Surprising things that can damage your liver

It is not something you probably think much about, but your liver is a key player in your body's digestive system. You need to treat it right so it can stay healthy and do its job.

Liver has several important things to do. It helps clean your blood by getting rid of harmful chemicals that your body makes. It makes a liquid called bile, which helps you break down fat from food. It also stores sugar called glucose, which gives you a quick energy boost when you need it.

Taking care of your liver is far more about avoiding what is bad. Here are some ways to keep your liver healthy:

Don't drink a lot of alcohol. It can damage liver cells and lead to the swelling or scarring that becomes cirrhosis, which can be deadly.

Eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise. You will keep your weight under control, which helps prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition that leads to cirrhosis.

Watch out for certain medicine. Cholesterol drugs and painkillers like paracetamol can hurt your liver if you take too much. You may be taking more paracetamol than you realise. Some medicine can hurt your liver if you drink alcohol when you take them. And some are harmful when combined with other drugs. Talk to your doctor about your medicine.

Sugar. Too much sugar is not just bad for your teeth, it can harm your liver too. The organ uses one type of sugar, called fructose, to create fat. Too much refined sugar and high-fructose corn syrup cause a fatty buildup that can lead to liver disease. Some studies show that sugar can be as damaging to the liver as alcohol, even if you are not overweight.

MSG (Monosodium Glutamate). MSG enhances the flavour of many packaged and prepared foods, from chips to diet drinks. People now a days often go for Thai and Chinese restaurants, where almost every food has added MSG to enhance the taste of food (you might see it on a food label as hydrolysed vegetable protein, yeast extract or soy extract). Some studies suggest that the chemical may make the liver fatty and inflamed, which can lead to NAFLD and liver cancer.

Obesity. If you are carrying around extra weight, fat can also build up in your liver cells, which can lead to NAFLD. It can make the liver swell. Over time, hardened scar tissue can replace healthy tissue (a condition doctors call cirrhosis). People who are overweight or obese, middle-aged, or have diabetes are at highest risk of NAFLD.

Too much vitamin A. Vitamin A helps improve vision, strengthen bones and give a boost to your immune system. But in very high doses, vitamin A is toxic to the liver. To stay safe, never take more than 10,000 IU a day.

Soft drinks. An ingredient besides sugar could play a role in the condition. There is no hard evidence but some researchers think artificial sweeteners might be to blame.

Antidepressants. It is rare, but some antidepressants can harm your liver. In some cases, the damage can be deadly. Older people or anyone taking a lot of other meds are at higher risk because their liver may be damaged already. If you are taking antidepressants, talk to your doctor to make sure you are on the smallest dose you need.

Trans fats. Trans fats are a man-made fat commonly used in fast food items, in packaged foods and baked goods (you will see them listed in the ingredients as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil). A diet high in trans fats not only boosts your chances of gaining weight, it makes severe liver disease with scar tissue more likely. Try to control your children not to have much fast food.

Drink coffee. Research shows that it can lower your risk of getting liver disease.

To keep your liver healthy, follow a healthy lifestyle and keep a close eye on medicines. The liver can be a very forgiving organ, but it has its limits. Have a healthy life have a good Liver.

The writer is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Z H Sikder Women's Medical College & Hospital, Dhaka.