Liver Diseases and Health
There are over 100 known forms of liver disease caused by various factors, affecting infant to older adults. Many liver diseases still have unknown causes. Most frequently, the following factors cause liver disease: Viral Hepatitis, Obesity, Alcohol, Drugs, Cancer, and Genetics.
Viral Hepatitis is liver inflammation due to infection by virus. Of many forms of Viral Hepatitis, Hepatitis A and B are preventable by vaccine, but Hepatitis C is unpreventable. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplants in Canada.
Cancer originating in liver is often caused by Hepatitis B and C, and due to high volume of blood circulating into liver, liver is susceptible to secondary cancer (metastasis).
Obesity is a leading cause of fatty liver disease, where excess fat is stored in liver cells, eventually leading to inflammation and scarring of the liver.
When we consume too much Alcohol, beyond the amount of which liver can handle, liver is required to detoxify alcohol continuously, liver cells might be destroyed or altered, resulting in fat deposits, alcoholic hepatitis and permanent scarring of liver (cirrhosis).
When Drugs and Toxins enter body, liver is the primary site for processing; as a result, liver cells are most frequently exposed to these toxins. Over-exposure to these chemicals leaves liver more vulnerable to acute and/or chronic liver diseases.
Due to Genetics, certain people are deficit of genes. As a result, they might be exposed to certain forms of liver diseases such as Wilson Disease and Glycogen Storage Disease.
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