by Betty Carew

Created on: June 11, 2009   Last Updated: June 24, 2009

Researchers have been looking into the effects of fast food on the liver and the results show a remarkable increase in both enzymes and triglycerides contents of the liver after a diet of fast food. The goal of the study was meant to examine the potential link between the changes in the serum alanine amminotransferase to the amount of fatty infiltration of the liver of healthy people. This result of this study was astounding which proved that the effects of fast food on your liver can eventually cause other problems in the body that are irreversible.

Fredrik Nystrom, MD, PhD led a study to determine just how fast foods did affect the liver. In the study that took place, eighteen people agreed to increase their intake of fast foods and increase their weight by five to fifteen percent. This was accomplished by eating at least two meals from fast food restaurants a day which doubled the amount of calories they usually ate in that time period. These people also had to change their lifestyle by becoming sedentary for four weeks.

It didn't take that long for the results to start coming in and these results were not good. After just one week of this diet and sedentary lifestyle there body started showing the effects. The majority that took part in this study developed significantly higher levels in the liver function tests known as alanine aminotransferase or ALT. These were compared to a group that was controlled and had made no changes to their diet at all. The people that were placed on the fast food diet showed a remarked rising in their triglyceride levels, their weight gain and increased insulin resistance. The study led the researchers to believe that the change that was taking place in the liver was not solely caused by the fast food diet but the increased carbohydrates and the high amount of sugars had more specifically caused the change.

When we go for a medical checkup we often get sent for blood work for different parts of the body to ensure they are functioning properly and this very often includes liver function. If this liver test comes back abnormal it is not unusual, if it's a lower amount but once the liver function starts too steadily increase then there is a problem. If the enzymes of the liver levels are found to be high it could mean that the liver is inflamed or injured. If this problem persists over a period of time it can lead to cirrhosis of the liver. When people are found with high enzymes levels it is thought that is due to drinking

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