Welcome to Harmony Shift! I am glad you’re here. So, today I am going to talk about shift work and your liver. Are you hurting your liver or is it harmful to your liver to work night shifts or an irregular schedule? Well, lets dive in and find out. Let’s find out what, if anything, to do about it.
Research from the National Library of Medicine showed that shift workers are at a higher risk for liver problems like Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and even cancer of the liver. This is due in part because of the circadian disruption. This research, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7616786/, states that “This disturbance adversely affects the metabolism and homeostasis of the liver, contributing to excessive fat accumulation and abnormal liver function……Studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between night shift work (NSW) and elevated liver enzymes, indicative of hepatic metabolic dysfunction, potentially increasing the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) related to NAFLD.
To really understand how shift work affects your liver, lets first talk about your body’s natural clock—your good ‘ol circadian rhythm. This rhythm, believe it or not, controls most of the processes in your body. That’s right even when you eat, and how your organs function. When your circadian rhythm gets out of sync, for example, from working night shifts or frequently changing work schedules, it will disrupt your metabolism and affect your liver.
The liver is an amazing organ. It does things such as filters toxins from your body, processes nutrients from the food you eat, and helps regulate things like blood sugar and cholesterol. However, when your circadian rhythm is off, your liver struggles to keep up which in turn causes an imbalance which can lead to a buildup of fat in the liver, causing it to become inflamed, which can eventually lead to NAFLD.
The risk doesn’t stop there. If this goes untreated, the inflammation caused by fatty liver disease can develop into Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH). This is a much more serious disease of the liver. NASH can cause liver fibrosis, and eventually, liver cancer.
While shift work is unavoidable for many people, like me, there are some things you can do to protect your liver and overall health. I have come up with four basic and easy things you can do.
- Eat at the right times. This might be easier said than done. However, if you snack at irregular hours this will put extra strain on the body and liver. Try to set up an eating schedule while on shift.
- Get quality sleep. This as another one that is easier said than done. However, if you work nights and get off in the morning, try to create a dark, quiet room for you to sleep. Try to aim for about 7-9 hours.
- What your exposure to light. If you try exposing yourself to natural light during the day and limiting your blue light exposure at night this will help to reset your circadian rhythm and help support your liver.
- Drink plenty of water! This is an obvious one, however it’s worth mentioning. By drinking plenty of water this will flush out any toxins, keep you hydrated, and help your liver function while maintaining optimal health.
Conclusion
These liver issues are just one of many issues and challenges that shift workers face every day. I will be addressing some other issues in the future to keep you healthy, happy, and performing at your best.
Let me know if I can help in any way, or if there is something you would like me to research or talk about on here.
Until next time,
Darren
Harmony Shift 