Your Liver and Cholesterol: What’s the Connection?

Key Takeaways

The liver plays a key role in cholesterol, as some of the cholesterol in our bodies comes from food, but most of it is made by the liver and intestines.
Liver diseases may cause high cholesterol. People with liver damage can have a buildup of cholesterol in the body.
Experts do not recommend a liver cleanse to lower cholesterol as they have not been tested for safety and efficacy. Keep your liver and cholesterol levels healthy through healthy lifestyle changes.

Cholesterol is necessary for many functions in the body, including building healthy cells, hormones, and vitamin D production. But too much cholesterol is harmful.

Most people know that high cholesterol is linked to an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease. However, many people don’t know that there is a close connection between cholesterol and liver health. Please continue reading to learn more.

Is there a connection between the liver and cholesterol?

The liver plays a key role in cholesterol synthesis and cholesterol metabolism. Some of the cholesterol in our bodies is dietary cholesterol, i.e., it comes from the foods we eat. But most of the cholesterol in the body is made by the liver and intestines.

Cholesterol and other fats are carried in the blood by lipoproteins. These are spherical particles made up of lipids (fats) and proteins.

There are two main types of lipoproteins: high-density lipoprotein (HDL cholesterol or “good” cholesterol) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL cholesterol or “bad” cholesterol).

HDL transports cholesterol from cells in the body to the liver to be broken down and eliminated as waste. LDL transports cholesterol made by the liver to cells in the body. Other types of fats in the blood include very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and triglycerides.

Too much cholesterol can lead to a buildup of fatty deposits (cholesterol plaques) in blood vessels, causing serious health problems. People who eat large amounts of dietary fat and high-cholesterol diets are at an increased risk of heart disease.

Can liver disease cause high cholesterol?

Liver diseases may cause high cholesterol. This is because the liver plays a key role in cholesterol metabolism. For example, one of the functions of liver cells is to break down cholesterol and eliminate it from the body.

In people with liver injury and reduced liver function, the liver cannot work properly. This can lead to a buildup of cholesterol in the body. But it is a synergistic interaction, and the converse is also true.

An atherogenic diet (high cholesterol diet with large amounts of saturated fats) can lead to liver problems.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a condition in which there is an accumulation of fat in the liver. It commonly develops in obese patients and people who eat a high-cholesterol, high-fat diet.

Early-stage NAFLD is harmless and is called fatty liver disease or hepatic steatosis. However, as fatty liver disease progresses, an inflammatory response called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) develops.

This can further progress over the years to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis (a hard and lumpy liver), and an increased risk of liver cancer.

Alcohol-related liver disease

This is a condition in which liver damage occurs due to excessive drinking (prolonged alcohol abuse). It progresses through three stages, including hepatic lipid accumulation (alcoholic fatty liver disease), hepatitis (hepatic inflammation), and cirrhosis.

People with alcohol-related liver disease can develop hypertriglyceridemia (elevated triglycerides), hypercholesterolemia (elevated total cholesterol), and low levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL or “good” cholesterol) due to an imbalance (increased hepatic synthesis and reduced elimination of cholesterol by the liver) as well as defective plasma cholesterol esterification.

As well as NAFLD, alcohol-related liver disease can lead to the development of liver cancer over the years.

Other chronic liver diseases

Other chronic liver diseases can also affect cholesterol metabolism. For example, liver damage from viral hepatitis can lead to an increase in LDL (bad) cholesterol and a decrease in HDL (good) cholesterol.

Familial hypercholesterolemia

This is a genetic condition that is inherited from one’s parents. People with familial hypercholesterolemia have a genetic mutation that results in very high LDL levels and an increased risk of heart attack at an early age.

Symptoms of familial hypercholesterolemia can include fatty (cholesterol) deposits in the skin and eyelids. People with this condition have high total cholesterol and LDL levels with normal triglyceride levels on a blood test.

Will a liver cleanse lower cholesterol?

The liver plays a key role in controlling cholesterol levels in the body. However, experts do not recommend a liver cleanse to lower cholesterol. Commercially available liver cleanses and detox products are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and have not been tested for safety and efficacy through robust clinical trials.

The liver does not need any product to function and is responsible for cleaning the blood of toxic products to be excreted later.

In addition to potential drug interactions, these supplements can cause harmful adverse effects leading to liver injury while negatively affecting your overall health.

The best thing you can do to keep your liver and cholesterol levels healthy is to eat a heart-healthy diet with abundant fiber intake, get regular exercise, maintain a healthy weight, quit smoking, and limit alcohol intake.

Illicit drug use or unprotected sex with multiple partners can cause viral hepatitis. Beware of these risky activities to prevent liver inflammation.

What foods are good for liver repair?

A balanced diet is good for liver repair and overall liver health. This means eating a diet that includes foods from all the food groups, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, low-fat dairy products, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats.

Foods to avoid include sugary, fatty, and salty foods, saturated fat, and trans fat. It’s also important to drink lots of water and avoid alcohol or drink in moderation.

The lifestyle changes that are good for liver repair are also effective in lowering cholesterol. If a healthier lifestyle does not control high cholesterol, your doctor may recommend therapeutic interventions, such as statin drugs for lowering cholesterol.

What are the 5 signs of high cholesterol?

High blood cholesterol does not cause any symptoms until it starts to cause other health problems.

For example, high levels of plasma cholesterol can lead to the formation of plaques (fatty deposits) in the artery walls. This can lead to blocked blood flow to the heart muscle (cardiovascular disease), which can cause symptoms such as chest pain (angina).

High cholesterol levels often occur with other risk factors such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and central obesity. This is called metabolic syndrome and it is a risk factor for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Cholesterol plaques in the carotid arteries that supply blood to the brain can cause transient ischemic attacks (TIAs or mini-strokes).

When atherosclerosis (cholesterol plaques in blood vessels) affects the legs, it is called peripheral artery disease, with symptoms such as leg pain with physical activity.

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