Despite most people out there in the lay public a little grossed out by liver (as a food) in general, and generally naive about the benefits of a healthy liver and its impressive array of necessary function - I bring to you all, savvy health care providers, the results of a recent study published on the topic of liver benefits of bariatric surgery.
The liver, as you know, although having many other functions, has a great deal to do with glucose homeostasis, through storage of blood glucose as glycogen as well as conversion of glycogen back to glucose for energy needs. The liver is certainly a site of fat deposition, as frequently occurs in obese patients, as is manifest in NASH (Non-alcoholic steato-hepatitis) resulting in liver dysfunction, as well and potentially cirrhosis as a long term result of severe disease.
So when a study released from the Journal of Hepatology recently detailed hepatic structural and functional changes to patients within 6 mos after Gastric Bypass and Sleeve gastrectomy (both metabolic procedures) vs. matched controls, it caught my eye. Of additional note, the surgical patients were studied both pre and post-operatively.
The study revealed a marked improvement in liver size (by 26 %) and fat content (reduced by 76%) in association with the substantial weight loss achieved in the 6 mos following surgery.
More importantly, hepatic insulin sensitivity was significantly improved, as measured by insulin-stimulated hepatic glucose uptake, and by measuring a decrease in endogenous hepatic glucose production. Both of these factors are noted to be part of the metabolic disruption that leads to hyperglycemia and the overt expression of DM 2.
All in all, perhaps not earth shaking news, as we are all becoming more aware of how the rubber is meeting the road as far as the anti-Diabetic effects of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery demonstrate.
It is nice, though, to have supportive scientific data to show a little more of the "Why" and the "How" to both quantify and qualify these amazing effects, as we see more and more success with our metabolically-challenged patients who undergo surgery.
Thanks for the time you spend with your patients, counseling them on the different pathways to better health and weight reduction, with Bariatric Surgery as one of those options.
And finally, a cheesy note from one of your patient's liver....
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| From Archive.constantcontact.com |
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