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Liver age test may indicate risk of cirrhosis.
Summary
A Daily Mail tool estimates a person's 'liver age' from risk factors, and experts say a score above three years may indicate strain linked to obesity, alcohol, diabetes or viral hepatitis.
Content
A Daily Mail tool has been created with physicians to estimate a person's "liver age" based on lifestyle and health factors. The tool reports liver age on a scale of zero to seven years and interprets results against known risk factors. Experts describe rising rates of liver disease amid higher obesity and type 2 diabetes prevalence and note many people show few early symptoms. The topic is discussed because liver damage can progress quietly and is linked to common conditions and infections.
Key findings:
- The tool estimates liver age from lifestyle, health and risk-factor questions and flags results above three years as possibly indicating strain, according to Dr Quin Wills.
- A 2022 study reported that liver cells renew frequently, with average cellular age close to three years regardless of chronological age.
- Major contributors to higher liver age reported in the article include excess weight and metabolic conditions, heavy alcohol use, and infections such as hepatitis B and C.
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is common and often goes unnoticed; some cited guidelines use waist circumference thresholds to indicate higher risk.
- Type 2 diabetes and long-term heavy drinking were reported as raising the likelihood of serious liver complications over time.
Summary:
The article presents an online tool and experts' views to estimate how lifestyle and health factors relate to an estimated liver age. Many cases of liver stress or fatty liver are described as initially without clear symptoms. The report notes that a result above three years was described by an expert as concerning and that he recommends medical review if results indicate strain. Undetermined at this time.
