A healthy liver is essential to a healthy life. Your body’s natural filter is needed to absorb and metabolize nutrients, medicine, and remove toxins.
It is a very resilient organ, but years of abuse can take a toll. It used to be thought that conditions like hepatitis C or alcoholism were the only ways to cause significant liver damage. Diet, specifically one high in sugar or processed foods, can be just as dangerous.
A new study has found that both men and women suffer from liver disease, albeit from largely different causes and with different outcomes. Most importantly, men tend to survive the waiting period for a liver transplant, while women are more likely to die awaiting the procedure.
The reason, according to a new study, could be frailty.
The study, published in JAMA Surgery, found that although both genders experience similar levels of disease severity—with men’s liver disease more likely to be caused by hepatitis C or alcohol, and women’s liver disease by diet and autoimmune disease—women were less likely to survive when awaiting transplant.
Doctor Jennifer Lai, the lead researcher of the study, said that it likely has to do with frailty.
She went on to suggest that “this gender gap can potentially be mitigated through early interventions as basic as providing adequate caloric and protein intake and exercise interventions that build strength.”
Frailty is vaguely defined as a condition of enhanced aging. Aging does not necessarily guarantee frailty. However, significant declines in strength, functionality, and other components of livelihood typify the condition. Frailty is generally attributed to physical inactivity, poor diet, and chronic liver failure.
Put simply, a healthy diet and active lifestyle can help your liver. These things can help keep your liver healthy to prevent disease or increase the likelihood of survival if awaiting a transplant.