The 5 Biggest Early Warning Signs Of Liver Damage

Don't ignore these symptoms.

Your liver, which is the largest internal organ in your body, is responsible for a lot. It regulates blood clotting, removes toxins like alcohol from your bloodstream, helps in the production of bile and so much more.

But your liver can get damaged and have reduced functioning due to illness or lifestyle habits. In fact, liver disease is fairly common, affecting 4.5 million adults in the United States.

Liver disease is a very broad term that encompasses many different conditions that impair normal liver function, according to Dr. Douglas Weine, a gastroenterologist at Hackensack Meridian Health Center. Liver conditions include non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatitis or even cancer.

Sometimes, these symptoms will happen immediately, but not always.

“Signs and symptoms of liver disease do not typically present until there is significant liver damage,” said Dr. Bubu Banini, a hepatologist and assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine.