Connection between Liver Health and Coronary Artery Disease
Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for one quarter of all fatalities, with someone losing their life to heart disease every 36 seconds. Coronary artery disease, the most prevalent form of heart disease, poses a significant risk to public health.
Maintaining heart health requires a multifaceted approach that encompasses diet, exercise, and avoidance of harmful habits like smoking. Recent research has revealed an unexpected connection between heart disease and the liver, another essential organ that performs approximately 100 vital functions within the body.
Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland are currently investigating the genetic factors that influence both heart and liver diseases. Their studies have demonstrated that a great deal of the genetic activity linked to cholesterol and glucose metabolism occurs in the liver, offering insight into the relationship between the two organs.
In the United States, there are 4.5 million annual diagnoses of liver disease, with nearly 3 million liver-related deaths in 2018. Half of these fatalities were due to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), caused by consuming excess calories and the subsequent buildup of fat in the liver.
This research underscores the importance of adopting lifestyle habits that safeguard both the heart and the liver. Here's what you can do to protect these critical organs:
- Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity is associated with a significantly increased risk of developing NAFLD, making weight management a crucial first step.
- Avoid fad diets. Excessive fat intake, as promoted by certain diets like the ketogenic diet, could potentially lead to NAFLD. Instead, opt for a well-balanced Mediterranean diet that emphasizes high-fiber foods, vegetables, fruits, fish, lean meats, nuts, eggs, seeds, and unrefined oils.
- Stay active. Regular aerobic exercise is beneficial for improving liver health and reducing the risk of developing NAFLD.
- Enjoy berries. Consuming one cup of berries daily may lower your risk of heart disease by up to 15%. Certain studies have also found that incorporating berries like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and cranberries into your diet can decrease levels of ALT, an enzyme linked to liver damage.
- Try tomatoes. Tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant that has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. They also contain essential minerals such as potassium, which benefit heart health, and chlorine and sulfur, which aid in liver detoxification.
- Experiment with herbs. Milk thistle, also known as silymarin, has long been used to support and detoxify the liver, and may help lower the risk of coronary artery disease.
Sources:
- Many genes associated with the risk of coronary artery disease act through the liver - Eureka Alert
- Fad diets could contribute to liver disease known as a 'silent killer' - HSC News (University of Southern California)
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and NASH - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Good for your heart, good for your liver, too - Joseph Galati, M.D.
- Investigations into the genetic factors linked to heart and liver diseases, as conducted by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland, highlight the significance of maintaining a healthy liver to preserve cardiovascular health.
- Adopting a balanced diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, that focuses on high-fiber foods, vegetables, fruits, fish, lean meats, nuts, eggs, seeds, and unrefined oils can potentially lower the risk of heart disease while also aiding liver health.
- Regular consumption of berries, like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and cranberries, may offer dual benefits of reducing the risk of heart disease and decreasing levels of an enzyme linked to liver damage.
