What is the connection between inflammatory bowel disease and elevated liver enzymes?

Do you know how common liver and gallbladder diseases are in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD)? 

As many as 30% of patients have abnormal liver tests, and 5% develop chronic liver disease.

The range of these manifestations extends from elevated liver test values to life-threatening liver failure.

 In this blog, learn how important it is to take care of the liver even with other diseases like IBD.

What is IBD?

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are a group of chronic inflammatory conditions in our digestive system resulting from the interaction of genetic, environmental, and immune factors. IBD is mainly divided into Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), which affect both men and women equally, with the peak incidence between the ages of 20 and 30 and between 50 and 60 years of age.

Why is IBD dangerous for our health?

Imagine having a small scratch on your arm. If you touch that scratch every day, neglecting it, that scratch can become an infected wound. If you still don’t care, tissue death can occur, and the infection can spread to the rest of the body. It’s the same with our intestines – if we don’t take care when inflammation occurs, serious complications and a significantly reduced quality of life can result.

 Some of the diseases associated with IBD are:

• portal vein thrombosis
• granulomatous hepatitis and liver abscess 
• gallstones 
• amyloidosis 
• non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

Similarly, if liver disease develops at a younger age, it is more likely to be resistant to treatment and poses a greater risk of death and liver transplantation.

How to treat IBD? 

Initially, it’s important to get the inflammation under control; doctors will prescribe medication therapy, and symptoms will soon subside. But don’t stop there – changes in diet and/or lifestyle will actually contribute significantly to disease control. 

Take responsibility for your health into your own hands.

Did you know that there is a Nutrition Center in Croatia where you can find really useful and applicable dietary advice? Read more and download free brochures here.

How to help in the treatment of IBD naturally?

Certain herbal extracts have shown their potential in studies for healing the intestinal mucosa, anti-inflammatory action, and restoration of impaired liver function. Curcumin and quercetin have shown favorable effects in reducing inflammatory processes in inflammatory bowel diseases in studies.

How can you further help your liver? 

Milk thistle has long been known for its protective and regenerative effects on the liver, thanks to its main active ingredient, silymarin. Numerous studies have confirmed that milk thistle alone or in combination with vitamin E and other antioxidants can reduce inflammation and damage in fatty liver. Our digestive system actually struggles to utilize milk thistle, so better are phytosomal extracts (simply put, milk thistle is contained within microscopic oil droplets).

The phytosomal form shows better absorption and more effective intracellular penetration compared to conventional extracts on the market. Due to greater bioavailability, phytosomal milk thistle extract is effective even in smaller doses.

DAMASALIS has developed a product for the health of your liver, with a unique composition and a 7-in-1 action:

SILYSMART® contains a phytosomal form of milk thistle extract that our body can better utilize, resulting in a 7 times stronger absorption compared to conventional products on the market – it regenerates and protects the liver, cleanses the body from free radicals and toxins from medications, supports the liver and gallbladder in fat digestion, slows down the growth of tumor cells, protects against oxidative stress, reduces fatigue, and restores energy.

• Reduced glutathione, the strongest antioxidant in our body, which further protects the liver from accumulated toxins 
• Choline bitartrate promotes fat breakdown and supports liver function 
• Vitamin E protects liver cells from oxidative stress

The liver doesn’t cause pain, but we cannot survive without it! Pay attention to the initial symptoms of fatty liver and take immediate action.

*Product results may vary from person to person and may differ from those described on the website.

SOURCES:

1. Féher J, Lengyel G. Silymarin in the prevention and treatment of liver diseases and primary liver cancer. Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2012 Jan;13(1):210-7.
2. www.researchgate.net/figure/Difference-between-phytosome-and-liposome-The-molecular-organization-of-phytosomes_fig1_230727931
3. R Aller ,O Izaola,S Gómez,C Tafur,G González,E Berroa,N Mora, J M González,D A de Luis: Effect of silymarin plus vitamin E in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2015 Aug;19(16):3118-24.
4. Gaspar R, Branco CC, Macedo G. Liver manifestations and complications in inflammatory bowel disease: A review. World J Hepatol. 2021 Dec 27;13(12):1956-1967. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v13.i12.1956. PMID: 35070000; PMCID: PMC8727205.

Autorica: Lidija Vuljanić Rizk

Moje ime je Lidija Vuljanić Rizk, magistra sam farmacije i fitoaromaterapeut. Zbog ljubavi prema prirodnim znanostima i prirodnim načinima liječenja, posvetila sam se pomagati svima koji shvaćaju povezanost ljekovitosti prirode i ravnoteže svog tijela.