24 Signs That Might Indicate Liver Damage

Your liver is one of several vital organs (well, technically, it’s also a gland), so anything that causes your liver to malfunction can create a life-threatening situation.

This article looks at:

1. A summary of what the liver does.
2. What can harm your liver.
3. Some of the common signs that you may be developing or suffering from some sort of liver disease.
4. How you can help protect your liver.

What Does Your Liver Do?

This reddish-brown organ, which usually weighs between 3 and 3.5 pounds, is responsible for around 500 different functions, including:

• Bile production for use in blood clotting and digestion
• Filtering blood to remove hormones and toxins
• Metabolizing carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
• Storing minerals (e.g. iron) and vitamins (e.g. A, B12, D, E, K)

It is also unique in that it is the only internal organ of the body that can regenerate itself.

What Can Harm Your Liver?

Liver problems and disease can be caused by a number of factors, including:

• Genetic predisposition
• Infections (e.g. hepatitis, parasites)
• Obesity
• Prescription / OTC drugs (e.g. acetaminophen)
• Toxins (e.g. alcohol, recreational drugs)

Signs Of Liver Disease

Here are some of the most common signs that your liver has problems:

• Abdominal Pain. If the pain you are experiencing is primarily from the ribs on the right side of your body, then it’s possible liver damage or disease is the cause.
• Allergies. If you start to develop new allergies, it may be because of a liver problem.
• Bad Smells. These can take the form of body odour and/or bad breath.
• Bruises. If you start to bruise easily, or you see weird bruises and blemishes on your skin, this could be the result of your protein levels being too low, and as I said above, your liver is crucial in the production (and storage) of certain vitamins, including vitamin K, which is used in blood clotting.
• Chills. If you constantly feel chilly, this may be a sign that your liver is not producing enough bile (or, in extreme cases, any bile at all).
• Dark-Coloured Urine. Although there are several reasons why your urine may be darker than normal (and your stools lighter than normal), liver damage is one of them.
• Diarrhoea. There are many causes of loose bowel movements (e.g. eating “dodgy” food, viruses), but if it persists, it’s usually a sign that you should see a doctor, because it can be a sign of liver damage.
• Dry Eyes / Mouth. There are many reasons for either of these conditions, but you should be aware that these are some of the more common early symptoms of liver problems.
• Extreme Exhaustion. If you feel super-tired super-fast, it may be a sign that your liver is not processing waste quickly enough, which leads to lower oxygen levels in your bloodstream, which in turn causes a lack of energy.
• Frequent Vomiting. When your liver is not functioning correctly, it becomes difficult for your body to process foods (and liquids) optimally, and the knock-on effect of this can be nausea and regularly throwing up (e.g. on a daily basis). In some cases, there may also be blood in the vomitus.
• Gynecomastia. This condition, where men develop larger breasts than usual, can be caused by hormonal imbalances resulting from a damaged liver.
• Hiccoughs. If you can apply pressure to your stomach and easily cause hiccoughs, then live damage may be the reason why.
• Itching. Liver problems are one of several causes of feeling itchy all over your skin. (Other causes include cancer, kidney failure, and thyroid problems.)
• Jaundice. This is characterized by a yellowy hue to your skin, and it’s caused by a build-up of waste in your bloodstream. It can also make the whites of your eyes turn a yellow colour too. It is a common problem with infants, but can happen to people of all ages. It is also a sign that something is seriously wrong. My first wife’s mother developed what looked like jaundice when she was in her 70s, and after further investigation, they found it was a terminal case of liver cancer that had caused it.
• Loss Of Appetite. Liver disease is one of many issues that can cause you to lose your appetite. (Others include constipation, depression, eating disorders, nausea, pregnancy, stress, and viruses).
• Male Genital Problems. Specifically, this refers to erectile dysfunction and/or shrunken testicles, both of which can be caused by the hormonal changes resulting from a damaged liver.
• Pain In Your Right Shoulder. This can be a sign of liver cancer – the tumour puts pressure on the surrounding nerves as it increases in size, and that can manifest as pain in your right shoulder.
• Personality Changes. This can be caused by a build-up of toxins in your bloodstream reaching your brain, and the increase in toxins is often the result of a damaged liver. You may also experience cognitive function issues, including confusion, an inability to concentrate, and memory loss.
• Red Palms. If the palms of your hands appear red for no obvious reason, then you may have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
• Sleeping Problems. These can arise for the same reason as personality changes (see above).
• Spider Angiomas. These are small spidery capillaries just below that your outer skin that become visible.
• Swollen Ankles. A build-up of fluids in your ankles or feet, making them appear bloated, can be caused by liver damage (and by problems with your heart or kidneys).
• Weight Gain. This is often the result of cirrhosis, when scar tissue replaces the normal tissue in your liver.
• Weight Loss. Yes, liver damage may cause you to gain weight (see above) or lose weight (which is often caused by Hepatitis C).

How To Look After Your Liver

Here are a few ways you can help to care for your liver:

• Avoid Recreational Drugs. These can create a toxic burden in your liver.
• Basic Hygiene. This includes making sure you do not come in contact with anybody else’s blood, and not sharing products such as toothbrushes.
• Dietary Changes. Cutting down on fats can reduce the risk of your overtaxing your liver.
• Prescription Drugs. As I mentioned above, drugs such as Tylenol (which contain acetaminophen) can cause liver damage, but so can mixing these types of drugs with other substances (e.g. alcohol, natural supplements).
• Reduce Your Alcohol Intake. When your liver breaks down alcohol, it releases toxins (e.g. acetaldehyde and free radicals), which can, over time, lead to cirrhosis. This is a condition that develops fairly slowly, and it’s estimated that serious damage in men requires them to drink the equivalent of one quart of wine every day for 20 years. (For women, this period is reduced to just ten years.)
• Safe Sex. Apart from obvious concerns such as not getting pregnant, and AIDS, you also need to be careful of Hepatitis C, which is the most common blood-borne viral disease today in the USA. (For the same reason, you need to be careful when having body piercings of any type, and tattoos.)
• Ventilation. When working with any type of chemical (e.g. paint), make sure the area is well-ventilated and that you wear a mask to cover your nose and mouth. If you don’t, you can inhale the fumes from those products, which may include toxins, and your liver then has to deal with those.

Conclusion

As with all such lists, many of the signs described above can be caused by a multitude of factors, so the more of those symptoms you see in yourself, the more likely it is that you have liver damage.

Having said that, some of them are serious enough by themselves to warrant a visit to your doctor.

And just because your liver can regenerate itself (to a degree, at least) does not mean you should abuse it.