The leaky liver syndrome is an uncommon yet surprising occurrence in type 2 diabetes patients. The liver is the main factory of all metabolisms happening in our bodies.
So, how does it become leaky? Well, the leaky liver can be defined in a simple term as the rise of blood sugar in the morning despite taking oral or intravenous antidiabetic medication.
How do you know you have a leaky liver? Let’s say you took your medicine at night and then ate dinner. In the morning, you checked your blood sugar. It showed excessive sugar even when you fasted overnight!
So if you are a diabetic person and ever wondered why your medicines aren’t lowering your blood sugar? Then, this article is just the place to find all your answers.
Table of Content
Diabetes: A Quick Overview
Diabetes is one of the most common non-communicable diseases around the world. Nearly 15 million fall burden of its grasp. Diabetes gives rise to various other disorders affecting our significant organs, e.g., heart, brain, liver, gut, etc.
The majority of the patients are of type 2 diabetes, meaning they have insulin resistance in their body. There are many prescribed drugs available for maintaining the blood sugar in oral and injectable forms.
Leaky Liver Syndrome
Many people have been asking: Why my blood sugar isn’t going down after medication? Is my diabetes getting worse? Sadly, the answer is yes. You may have leaky liver syndrome.
In simple terms, leaky liver means your liver is out of control of anti-diabetic drugs. If you have this, a leaky gut may be a new disease.
Leaky Liver and Diabetes
Our liver is an essential site of all the metabolism happening in our body. It plays a significant role in controlling the blood sugar level. In the presence of insulin hormone, it converts glucose in glycogen by glycogenesis and stores for future use. As a result, you have your blood sugar in check.
On the other hand, the glucagon hormone induces the liver to synthesis more sugar by gluconeogenesis. Unfortunately, in diabetes, this hemostasis is altered. If drugs can’t control the liver, it continues to produce more and more sugar, and therefore, your blood sugar rises.
Leaky liver disease: why you have it?
I know very next question popping up in your head, “Why is my liver acting funny?” Why would a liver start pumping out unneeded glucose? As for now, we don’t know how exactly the leaky liver occurs.
Recently, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, PA discovered the main culprit. They have identified a protein named Forkhead box or FOX06, which regulates the drug’s action of the liver.
If a person has too much FOX06 in their body, medications can’t inhabit the new glucose formation. As a result, the liver becomes ‘leaky’ as they are giving more and more sugar into your blood.
Leaky liver symptoms
The leaky liver may exhibit a variety of problems. You suddenly realized that your medicines aren’t working the same as before. You woke up from relaxing sleep in the morning and about to start a new day. You checked the blood sugar. Out of blues, your sugar level way off the chart! It may be the first symptom you will find if you have leaky liver disease.
Furthermore, you may notice leaky gut symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, bad breath, etc. In addition, you may have facial redness, palpitations, and high blood pressure.
If the leaky liver gut continues for a long time, you may also have urinary problems, e.g., incontinence, frequency, etc.
So, the leaky liver has the following symptoms:
- High blood sugar
- Nausea and vomiting
- Racing heart
- Dizziness
- Diarrhoea
- Urinary incontinence
Leaky gut and Liver Disease :
The leaky liver may also develop leaky gut symptoms, as we previously mentioned. The average healthy liver doesn’t produce extra sugar. But, if fat contents rise as a result of type 2 diabetes, it causes Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, aka NASH. Probably, it causes leaky liver. NASH also cause leaky gut as these excess fat has nowhere to store in our body.
Leaky gut and liver congestion
Diabetes messes up liver function tremendously. It still a dilemma: diabetes or NASH – which comes first? In the leaky liver, the organ itself becomes congested, meaning blood accumulates. Due to this, all the sugar and fatty acid also pile up.
It may lead to additional damage to liver enzymes and results in leaky liver syndrome.
Leaky gut alcoholic liver disease
Don’t you love that fresh smell of a glass of wine? Or maybe a cold can relax after a long tiring day? It seems like, we have a piece of bad news for you. If you are diabetes, you must check your drinking limit. Your doctor may have advised you to cut down the alcohol.
In 2011, researchers at Mobishitju University of Public Health discovered alcohol causes Alcoholics Liver Disease, which in turn causes leaky liver.
Leak liver cure: Is there any?
Can you get rid of the leaky liver? And is there a cure? Since diabetes itself is incurable, the same goes for the leaky liver. Scientists are still looking for an answer. In the meantime, you don’t need to stress out. If you experience any of the symptoms of leaky liver disease, you should counsel your doctor. He may prescribe you a different medication or the same drug of different dosing.
Most noteworthy, the oral drug Metformin has shown promising results.
Leaky liver diet
Diet management may dramatically affect your liver disease. Make a complete diet chart of daily calorie intake. Doctors emphasize on checking the type and amount of carbohydrates you intake.
- Less carb: You must reduce the carb to 50-60% of total calorie intake. Avoid refined sugar e.g., fast foods, soft drinks, fruit juice, etc. Read more here what is considered low carb
- More fibers: Eat more vegetables and fruits. They help in bowel cleaning and give you fullness
- Cut down alcohol: Alcohol directly causes leaky liver. Best is to decrease the amount, the less, the better!
- Stop smoking: Smoking damages your liver function
- Lose weight: More fat means more leaky liver. Get active.
- See a doctor: If you still experience any symptoms of the leaky liver, see a doctor urgently.
How to Prevent Liver Dump?
It is said, “prevention is better than cure.” As leaky liver has no definitive solution, we must slow down its progression. To cleanse the fat in your liver, you can try some natural remedies.
- Green tea: It is an excellent antioxidant. Drink a cup daily, and the result may surprise you!
- Cinnamon: It also reduces fat in the liver
- Lemon juice: It breaks down fats and prevents leaky liver
Bottom Line:
In conclusion, leaky liver syndrome quite a new concept in the medical era. We may not have the exact solution yet. But don’t worry. Follow some simple rules. Change your lifestyle. You certainly see a difference!
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