{"id":8222,"date":"2023-04-18T10:11:56","date_gmt":"2023-04-18T00:11:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mindbodyfoodinstitute.com\/?p=8222"},"modified":"2024-11-19T13:06:31","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T03:06:31","slug":"5-surprising-signs-your-liver-needs-support","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mindbodyfoodinstitute.com\/5-surprising-signs-your-liver-needs-support\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Surprising Signs Your Liver Needs Support"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The liver is a remarkable organ, responsible for over 500 functions in the body, including its roles in digestive health<\/a>, immune support, blood clotting, and more. One of the liver\u2019s most important jobs is detoxification. The liver is responsible for converting fat-soluble toxins into water-soluble waste products that are removed from the body via the urinary system,\u00a0digestive system, skin, and lungs. Unfortunately, the liver can become overburdened throughout a person\u2019s life due to excessive toxins exposure and unhealthy lifestyle practices.<\/p>

An estimated 1 in 4 adults have a condition called Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).<\/p>

Many individuals with this condition don\u2019t even know they have it until it is found incidentally during an abdominal ultrasound. NAFLD is a condition where excess fat builds up in the liver. This can lead to an impairment in liver function, including impaired detoxification.<\/p>

It\u2019s essential to know that NAFLD does not form overnight. Instead, the accumulation of excess fat in the liver often takes years to occur. Some health experts call the subclinical stage leading up to NAFLD a \u201csluggish liver\u201d or \u201cburdened liver.\u201d NAFLD and \u201csluggish liver\u201d often cause no obvious symptoms, such as abdominal pain.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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However, the following five symptoms may be an indication that your liver is ready for some intentional support.<\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Signs your liver needs support<\/h4>

1. Hormonal imbalances<\/strong><\/p>

Along with detoxifying toxins, the liver is responsible for breaking down old or excess hormones. If the liver is sluggish, these excess hormones will not be broken down properly and can be reabsorbed into the body\u2019s general circulation and lead to hormonal imbalances.<\/p>

2. Skin issues<\/strong><\/p>

The skin is also one of the body\u2019s most important detox organs. We release toxins through the pores of our skin. When the liver is sluggish, excessive toxins can be left circulating in the bloodstream and lymphatic system. With nowhere else to go, these toxins can cause irritation and inflammation of the skin as they try to make their way out of the body through the skin.<\/p>

There is often a liver-skin connection in inflammatory skin conditions. It\u2019s been studied that individuals with NAFLD have a higher occurrence of inflammatory skin conditions.<\/p>

3. Stubborn excess weight<\/strong><\/p>

Many people claim that it becomes harder to lose weight the older they get. This stubborn weight is often blamed on age or menopause when it should really be blamed on a sluggish liver. The older one is, the more years they\u2019ve had to accumulate toxins and fat in their liver. When the liver becomes sluggish or fatty, the body becomes less efficient at processing the food we eat into energy. In order words, a fatty liver can significantly impair metabolic function<\/a>\u00a0and allow fat to build up in other parts of the body.<\/p>

4. Sleep issues<\/strong><\/p>

The liver runs on a circadian clock and does the bulk of its deep detoxing work in the nighttime while we sleep<\/a>. Many individuals with a sluggish liver report waking up in the middle of the night (especially between the hours of 1 am and 3 am) and having difficulty falling back asleep. This can be due to the detox pathways turning on in the liver and creating enough disruption to wake you up. Similarly, if the liver cannot keep up with the detoxification of cortisol (the stress hormone), the excess circulating cortisol could keep you in a wakeful state.<\/p>

5. Digestive issues<\/strong><\/p>

The liver plays a crucial role in fat digestion. The liver produces and secretes bile whenever we eat food containing fat. If the liver is sluggish, it can fall behind in bile production, leading to fat malabsorption and downstream digestive effects, including gas, bloating, changes in bowel movements, etc.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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If you suspect that your liver could be sluggish, the good news is that a sluggish liver and even NAFLD are entirely reversible! But first, it\u2019s essential to understand what contributes to the slow progression toward developing a sluggish liver.<\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Factors that contribute to the development of sluggish liver and NAFLD<\/h4>