Acute liver failure, a life-threatening situation, requires immediate, intensive treatment. If you're diagnosed with acute liver failure, your physician's first task will involve getting you stabilized and determining how much liver function remainsr. Once that occurs, your doctor likely will place you on a special diet designed to reduce stress on your liver. As part of that diet, you'll need to limit your salt intake, and you may need to increase consumption of sugar and other easily digestible carbohydrates.
Basics
Acute liver failure involves the rapid death of many or most of your liver cells. Reactions to certain prescription and over-the-counter drugs can cause liver failure, as can viruses or drug overdoses. Symptoms, which can mimic those of other conditions, include yellowed skin, weakness, drowsiness, nausea and vomiting. As liver failure worsens, many patients get sleepy and confused. Acute liver failure is a medical emergency and can lead to death if not treated immediately.
Sugar
In healthy people, the liver helps process protein, which the body uses to rebuild muscle tissue. But people who have lost most of their liver function don't utilize protein as well, so they need to consume far less of it. Instead of protein, liver-failure patients often add more sugar to their diets. Sugar, which contains no protein, can provide liver-failure patients with needed calories and a welcome boost of energy.
Salt
Acute liver-failure patients often retain fluids in their abdomens, arms and legs. This swelling, which is exacerbated by salt in the diet, can cause pain and discomfort, and may stress the heart. To keep the water retention and swelling as low as possible, liver-failure patients need to limit salt. Your physician will give you a daily goal for salt consumption, but in general, you should avoid processed foods with salt, such as pretzels, soups and frozen dinners. You also never should add salt to your food.
Considerations
People with acute liver failure often develop deficiencies in nutrients or outright malnutrition because they lose their appetites and don't feel well when they eat. Malnutrition also can contribute to increased hospitalization or even death in these patients. Therefore, if you have acute liver failure, you'll need to work closely with your physician and a registered dietitian to determine what you should and shouldn't eat. Restrictions on salt and some additional sugar can help, but you'll likely need some additional nutritional measures to stay as healthy as possible.
References
- University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center: Acute Liver Failure
- Ohio State University; Diet for Liver Disease; Oct. 8, 2010
- Practical Gastroenterology; "Nutrition for Patients With Hepatic Failure"; Joseph Krenitsky; June 2003
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Diet -- Liver Disease -- Overview; April 23, 2009
