Clinical Nutrition

Lesson 17: Diseases of the liver

Major Agents responsible for liver damage

1. Dietary deficiencies: Fatty changes seen in the liver in kwashiorkor may be attributed to a low protein intake and reduced capacity to secreate B-lipoproteins
2. Infective agents –Virus can cause infections and damage the liver
3. Toxic agents – Alcohol is known to have direct action on the lipid metabolism in the liver by enhancing fatty acid synthesis, decreasing fatty acid oxidation and producing specific stimulation to triglyceride formation.
4. Certain drugs and chemicals