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Causes of Decreased Liver Function

The liver is the largest gland in your body and is located in the right upper abdomen. It is one of the most important organs of the body. When problems occur, the liver ceases to work effectively, which can have serious consequences for your health. There are a number of different reasons for this decrease.

  1. Purpose of Liver

    • The liver is a very important organ involved in the detoxification of most of the harmful substances generated within the body as a result of digestive and other processes, as well as those ingested from outside (drugs, alcohol, poor diet). It is important in the removal of ammonia, a toxic substance formed in your body, which, when increased, can cause brain damage. The liver converts it to urea, which can be excreted in urine.

    Infection and Decreased Liver Function

    • Viral infection by Hepatitis A virus, Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus, Hepatitis D (in association with Heptatitis B virus), Hepatitis E virus, Hepatitis G virus and other viruses such as Epstein Bar virus and Cytomegalovirus cause decreased liver function. Bacterial infections such as Tuberculosis (TB), Staphylococcus aureus, Typhoid fever and parasites such as malaria, Schistosomiasis, and Leishmaniasis (Kala-Azar) can also cause liver problems.

    Substances and Liver Function

    • Alcohol consumption over a long time causes irreversible damage to the liver, decreasing its function. Common drugs such as paracetamol, aspirin and oral contraceptive pills (OCPs), which when taken in large amounts for a long durations, can cause toxicity to the liver. Many other drugs are also capable of causing liver damage.

    Other Causes

    • Some inherited diseases such as Crigler-Najjar Syndrome, Rotor Syndrome and Gilbert's Syndrome are some causes of decreased liver function. Genetic liver diseases like Wilson's disease (defective copper metabolism) and Hemochromatosis (defect in iron metabolism) can cause defective function of the liver. Tumors on the liver, autoimmune diseases that attack the liver and some conditions during pregnancy can also impact liver functioning.

    Testing Liver Function

    • Liver function tests assess the formative functions, excretory functions and specific enzyme levels to detect injury to liver tissue.

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