If the heart serves as your "battery" that pumps oxygenated blood through your body, then the liver is engine that keeps everything else running smoothly. The liver stores vitamins, iron and sugar to energize the body, regulates cholesterol production and removal, detoxifies the blood, aids in blood clotting and fighting off infection and aids the gastrointestinal system by releasing bile to digest food and absorb nutrients. According to the Hepatitis Foundation International website, liver health and diet go hand-in-hand. Eating a healthy, balanced diet keeps your liver healthy, helps damaged liver cells regenerate and decreases your risk of liver disease. A poor diet impairs liver function and can lead to chronic liver disease.
Mental Confusion
Protein is essential for good health, however, too much protein is detrimental to your liver. When the liver receives more protein than it can utilize, toxins build up in the bloodstream and affect brain function. This condition is known as hepatic encephalopathy, or mental confusion.
Fatty Liver
Eating more calories than you burn can to lead to excess fat in the liver. Fat should consist of more than 30 percent of a person's total caloric intake According to the American Liver Foundation, if more than 10 percent of a liver's weight is fat, it results in a condition known as fatty liver. Fatty liver can cause steatohepatitis, or inflammation of the liver. Fatty liver accompanied by alcohol abuse is alcoholic steatohepatitis. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) can lead to cirrhosis the liver, and your liver can be damaged for years before you experience any symptoms.
Liver Swelling
Using "mega" vitamin supplements can put a strain on the liver, which serves as the body's own built-in filter, especially if they contain high amounts of Vitamin A. Too much vitamin A is toxic to the liver and can lead to hepatomegaly, or swelling of the liver. Symptoms seldom accompany a swollen liver. It is usually only detected during a physical exam. Sticking to the recommended daily amounts of vitamins will ensure you get the proper nutrients without risking your liver's health.
Cirrhosis
Excessive consumption of alcohol can cause hardening or scarring of the liver, known as cirrhosis. Scarred liver tissue replaces healthy tissue and blocks blood flow to the liver. Cirrhosis impairs the liver's ability to regenerate, and this increases risk of chronic liver disease. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, women consuming more than three drinks per day and men consuming more than four drinks per day increase their risk for liver damage and cirrhosis.
