Hi,
I'm new here and have been browsing. This is an awesome place!
Anyway, I am on a low-carb/high protein diet--it is really pretty extreme b/c it is also lowfat and low calorie. But it is medically monitored.
My question regards low carb/high protein diets and the liver. I was wondering if anyone had ever experienced high liver function tests resulting from their diet producing fatty liver?
I'm told this is common but know lots of people on this type of diet and have never heard of it. I was just curious if it really is common and if so, what was done about it?
My doctors are discussing making me quit my diet...which I'm obviously not happy about. I've lost 31 pounds in past 11 weeks and want to double that amount before I even consider stopping.
and it sent me scrambling for one of the best information sources i've ever found on the web: the merck manual. here's the URL for the place where i found the info i'm summarizing below;
fatty liver has a wide range of causes, and one of the most common is simply being overweight. another cause is PROTEIN DEFICIENCY. merck doesn't say that low carb diet causes it, so i doubt that it does.
another point is that obesity-related fatty liver doesn't usually show up in blood tests for liver function, so that's not the right way to diagnose it.
and, perhaps best of all, obesity-related fatty liver doesn't usually progress to cirrhosis, which is what most docs are most worried about.
i suggest you go to the url i posted above, and print it out, and read it carefully. then, take it to your doc with a whole long list of questions, and have a long talk.
and let's hope nasus shows up soon. she knows LOTS of stuff...
hope this has helped,though. and good luck. you've done great on this diet so far. but, as with any diet, the challenge is always to keep it off.
It does say in there that malnutrition (including low calories) causes fatty liver...i forgot to mention that this diet i am on puts me into ketosis (starvation). It is medically monitored on a weekly basis to make sure I am "ok"...hence the concern over my liver. It also says corticosteroids can cause it--I'm on those too. But they aren't something I can just quit...I am weaning off them, tho...1 mg a month, with 5 mg left.
The article had some good info and I'll talk to my doctors about it all. It did say the only way to reverse the fatty liver is to stop whatever is causing it...which would be my diet. But it didn't come across as though I had to stop now--waiting two months may be safe. I guess my drs will decide!
It is so true that keeping it off will be the biggest challenge. I hope that this program I chose will aid me in that...after I reach my goal weight, there is an 8 week transition to a normal diet (not high protein/low carb) that a dietician prescribes to maintain whatever weight I want. Then there is a lifetime of weekly free support group meetings that I can choose to attend once I complete the program. The support I've gotten from everyone there has been wonderful--I've never in my life sought out support for weightloss--I'm wondering if that is why I have always failed.
and even happier to read that you will get lifetime support for this. i guess i've battled the bulge for so many years that i've gotten used to having some sort of support group around, whether it's formal or informal.
eating is extremely complex behavior; it's way more than just fueling the body. and everyone has a slightly different approach to it, so sharing in a support group allows everyone to swap stories and solutions. and that's what's important.
may i ask, if you don't mind, are you planning to lose 30, 50, 80, more pounds?? many of us have lots to lose,but some have only a little.
and another good thing about what you're doing is that you have medical support.
thanks for the info, ateyah. the main reason i asked was to get a grip on whether your docs wanted you on this to jump start a weight loss in a crisis situation, or whether this was a short-term weight loss plan because you don't have such a lot to lose.
the medical management is a little different in these situations.
it sounds as if things are going very very well for you, and i hope your doc visit goes well tomorrow.
It took me a while but here I am. I do have a few questions I am tired so forgive me if I missed some in my reading. Are you doing this because of a fatty liver???? How low are your carbs???? How low are your cals???
Being in the starvation mode is defferent from being in ketosis. starvation mode is from being too low in calories to support your BMR (basal metabolic rate) what that does is cause the metabolism to slow down and make the body more efficient to burn caloris so it takes less to to support your body.
Bein in ketosis is that the body is burning fat to use for energy. when the fat is metabolised it is turned to a product called ketones. and that is then relased in the body and used for fuel. That is the reaasone that atkins puts so much emphasis on the ketones.
What i am wondering is from the basis for Atkins and PP is the body makes it's own cholesterol, but when it makes it's own it does not make the good cholesterol. so when we starve the body from the cholesterol (which the bodyneeds to survive a some body functions require the fat to function) using a low fat diet we then to make more cholesterol. So there for as teh cholesterol is made in the liver, is that what the dosca are trying to do from the start of placing you on the low carb diet??? to slow your liver's production of cholesterol???? I have heard of LFT's elevation but I need to do some research on another board as there was a huge discusion on it. I will see if i can find it.
I have had high liver function tests for a couple years now. I mean triple what they should be. I had ultra sound, all looked fine. So the Doc would have me come back and re chech every 6 mo. I had a bit of a shock this last time though. My tests were almost within normal range. The only thing I have done differently is in the last year I have not eaten beef. I still eat fish and bird, but not beef. I dont know if this is why or not. I do know that beef is loaded with hormones, antibiotics, fat....Maybe this is it? Also, Dr. Andrew Weils book says protien is real hard on your liver? Next week I see a specialist and I will see what he has to say about it all?
i'm actually afraid to say the specifics of my diet--b/c it is so extreme and it doesn't seem like this forum is for such things. I assume the moderators will take it down if they feel it is inappopriate.
I eat 600 calories a day, 30 carbs, less than 20g of fat, and 80g of protein--but i am medically monitored weekly and take lots of supplements and water.
They are saying my fatty liver is due to the diet. In fact, i met with my diet program's doctor tonight and he says the norm is for the liver enzymes to go up, plateau, then go back down eventually...but mine have just continued to double each month...which isn't normal. We'll see what happens this month...the norm is <52 and I'm over 230. They are going to let me continue for at least a little longer...and I have a consult with a liver dr the end of this month as a precaution.
The stuff you mentioned about the liver was interesting...do have any idea which board the discussion was on that you were referring to? I can search through them.
I also need to read up on Atkins...I've heard of it but i don't know the details...what does it say about ketones?
I did lose two more pounds this week...even though I thought I hadn't lost any so i'm happy about that
it was discussion on the PP board www.eatprotein.com but here is the threads that i had found there was an interesting note about a john hpkins study but here is the links]
well if you post a question on the main board you just may get some answers that you need. there are some extreemly highly intelegent people there. they may go a bit overboard with their answers, but one guy there is a sientist from sweeden gives very facinating answes. a bit long but very informative if you can understand all the jargon, and again some get a bit snippy too. but if anybosy knows the answers besdieds your doc then they should.
Low Carbs and the Liver
jiffypop/Merck
