Bad liver and milk products?

Miaki, thanks for posting this link in a different thread:
http://www.liverdoctor.com/Section2/09_livertest.asp

Question for everyone:
While going through this site, I find that it says that people with a damaged liver should avoid all dairy products (including milk). I have never heard of this injuction before (I thought it was only alcohol  ).

Does anyone have any viewpoints on this?

Thanks

Poirot

Hi

Too much of milk is not good for adults.. this is what the docs say today.. whether the liver is bad or good. You can take milk products, but not drink glasses of milk... well..  medical theories keep changing.. so what we heard as a child may not hold good now. :smile2

shikha

Poirot,

There is a liver disease called galactosemia, which is an inherited disease in which the body can not tolerate certain sugars in milk. These sugars can build up, causing serious damage to the liver and other organs of the body.

Other than that I can't find any prohibition against milk or milk products. In fact, the National Institute for Health recommends milk as part of a typical diet for people with liver disease.

From  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002441.htm

Recommendations   

The dietary recommendations may vary somewhat depending on how well a person's liver is working. It is very important to be under the care of a doctor. Malnutrition can lead to serious problems. In general, recommendations include:

    * Large amounts of carbohydrate foods. Carbohydrates should be the major source of calories in this diet.
    * Moderate intake of fat, as prescribed by the health care provider. The increased carbohydrate and fat help in preserving the protein in the body and preventing protein breakdown.
    * About 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. A 70-kilogram man (154 pounds) needs 70 grams (8 ounces) of protein and two 8-ounce glasses of milk on a daily basis. This does not include the protein from starches and vegetables. A person with a severely damaged liver may be on protein restriction. This person may be limited to small quantities of special nutritional supplements.
    * Vitamin supplements, especially B-complex.
    * Sodium restriction if fluid retention is present.

SAMPLE MENU

    * Breakfast
          o 1 orange
          o Cooked oatmeal, with milk and sugar
          o 1 slice of whole-wheat toast
          o 2 teaspoons of margarine
          o Strawberry jam
          o Coffee or tea
    * Lunch
          o 4 ounces of cooked lean fish, poultry, or meat
          o A starch item (such as potatoes)
          o A cooked vegetable
          o Salad
          o 2 slices of whole-grain bread
          o 2 teaspoons of margarine
          o 1 tablespoon of jelly
          o Fresh fruit
          o Milk
    * Midafternoon snack
          o Milk with graham crackers
    * Dinner
          o 4 ounces of cooked fish, poultry, or meat
          o Starch item (such as potatoes)
          o A cooked vegetable
          o Salad
          o 2 whole-grain rolls
          o 2 tablespoons of margarine
          o Fresh fruit or dessert
          o 8 ounces of milk

    * Evening snack
          o High-protein milk (milk with non-fat dry milk added)

      Usually, there are no cautions against specific foods. However, many people are unable to tolerate strongly-flavored vegetables, high-fat foods, fried foods, chocolate, nuts, and foods that have a lot of seasoning.

I do agree with Shikha about limiting milk intake in general, though. Many people suffer from some degree of lactose intolerance, resulting in some stomach discomfort. Milk products may be easier on the digestion. However, many thals use milk as a source of calcium, and if it causes no digestive problems, milk may be a valid option. Because of the need to keep to a low fat diet with liver disease, low fat or no fat milk would be the better choice.

While I was reading up on Hep C and its treatment, I found the following on the site:

Treatment & General recommendations:
• If you want to improve liver function IT IS ADVISABLE TO AVOID OR AT LEAST GREATLY REDUCE THE CONSUMPTION OF DAIRY PRODUCTS - dairy foods contain high levels of antibiotics, steroids and artificial growth hormones as this is what the herds are treated with in today's high tech dairies to prevent disease and boost milk production. As with humans where substances go through into breast milk it is the same for cattle - only they neglect to tell you this in the advertisements when they are telling you how great milk is

• Avoid ALL margarines and similar type spreads
• Avoid deep fried and fatty foods.
• Limit chicken and turkey that is not free range as this contains artificial growth hormones, antibiotics and steroids that increase the livers workload.
• Avoid artificial sweeteners see www.dorway.com – use Stevia

Of course, this writer may have her own agenda, given that she is pushing her book on raw juices, etc, but I did find the first para to be food for thought (lol). She seems to be making a valid point.

Poirot

Hi Poirot,

You have mentioned a very valid point. People with liver probs definitely avoid dairy products because it is a burden on the liver. The liver has to work harder to break down all that fat in dairy products. I had been given a general diet chart in London (Dr. Modell and co.) that tells me to avoid fatty foods including too much of cheese etc.

Regards,
Namitha