Recognizing Liver Distress Signals: Springtime Liver Protection Tips

The liver is an important organ that plays a crucial role in bile production, fat breakdown, energy storage, and detoxification. Surprisingly, liver problems often go unnoticed until they become severe, earning it the nickname “silent organ.” Professor Jonathan Liu, featured on the “Health 1+1” program from a Canadian public college, provided various tips to help identify early warning signs of liver distress and how to protect the liver during the spring season in everyday life.

According to data from the American Liver Foundation, over 100 million people in the United States have some form of liver disease, with 1.8 percent of adults (4.5 million) having a confirmed diagnosis. If left untreated, liver disease can lead to liver failure and even liver cancer. Cirrhosis or chronic liver disease was the 12th leading cause of death in the United States in 2020.

Five Early Warning Signs of Liver Disease

Liu spoke about five symptoms that body exhibits when the liver starts developing problems:

• 1. Easily fatigued—feeling tired even after performing trivial tasks where the body and mind cannot keep up
• 2. Indigestion—stomach bloating, acid reflux, and even feeling nauseous or vomiting after consuming meat

• 3. Poor blood circulation—microcirculation problems and dark circles around the eyes
• 4. Jaundice—yellowing of the eyes and skin, possibly accompanied by yellow urine
• 5. Liver palms—The liver is responsible for estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone metabolism in the body. When liver function declines, the ability to metabolize these hormones decreases, and the palms may appear pale or whitish, with a reddish discoloration near the base of the thumb.

Liu explained that these symptoms are possibly distress signals from the liver and should not be taken lightly. There are two ways to detect liver damage early.

The first method is to examine liver function through a blood test, focusing on observing the levels of transaminase enzymes. For those with alcoholic liver disease, fatty liver disease, or active hepatitis B, transaminase levels are generally two to five times higher than the normal range. During the onset of the disease, the transaminase levels may exceed five times the normal range. If they exceed 10 times the normal range, the patient may already be experiencing liver failure.

The second method is an ultrasound scan, which can observe the size of the liver. In the early stages of liver cirrhosis, the liver compensates for its impaired function by increasing in size (hepatomegaly), but it may shrink later as some liver cells die. Additionally, ultrasound can detect issues such as stones, cysts, and cancerous tumors.

Two Types of Liver Disorders

Liu suggested that liver disorders have two main types based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The liver refers not only to the organ itself but also to the liver meridian that runs on both sides of the body,