Lack of sleep: Unpredictable effects on the liver!

Experts say that insomnia or sleep disorders not only cause fatigue and reduce work performance but also impair liver function, especially in people with liver problems such as hepatitis, fatty liver, and cirrhosis.

Sleep - the time when the liver "works"

During sleep, the liver performs many important functions such as detoxification, glycogen storage, bile production, and hormone and metabolism regulation. The liver operates according to a biological clock. If you do not get enough sleep or sleep at the wrong time, this biological rhythm is disrupted, making it impossible for the liver to detoxify effectively when the body needs it.

Thiếu ngủ: Tác hại khôn lường đối với gan! - Ảnh 1. — Insomnia or sleep disorders not only cause fatigue and reduce work performance but also impair liver function.

What did the study find?

Research published in the journal Nutrition & Diabetes found that sleeping less than seven hours a day or exercising less than three hours a week can significantly increase the risk of fatty liver disease, which can progress to cirrhosis or liver cancer. The study, which looked at more than 10,000 people, nearly 4,000 of whom had fatty liver disease, found that poorer sleep quality was associated with a higher risk of the disease, with even slightly less sleep increasing the risk of fatty liver by 20%.

However, combining adequate sleep, 7-8 hours/day, with moderate to vigorous exercise significantly reduces the risk of the disease. According to Dr. Vicente Carreño, President of the Spanish Hepatitis Research Foundation, in addition to controlling blood lipids and blood sugar, improving sleep and increasing exercise should also be prioritized in the treatment and prevention of fatty liver, according to the health news site Clinica FEHV (Spain).

Lack of sleep causes insulin resistance, fat accumulation in the liver

One of the most obvious consequences of sleep deprivation is increased insulin resistance, which is a major risk factor for fatty liver. When the body is resistant to insulin, blood sugar and free fatty acids increase and accumulate in liver cells, leading to fatty liver.

Genetic disorders in the liver

Liver function is controlled by biological genes. When sleep is disrupted, these genes are also affected, hindering the detoxification and metabolism of sugar and fat in the liver.

Increased inflammation - the path to cirrhosis

Poor sleep also increases the production of inflammatory cytokines. Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of steatohepatitis and cirrhosis.

Exacerbation of pre-existing liver disease

In people with viral hepatitis or alcoholic liver disease, lack of sleep weakens the immune system, reduces the ability to control the virus, increases inflammation and accelerates the progression of liver disease. In fact, experts have found that patients with sleep apnea, sleep disorders, and prolonged insomnia often have elevated liver enzymes and signs of liver damage on ultrasound, according to the Times of India.