Short legs linked to liver disease
20 December 2007
Overindulgence during the festive season isn't good for us - especially our livers. But now scientists have discovered that having shorter legs is associated with an increase in the chance of liver damage. But is lack of height really the problem? Antenna investigates...
Image: iStockphoto/Sandra Gligorijevic
Liver damage is a big health problem - up to 2 million people in the UK suffer from chronic liver disease and cases are on the up. Alcohol intake, poor diet and obesity are all known to be risk factors, but experts think there are many other causes too.
Now a detailed health survey of nearly 4000 British women has given scientists the chance to explore what else could affect our chances of developing liver damage. And perhaps surprisingly, their results suggest leg length could be connected with liver health.
Drinking alcohol puts a strain on the liver and drinking to excess can cause serious health problems.
Image: iStockphoto/Naphtalina
The scientists, from the University of Bristol and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, gathered notes on women's medical history and lifestyle. They measured each woman's leg length to see whether shorter legs could be linked to liver disease. To check liver health they took samples of blood and looked at levels of four liver enzymes.
'These four enzymes indicate if the liver works properly. If liver cells are damaged, these enzymes can leak out into the bloodstream. So if we find higher than normal levels of them in the blood, it can be an indicator of liver disease,' researcher Abigail Fraser explains.
After adjusting for other influences such as smoking, drinking and exercise, the scientists found a striking pattern - shorter legs puts patients at greater risk of liver disease.
'We found that as leg length increased, the levels of some enzymes decreased, so longer leg length seems to be associated with lower levels of liver enzymes in the bloodstream, indicating a healthier liver,' says Abigail.
Hepatocytes, the cells in the liver, produce enzymes that enable the liver to function properly.
Image: Department of Histology, Jagiellonian University Medical College
But how could being shorter make your liver less healthy?
Although the research has linked leg length to levels of liver enzymes, it doesn't necessarily mean that being short is the real problem. The scientists say that shorter leg length is a sign of poor nutrition and health during childhood, which influences a person's risk of developing liver disease later in life.
Anna Denny, nutrition scientist, British Nutrition Foundation.
Image: British Nutrition Foundation
Anna Denney from the British Nutrition Foundation agrees: 'We already know that poor nutrition during childhood is associated with stunted growth, and there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that it is associated with greater risk of disease in adult life. This research emphasises just how important good nutrition is.' |
Another possible explanation is that taller people are likely to have larger livers to match their height. The scientists suggest that a bigger liver would be stronger and more resistant to the effects of bad diet and alcohol consumption.
And no matter how susceptible to liver disease you might be, you can help protect the health of your liver by eating sensibly, watching your weight and taking regular exercise.