When it comes to controlling cholesterol levels in your body, your liver plays an important role. Your liver produces cholesterol and distributes it to the necessary parts of your body. Lipoproteins, made by your liver, transport cholesterol, and other lipids through the bloodstream.

Your liver is also responsible for removing cholesterol from your body through a fluid called bile. If you have a family history of high cholesterol, your liver may not be able to effectively process or eliminate cholesterol. As a result, cholesterol levels rise to dangerous levels.

Diet and cholesterol in liver disease:

You have probably heard that a high cholesterol diet is dangerous for your heart. However, it can be very bad for your liver.

Dietary cholesterol is mainly stored in the liver. If you take too much, you run the risk of developing fatty liver disease. High cholesterol fatty liver disease (steatosis) develops into non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, a more serious and sometimes fatal disease (NASH).

When the fatty liver disease progresses to NASH, it causes a variety of additional liver problems, including:

• Inflammation of the liver
• Scars (cirrhosis)
• For liver failure
• Liver cancer

Lipid changes, especially cholesterol, may also play a role in other chronic liver diseases, including:

• Alcoholic hepatitis is a type of liver disease
• Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver.
• Hepatitis B is a virus that causes liver disease.
• Liver occlusion is a condition called cholestatic liver disease
• Cirrhosis

Maintaining cholesterol to protect your liver:

If you have high cholesterol and are worried about your liver, you can do a lot to reduce your risk and protect your liver. These stages include:

• Doing aerobic exercise regularly
• Eating less saturated or trans oils
• Eating more fiber
• Low carbohydrate diet
• Maintaining a healthy weight

Studies show that the Mediterranean diet is good for your liver. The Mediterranean diet contains small amounts of red meat and dairy products and is rich in:

• Vegetables
• Fruit
• Cereals
• Legumes
• Nuts and seeds
• Olive oil

The same dietary advice for liver disease is used to treat high cholesterol. A family of drugs called statins is often used in the medical treatment of high cholesterol. Researchers have examined whether statins are safe in people with liver disease.

According to David Bernstein, MD, FACG, Chief of Hepatology at Northwell Health and Professor of Medicine at the Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine in Hampstead, NY, 'Statins are generally safe in people with liver disease.' 'Patients with decompensated cirrhosis should be followed regularly, although they are often safe.'

Outlook:

Even in those with liver dysfunction, treatment modalities provide more effective cholesterol management. However, lifestyle adjustments and dieting remain important and successful components of a comprehensive cholesterol-lowering strategy.

If diet and exercise are not enough to lower your cholesterol and you have liver disease, your doctor may recommend cholesterol-lowering medications. For this, doctors often prescribe statins.

If you have high cholesterol and suspect that your liver is at risk, talk to your doctor about ways to reduce your risk.