Poor Nutrition Can Lead To Muscle Wasting and Fatigue in Patients With Liver Failure

Your diet can play a much significant role in your liver health than previously thought. Poor nutrition was found to be a common feature in patients with liver failure or cirrhosis. Poor nutrition can also lead to muscle wasting, weakness, fatigue and worse outcomes before and after the patients undergo liver transplantation, says a new study. The study published in Liver Transplantation journal, revealed the aspects of nutrition in transplant candidates with cirrhosis and spoke in length about the need to screen all patients and identify their nutritional profile, particularly those suffering from muscle wasting. 

The researchers noted that muscle wasting is frequently overlooked in liver transplant candidates. And one reason for this could be that the nutritional assessment is not routinely carried out. Poor nutrition could be further complicated by obesity or fluid retention.
Currently high resolution image-based techniques such as computed tomography constitute the best way to evaluate body composition in these patients, noted the researchers 
Adequate caloric and protein intake are the foundation of therapy for undernutrition in liver transplant candidates. The researchers noted that these patients should also avoid fasting for longer than six hours in the therapy. 
Consuming branched-chain amino acids or fish oil supplements and taking hormone replacement therapy have also emerged as potential therapies for  muscle wasting caused due to cirrhosis and transplant. However, their potential benefits need to be confirmed in randomized controlled trials. Physical activity and exercise is also forms an essential part of the therapies. 
The researchers further noted that those patients who do not consult dieticians, its is important for their clinicians and doctors to make them aware of the proper dietary guidelines and recommendations, same goes for the physical activity and exercise. 

Advertisement