Bifidobacterium bifidum, known as B. bifidum, is a strain of bacteria commonly used as a probiotic. Probiotics are living microorganisms that simulate the beneficial bacteria found in the gastrointestinal tract of humans. B. bifidum is one of many...
Alcoholism is a disease affecting millions of Americans. According to Helpguide.org, signs of an alcohol problem include lying about drinking or regularly forgetting what happens while drinking alcohol. Long-term alcoholism causes emotional and...
The countless functions of the liver include digestion of proteins and fats, purification of the blood via removal of toxic wastes, control of glucose levels in the body and the production of proteins needed for blood coagulation. All diseases...
Cirrhosis is the scarring of the liver. The liver is a large organ in the upper abdomen which has a lot of roles such as detoxification of harmful materials in the body and blood purification. The National Digestive Diseases Information...
Abusing alcohol has physical effects on every organ in your body, but none as much as the liver. Every bit of alcohol that you drink has to pass through your liver, which works as a filter to eliminate toxins from your body. Simply consuming an...
Cirrhosis is a disorder of the liver in which the normal tissue is damaged and, over a long period of time, is replaced by nonfunctioning scar tissue, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, or NIDDK....
Milk thistle, a flowering herb native to the Mediterranean region, but also found in the United States and South America, has long been used to treat various ailments, especially disorders of the bile ducts, gallbladder and liver. Milk thistle may...
Milk thistle contains the flavonoid silymarin, which is thought to protect the liver due to its antioxidant properties. Milk thistle's anti-inflammatory properties may help the liver heal and repair itself by growing new liver cells. In addition,...
About 75,000 Americans died of alcohol-related causes in 2007, and about 40,000 of those deaths were caused by injuries, according to the "Healthy People 2010" report produced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Alcohol...
Cirrhosis involves a harmful scarring of your liver, which is caused by chronic liver damage. Cirrhosis is often caused by hepatitis B or C infections, long-term alcoholism, some parasites, fatty liver disease, cystic fibrosis or certain...
Many people may know the immediate dangers of drinking alcohol, such as the next-day hangovers or the embarrassing episodes. But the more people drink the more they endanger themselves and others around them. There are many problems created by...
Cirrhosis occurs when the liver is damaged and healthy tissue is replaced with scar tissue. The liver gradually deteriorates and stops functioning properly. A normal liver regenerates new tissue in response to damage; however, end-stage cirrhosis...
Human consumption of alcohol dates back to ancient civilizations. The appeal of alcohol relates to its effects on the brain, which typically invoke sedating, pleasurable feelings. Despite the wide acceptance of alcohol consumption in society,...
Also known by its Latin name, Silybum marianum, milk thistle is a stout plant that grows in arid regions of Europe and the United States. It has a spiny stem, wide leaves with white streaks and a reddish-purple flower. Milk thistle has a...
Liver cirrhosis is the end stage of chronic liver disease when normal liver cells have been injured and non-functioning scar tissue has formed. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs states that Hepatitis C infection and chronic alcohol...
There are numerous diseases pertaining to alcoholism. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National institutes of Health, or NIH, about 17.6 million Americans have alcoholism. Alcoholism is characterized by four principle...
Elevated liver enzymes usually are not a life-threatening condition, but high ALT and AST do warrant prompt medical attention. Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis caused more than 39,000 deaths in the United States in 2005, according to the...
According to National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, cirrhosis is the condition of slow deterioration of the liver. This occurs due to the replacement of the healthy tissue with the scarring tissues and involves the blockage of...
Esophageal hemorrhage occurs when varices (enlarged veins) in the esophagus bleed extensively, according to the online medical library Merck Manuals. Merck Manuals reports that the primary cause of varices is cirrhosis of the liver, which is where...
Drinking beer is a favorite American pastime, although excessive consumption can harm your liver and lead to edema, or swelling, in your lower legs and abdomen. Even light beer consumption can cause allergic reactions in some people or relax blood...
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and is also called a silent killer because for a long time it shows no symptoms or the symptoms mimic those of a minor flu. Oftentimes, a patient has...
Plum wine is a sweet alcoholic drink made from ume plums native to China. China introduced the ume plum to Japan in the sixth century, and plum wine became a popular drink in Japan during the 17th century. Today, typically served chilled as an...
The hepatitis B vaccine was introduced in the United States in 1981, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hepatitis B vaccination has been a routine part of childhood vaccination since 1991. Since the introduction of...
Liver cirrhosis, the end stage of liver disease, is characterized by liver scarring and dysfunction. According to New York Presbyterian Hospital, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis are responsible for approximately 27,000 American deaths every...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 112,000 hospital cases in the U.S. in 2005 alone that had the diagnosis of either cirrhosis or chronic liver disease. In 2006, cirrhosis was responsible for 27,555 U.S....
Cirrhosis of the liver occurs when scar tissue forms on the liver. As the scarring worsens, symptoms and complications of the condition manifest. According to the American Gastroenterological Association, cirrhosis of the liver is the 11th leading...
The liver is the body's largest organ and it's the only major organ that can regenerate itself after damage or illness. However, with serious injury or disease, the liver might not make a comeback or function properly. Liver health is essential to...
Fatty liver is a dynamic disorder that ranges from a simple buildup of fat cells among the many different populations of cells in your liver all the way to liver cirrhosis and failure. In some cases, drinking too much alcohol is a clear cause of...
There are many pathways to fatty liver disease, and obesity is a major player. It's not the only one, however. The causes of various forms of fatty liver disease are not fully understood, but scientists know that the condition is marked by an...
