Anyone got any info or leads on this? Searching is difficult because I keep getting results relating to fatty liver etc. I want to find out if someone with a liver damaged by hepatitus, who would normally be told to eat high carb low fat, can manage eating a much higher fat diet. Cutting grains and dairy isn't a problem here - it's the amount of fat in the diet especially saturated fat.

If you have a damaged liver, then a high fat diet just leaves you feeling nauseous and fatigued, not to mention suffering from liver pain.

As a side note, I'm wondering how low fat paleo might work out - it being that in every other way a paleo diet is awesome

I think you've misunderstood, goodsamaritan. The problem is not fatty liver, it's hepatitus. I'm trying to find research on on how any form of paleo or grain-free, low dairy WOE affects a hepatic liver.

I want to find out if someone with a liver damaged by hepatitus, who would normally be told to eat high carb low fat, can manage eating a much higher fat diet.

Well, the first thing to do would be to make sure the causes of hepatitis are gone.  That would mean, for example, cutting out alcohol completely, along with other things that stress the liver like certain drugs and herbs, excessive amounts of certain vitamins, etc.  A liver flush might be in order if duct blockages might have been involved.

After that, I think a standard paleo diet - moderately low carb, but with enough fruit to avoid ketosis - would be fine.  Keeping the calories on the low end would probably be a good idea, for example eating only when hungry.

It appears that the reason high carb low fat is recommended for liver patients is not because it helps the liver, but because it's recommended for everything these days - even diabetes, where high carb actually exacerbates the condition.  For example, here's what the Hepatitis Foundation International has to say on the subject:

Watch the Protein.
To quickly determine your daily protein in grams, divide your weight in pounds by 2. Too much daily protein may cause hepatic encephalopathy (mental confusion)....

Watch the Calories.
Excess calories in the form of carbohydrates can add to liver dysfunction and can cause fat deposits in the liver. No more than 30% of a person's total calories should come from fat because of the danger to the cardiovascular system.

http://www.hepfi.org/living/liv_caring.html

In other words, too much protein and too much carbohydrate are both bad for the liver.  Too much fat is not bad for the liver, though - the fat recommendation is there because of heart recommendations - "danger to the cardiovascular system" - which has nothing to do with the liver.

Hepatitus is one of the biggest threats worldwide - and there are now 8 types listed. It has over-run whole countries, is significant even in developed nations and is pretty easy to get.  

Thanks for the info and link, Warren. Yes, I'd noticed the protein / carbohydrate restriction but because the liver also plays a role in breaking down fats I'm unsure if a high fat diet involves a significant increase in workload for the liver (particularly if it doesn't have to deal with the toxicity of grains, legumes, pulses and starches).

The problem of course, is that most dietary recommendations these days simply suggest a low fat diet as a cure-all. Pfft

Goodsamaritan, thanks for your info. I'm still trying to find out how raw fat can help with viral infection.

Quick update - I should mention that in following the fats path I have found some info suggesting a 'low carbohydate' regime - but I have so far been unable to ascertain what is meant by this term as it is being applied just as generally as low fat. *sigh*

Raw fat, cleanses, lubricates, protects and fuels the body easily.

Whereas heated and pasteurized fat often store as cellulite or other hard-to-use or non-utilizable waxy fat.

-- Aajonus Vonderplanitz

Er I could be reading this wrong but...

It seems that the liver is involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats and actually plays a major role in all three

From what I'm reading it seems that the liver is responsible for the conversion of fatty acids. The only experiments that I have found to date are on rats (!) and show that a damaged liver does not convert very efficiently and that this has implications for fat metabolism

This would make sense as there are some recommendations out there for a low to moderate carbohydrate diet with lower fat and protein...

It also seems that a diet with lots of non starchy veg, fruits and trimmed meats and very low in or without any dairy is the way to go. So probablya paleo diet but with a bit less fat is the way to go.

From what I'm reading it seems that the liver is responsible for the conversion of fatty acids.

Conversion to what?  Muscle cells use fatty acids directly, so they don't need conversion.

Quote from: avelin on August 05, 2010, 07:16:13 PM

From what I'm reading it seems that the liver is responsible for the conversion of fatty acids.

Conversion to what?  Muscle cells use fatty acids directly, so they don't need conversion.

Sorry Warren, unclear on my part. I meant conversion to fatty acids. In this, I'm learning as I go.