The liver is a central metabolic organ in the body, performing many vital functions. There are several causes of liver disease, such as hepatitis viruses; however, fatty liver poses the greatest risk. Professor Markus Kornberg from the German Liver Foundation explained that the liver is the body's detox center, purifying the blood from pollutants and generating many vital substances like proteins, which are important for blood clotting.
#### An Insensate Organ
Typically, a person does not feel any pain when the liver is affected by disease, and this can continue for years. Ingo van Til from the German Association for Liver Patients stated, "When a person shows symptoms such as fatigue, exhaustion, and concentration problems, they are often not limited, and there is no sensation of pain with liver diseases, though some patients may experience pressure pain in the upper right abdomen when the liver enlarges and presses on surrounding tissues."
#### Prevention Methods
Traditional symptoms such as yellowing of the skin and eyes only appear in a very limited number of cases. Ingo van Til added, "In the later stages of the disease, severe symptoms may appear, such as abdominal fluid accumulation, sudden vomiting of blood, or brain disturbances, at which point a person realizes they have liver disease."
People often associate alcohol consumption with liver disease; however, there are other, more serious causes such as fatty liver and hepatitis viruses B and C, which are the most common and widespread causes of liver disease. To maintain liver health, it is not enough just to stop drinking alcohol; one should also refrain from smoking and avoid excessive soda and sugary juices, which can lead to fat accumulation in the liver, resulting in fatty liver.
#### Metabolic Syndrome
Ingo van Til explained that there is a significant risk of liver disease caused by metabolic syndrome, where the combination of obesity, high blood pressure, and metabolic disorders of sugar and fat leads to serious liver diseases. There is currently no treatment for fatty liver, but coffee may help eliminate liver fat. Doctor Markus Kornberg stated, "Coffee has a protective effect and can help lower liver values," which in turn reduces the risk of liver cirrhosis or liver cancer.
#### Balanced Nutrition
The German doctor emphasized the importance of following a healthy, balanced diet based on fresh, natural foods and maintaining an active lifestyle for healthy individuals. For liver patients, proper nutrition can play a significant role, especially for those with liver cirrhosis and fatty liver. Markus Kornberg noted that viruses A, B, C, and D can be prevented if the liver is inflamed due to viral hepatitis. Vaccinations against viruses A and B are currently available and are safe, well-tolerated, and provide reliable protection against viral infections.
Vaccination against hepatitis B also protects against virus D, as these viruses can lead to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Thus, these vaccinations are among the preventive measures to avoid liver cancer. Although there is no vaccination against hepatitis C, this disease can be treated in almost all cases without any side effects.
