Your liver might be the hardest-working organ in your body.
You know that one of its main jobs is to filter out toxins like alcohol from your body.
But thats just one of its more than 500 roles.
Evolutionarily, it had to be.
The liver has to deal with everything we eat and protect the rest of the body.
Its the first line of defense.
It is the detoxifier, its the cleanser, its the metabolizer of any drugs.
But the liver isnt immune to the stresses of aging.
While we all know that decades of heavy drinking or certain drug use can damage the liver.
A study published last year found that nearly 50 percent of people 65 and over have it.
Here is what they said.
KNOW YOUR RISK FACTORS
1.
How age affects your liver
By age 65, youve already sustained significant liver damage.
Theaging process can be tough on the liver.
With aging, your liver is more susceptible to injury and scarring, also known as fibrosis.
If you have diabetes, that goes up to 80 percent, she says.
Not everybody over 50 has liver disease, Su says.
As excess fat builds up, it then gets stored in the liver.
Thats why alcohol both affects us more strongly as we age, and causes a greater degree of damage.
Believe it or not, almost any medication makes someone susceptible to develop liver injury.
And were not talkingBreaking Badstyle illegal substances.
While most of the damage is temporary, in some cases it can lead to more serious liver disease.
Dont be your own pharmacist.
But it tends not to be long-term and usually resolves without extensive liver damage.
Hepatitis C is especially problematic because its asymptomatic, and most people dont know they have the infection.
But if it goes untreated, hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer or liver failure.
This can lead to inflammation, cell damage and potentially chronic liver diseases.
Evidence suggests that exposure to toxins plays a role in liver cancer.
Scientists are still studying the genes that may play a role in this.
