The benefits on your health of drinking in moderation are often studied and talked about in the community. It is true that moderate alcohol consumption has been linked to reductions in cardiovascular disease and bad cholesterol. Other studies have shown links to reductions in detrimental aging diseases such as dementia and bone loss.
But at what price are these benefits realized? The American Cancer Society states that moderate consumption increases your risk of liver cancer in addition to many other forms of cancer. Dr. Jennifer Mieres of New York University School of Medicine noted the extent of liver damage associated with moderate alcohol consumption. With a damaged liver, imagine the possibilities of hepatotoxicity when you take any medication?
The key in protecting your heart is prevention. Lifestyle changes in diet and exercise have the same cardiovascular benefits as moderate alcohol intake. Unfortunately alcohol can be a convenient remedy to a complex problem, but it has its own health issues associated with it.
Think about your lifestyle and your medications, even if you just take Tylenol for headaches. Do the benefits outweigh the risks??
To read the full story visit: http://health.yahoo.com/news/healthday/drinkingyourwaytohealthperhapsnot.html
What exactly is hepatotoxicity, and why should I be worried?
The liver is a vital organ that is responsible for many body functions, including blood cell composition, breakdown of nutrients we eat, balancing cholesterols, and ridding our body of foreign chemicals, such as alcohol and drugs.
Hepatotoxicity is damage that occurs to the liver by chemical means. Medications that we use every day can ultimately be damaging our liver!
Unfortunately, hepatotoxicity from commonly known drugs is often a cause of liver injury. It is estimated as many as 1000 drugs can be blamed for some form of liver damage.
The liver’s role in detoxification makes it especially vulnerable to damaging substances. Liver cells, hepatocytes, can be injured by various pathways depending on the type of drug being metabolized. Reactive particles can destruct the cellular components of the hepatocytes, leading to cell death. Other metabolites alter liver enzymes responsible for drug metabolism leading to toxicity. Drug fragments can also bind to liver proteins initiating an autoimmune attack on the liver tissue.
Effects of hepatotoxicity can be seen throughout the body. General symptoms include: nausea, vomiting, upper right stomach pain, loss of appetite, brown urine, and yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice.) It is important to note these changes early and notify the health-care provider immediately if they are experienced. Early intervention is the safest way to limit damage to the liver!
Who is at risk for hepatotoxicity? EVERYONE! It may be a patient you are monitoring, a family member you are educating, or yourself. Concerns extend far beyond high dosages of prescription medications. Hepatotoxicity can result from combining multiple drugs, alcohol consumption with medications, genetic predispositions, age-related metabolism rates, and underlying diseases. Over-the-counter products, such as Tylenol, and herbal remedies, that are often considered “safe”, play a HUGE role in liver damage.
The key to lowering your risk is EDUCATION. Knowledge about hepatotoxicity is critical to keeping EVERYONE safe.
Reference:
Kaplowitz, N. (2004). Drug-induced liver injury. Clinical Infectious Diseases: An Official Publication Of The Infectious Diseases Society Of America, 38 Suppl 2S44-8. http://libproxy.uta.edu:2066/.
More information on hepatotoxicity, like specific symptoms to look out for can be found here: http://www.liverdisordersfocus.com/articles/liver-disorders/drug-induced-liver-damage.php
Hepatotoxicity is damage that occurs to the liver by chemical means. Medications that we use every day can ultimately be damaging our liver!
Unfortunately, hepatotoxicity from commonly known drugs is often a cause of liver injury. It is estimated as many as 1000 drugs can be blamed for some form of liver damage.
The liver’s role in detoxification makes it especially vulnerable to damaging substances. Liver cells, hepatocytes, can be injured by various pathways depending on the type of drug being metabolized. Reactive particles can destruct the cellular components of the hepatocytes, leading to cell death. Other metabolites alter liver enzymes responsible for drug metabolism leading to toxicity. Drug fragments can also bind to liver proteins initiating an autoimmune attack on the liver tissue.
Effects of hepatotoxicity can be seen throughout the body. General symptoms include: nausea, vomiting, upper right stomach pain, loss of appetite, brown urine, and yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice.) It is important to note these changes early and notify the health-care provider immediately if they are experienced. Early intervention is the safest way to limit damage to the liver!
Who is at risk for hepatotoxicity? EVERYONE! It may be a patient you are monitoring, a family member you are educating, or yourself. Concerns extend far beyond high dosages of prescription medications. Hepatotoxicity can result from combining multiple drugs, alcohol consumption with medications, genetic predispositions, age-related metabolism rates, and underlying diseases. Over-the-counter products, such as Tylenol, and herbal remedies, that are often considered “safe”, play a HUGE role in liver damage.
The key to lowering your risk is EDUCATION. Knowledge about hepatotoxicity is critical to keeping EVERYONE safe.
Reference:
Kaplowitz, N. (2004). Drug-induced liver injury. Clinical Infectious Diseases: An Official Publication Of The Infectious Diseases Society Of America, 38 Suppl 2S44-8. http://libproxy.uta.edu:2066/.
More information on hepatotoxicity, like specific symptoms to look out for can be found here: http://www.liverdisordersfocus.com/articles/liver-disorders/drug-induced-liver-damage.php
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If you ask 90% of the people in America if they would rather exercise or drink in moderation to help keep their heart healthy what do you think the answer would be...drink. Thats the problem with a lot people these days, they are lazy.
ReplyDeleteWhile 90% may be a little high, it is true that often people want to take the easier route in health-care. This is why educating eachother is so important in motivating people to take action! Do you think this is a problem that should be further pushed by Public Health agencies? Is it the responsibility of health-care providers to push this? How can you influence those around you?
ReplyDeleteI definately think that doctors should stress the importance of exercise during routine checkups, even if the person is not overweight. Exercise has major health benefits including keeping your blood pumping efficiently! So many more awesome benefits are also a result of exercise.
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