Liver cirrhosis therapy

Treatments for liver cirrhosis

• Alcohol is the most common cause of liver cirrhosis, and the number one therapy is therefore to avoid alcohol consistently and for life.
• In the case of non-alcoholic fatty liver, patients should reduce excess weight. This is best achieved with a healthy, balanced diet and plenty of exercise. They should also have incipient diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood lipids treated.
• It is also important to avoid all substances that are harmful to the liver.
• There are various drugs to treat hepatitis B and C that target the hepatitis viruses. Thanks to new drugs, hepatitis C is now almost always curable.
• Inherited metabolic diseases can also be treated with medication and other methods.
• Liver transplantation when all other treatments have been exhausted.

Nutrition as a therapy for liver cirrhosis

Nutrition is particularly important for people with liver cirrhosis. This is because, on the one hand, the body’s energy and protein requirements are increased and, on the other hand, the body is less able to utilize the nutrients it absorbs. Many also have no appetite, suffer from nausea and are at risk of losing a lot of weight and losing weight. But malnutrition weakens the body even further.

It is therefore important to consume plenty of calories (35 to 40 kilocalories per kilogram of body weight per day) and proteins (1 to 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day). There are recommended and less favorable protein suppliers. Proteins from milk and dairy products as well as plant sources such as vegetables, pulses (peas, beans, lentils), cereals or soy (tofu) are good. They put less strain on the liver than proteins from meat, fish or eggs.

You should also use salt sparingly if you have liver cirrhosis. It binds water in the body and can promote water retention. Do not consume more than five grams of salt per day. Caution: There is more salt “hidden” in many ready-made products than you might think.

If you are no longer able to eat normal food, high-calorie special foods are suitable. It already has a special composition that is tailored to the body’s needs.