serve as substrates for converting carbohydrates into fat, which promotes insulin resistance, dyslipidemia (abnormal fat levels in the bloodstream) and fatty liver.
Fructose also undergoes the Maillard reaction with proteins, leading
to the formation of superoxide free radicals that can result in liver
inflammation similar to acetaldehyde, an intermediary metabolite of
ethanol. According to Dr. Robert Lustig, a neuroendocrinologist in the
division of endocrinology at the University of California, fructose is a
"chronic, dose-dependent liver toxin."
Excess Glucose is Converted to Fructose and Decimates Your NAD+
I recently read an excellent review12
on NAD that helped me understand the basic biochemistry far better, and
it makes perfect sense. It is not only eating excess fructose in
processed foods that is the problem, but excess glucose is ultimately
converted to fructose by your body in an effort to metabolize glucose
for energy. Let me explain it to you.
When your body is exposed to chronic glucose excess, the first enzyme
in breaking down glucose is hexokinase, and this enzyme becomes
saturated and can't break down any more glucose. Once this occurs,
glucose will then be metabolized through the polyol pathway, in which
glucose is metabolized to sorbitol by aldose reductase, and sorbitol is
subsequently metabolized to fructose by sorbitol dehydrogenase (see
figure below).
It is estimated when you are healthy, only about 3 percent of glucose
goes through the pathway below, but at least 30 percent of glucose
flows through this pathway in chronic hyperglycemia,13 creating a vicious cycle of excess fructose.
This metabolic catastrophe is the net redox result of the trading of
one molecule of NADPH for one molecule of NADH. This is precisely what
you don't want to happen, as NADPH is used as a reductive reservoir for
your antioxidants and is necessary to make your steroid hormones and
fats. When you have low levels you are in deep trouble.
Complicating it further, you increase NADH and worsen your NAD+/NADH
ratio. As fuel supply outstrips metabolic demand, mitochondrial and
cytoplasmic NAD/NADH ratios fall. The ensuing mitochondrial membrane
hyperpolarization perpetuates electron leakage and excessive oxidative stress.
Fortunately, the good news is that there is a simple inexpensive
solution that should radically improve this metabolic catastrophe. The
first, of course, is to clean up your diet as we have previously
discussed many times, so your body can burn fat for fuel. But you can
also take NAD precursors like simple nontimed-release niacin.
That should help increase the NAD+/NADH ratio and NADPH levels. As noted in one recent paper,14
"Oral administration of nicotinamide riboside, a natural NAD+
precursor, completely corrected these NAFLD phenotypes induced by NAD+
deficiency."
I would start at 25 to 50 milligrams a few times a day, as any dose
higher will likely cause a harmless but relatively annoying flushing
sensation. It would also be helpful to reduce your exposure to
electromagnetic fields, as that also consumes NAD+ through PARP
hyperactivation and will worsen the metabolic condition.
Low-Level Chemical Exposures Linked to Liver Damage
While there's no data on this, it's possible that alcohol-induced
cirrhosis is now occurring sooner as a result of liver damage caused by
chemical exposures. Researchers have shown that even small amounts of
chemicals from food, pharmaceuticals and personal care products can in fact cause liver damage. One such experiment15 was designed to evaluate the effects of chemical combinations at low doses from environmental sources such as food, pharmaceuticals and personal care products.16
Using four groups of Sprague-Dawley rats, the researchers
administered a mix of chemicals found in everyday products in their
drinking water at varying doses for a period of six months. The control
group received chemical-free water.
Of the three treatment groups, the low-dose group received 25 percent
of the European Union (EU) acceptable daily intake for the chemicals in
question, the medium dose group received exactly the acceptable daily
intake defined by the EU, while the high-dose group received five times
the acceptable daily intake.17
After six months, body weight and biochemistry markers were
evaluated, revealing the animal's weight increased more than 10 percent
in all male groups, compared to controls.18 Modest increases were found in females given medium and high doses of the chemicals.
They also discovered adverse liver effects — especially at the
low-dose level and primarily in the males. Overall, the results suggest
exposure to low doses may induce liver damage as a result of the
combination of different toxic mechanisms, and supports previous
research showing that chemical cocktails, even at low levels,19 can damage liver function20 and trigger cancer.21
Roundup Damages Liver at Ultra-Low Doses
Roundup,
the most heavily-used weed killer in the world, has also been linked to
liver damage. Disturbingly, urine levels of glyphosate have skyrocketed
in the past couple of decades, suggesting widespread, chronic exposure,
most likely from food. Between 1993 and 2016, levels of the chemical in
human urine increased 1,200 percent.22 Recent food testing also reveals that most foods sold in the U.S. are contaminated with glyphosate.
This is of significant concern, as research suggests Roundup can
cause significant liver damage even at ultralow doses. The study,23 published in the journal Scientific Reports, looked at the effects of glyphosate exposures
of 4 nanograms per kilogram of body weight per day, which is 75,000 and
437,500 times below EU and U.S. permitted levels, respectively.
After a two-year period, female rats showed signs of liver damage,
specifically NAFLD and progression to nonalcoholic steatohepatosis
(NASH). Study author Michael Antoniou, Ph.D., told Sustainable Pulse:24
"The findings of our study are very worrying as they demonstrate
for the first time a causative link between an environmentally relevant
level of Roundup consumption over the long-term and a serious disease —
namely nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Our results also suggest that
regulators should reconsider the safety evaluation of glyphosate-based
herbicides."
Milk Thistle Helps Prevent Liver Damage
Milk thistle
is an herb that has been used for thousands of years to support liver,
kidney and gallbladder health. In modern times, silymarin has been used
to treat alcoholic liver disease, acute and chronic viral hepatitis and
toxin-induced liver diseases.
The active ingredient, a flavonoid called silymarin, is thought to be
responsible for the beneficial effects attributed to milk thistle,
including liver protection, antioxidant, antiviral and anti-inflammatory
properties. In your liver, silymarin works as an antifibrotic, thereby
preventing tissue scarring, and blocks toxins by inhibiting the binding
of toxins to liver cell membrane receptors. Silymarin also protects your
liver and promotes healthy liver function by:
Inhibiting the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a pathway that, when overactivated, increases your risk of cancer26
Activating AMPK (activated AMP-activated protein kinase),27
an enzyme inside your cells. AMPK is sometimes referred to as a
"metabolic master switch," as it plays an important role in regulating
metabolism and energy homeostasis.28 AMPK produces many of the same benefits as you would get from exercise and weight loss, both of which benefit your liver health
Reducing liver injury caused by a number of drugs and environmental
toxins, including acetaminophen, chemotherapy, psychotropic drugs and
alcohol
Increasing glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that plays a role in
the detoxification of heavy metals and other harmful substances
N-acetylcysteine Supplement Supports Your Liver Health
Another powerful liver protectant is N-acetylcysteine
(NAC), a precursor needed for glutathione biosynthesis. In fact,
research suggests NAC may be a better alternative for supporting liver
health in those with hepatitis C and other chronic liver diseases than
the antioxidant resveratrol.29
Alcohol and acetaminophen are two common compounds metabolized
through the liver that are associated with liver damage. NAC
supplementation has been effective in minimizing damage associated with
alcohol consumption when taken prior to alcohol ingestion.30 NAC is also used as an antidote for acetaminophen toxicity, which causes liver damage by depleting glutathione.31 Research published in Hepatitis Monthly32 has also shown NAC supplementation helps improve liver function in patients with NASH.
Folate Deficiency Worsens Severity of NASH
Increasing your intake of folate can also help protect your liver function. In a study33
involving 83 patients with NASH, researchers found levels of folate and
vitamin B12 were inversely related to the development of fibrosis or
the formation of scar tissue. Past research has identified an
association between low levels of vitamins and chronic liver disease,
but this is the first to find an association between folate and vitamin
B12 level to NASH severity.
Studies have also shown folate deficiency can increase your risk for liver cancer.34,35
In one, which involved hepatitis B-positive patients (who are at higher
risk for liver damage), higher folate levels were associated with a 67
percent lower risk of liver cancer.36
According to the authors, increased folate in humans appear to be
inversely associated with the development of liver damage and
hepatocarcinoma, and that folate can offer the liver some degree of
protection against damage. Folate may also mitigate against pesticide-related damage, including autism.
Your body stores approximately 10 to 30 milligrams of folate at a
time, nearly 50 percent of which is in your liver. Folate is the natural
form of vitamin B9 found in foods and once referred to as folacin. The
word was derived from the Latin "folium," meaning leaf. Green leafy
vegetables such as spinach are abundant sources of folate, as are asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and avocados.37 Broccoli is perhaps ideal, as research38 has confirmed it helps protect against NAFLD.
Avoid folic acid supplements however. While readily absorbed, this
synthetic form is not converted in the intestines like folate is.
Instead, it is converted in your liver. This means folic acid can reach
saturation quicker, which may result in overexposure if you're taking
supplements.
Coffee May Cut Risk of Liver Cancer
Last but not least, if you're a coffee drinker, you may be relieved
to find out that coffee appears to have a protective effect against HCC,
a serious form of liver cancer and the second-most prevalent cause of
death from cancer in the world. Drinking a single cup of coffee every
day cuts your risk of HCC by one-fifth.39,40
If you drink more than that in a day, your risk for liver cancer is
even lower. Two cups of coffee a day cut the risk by 35 percent, and
five cups cut the risk in half. That said, excessive coffee consumption
can have other adverse effects. As noted by lead author Dr. Oliver
Kennedy from the U.K.'s University of Southampton:41
"We're not suggesting that everyone should start drinking five
cups of coffee a day though. There needs to be more investigation into
the potential harms of high coffee-caffeine intake, and there is
evidence it should be avoided in certain groups, such as pregnant
women."
To optimize your health benefits from coffee, make sure it's organic,
and drink it black, without milk or sugar. A far better alternative
would be "bulletproof coffee," where you add butter or MCT oil to the
coffee instead of sweeteners. To learn more about how you can make
coffee a healthy part of your day, see "Coffee Leads to Longer Life."
No comments:
Post a Comment