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 alcohol or taking too much medication. This opened up a new line of thinking for the researchers.
If just after one week liver enzymes could rise substantially by eating fast food and being sedentary what would it do to a person that lived this lifestyle on a daily basis over a long period of time? They came to the conclusion that though the results from heavy drinking and medications were similar it seems that the same results could be obtained from fast foods. It was concluded that when patients show up in their doctors office with high enzyme levels in their blood work they should not only be questioned on how much alcohol they consume or how much medication they take but also what type of diet they have and how much physical exercise is done.
The results of this study are a wakeup call for those of us that make the happy meal a permanent part of our diet. There are many things we can do to avoid the problems of the liver as well as obesity. Drinking within limits has been proven to be an asset to longevity as with anything we drink or eat. It is recommended that two and a half drinks a week is within the limit. Control is the key to these problems and there are many things we can do to help ourselves.
Our diet should be at least two servings a day of fruits, four servings a day of vegetables, three servings a day of whole grain, five servings a week of legumes and two point five servings a week of fish. Just by changing our diet the rewards can be great not only for the liver but for the whole body.
It is also very important in addition to diet to make sure you get plenty of exercise and maintain a healthy body weight. To do this you should exercise at least forty minutes a day with activities such as biking or walking. It is also recommended that you do an hour of physical activity each week but keep in mind you should always consult your doctor before embarking upon an exercise regime. Of course, we all know the hazards of smoking.
This study was not totally conclusive but it certainly does beg for further research. They know that the effects of fast foods on your liver are certainly not good but they don't fully understand which amounts and sources cause the most risk. The results that have been proven should be enough for all of us to take a different outlook when it comes to fast foods.