Is staying up late harmful to the liver? How can we compensate for the damage caused by staying up late?

Many people stay up late scrolling on their phones into the night. Is staying up late harmful to the liver? If there is damage, how can it be compensated?
Numerous studies indicate a close connection between circadian rhythms and human metabolism. The liver, as a metabolic hub, is most influenced by the day-night cycle. Disrupting the body’s natural rhythm significantly increases the incidence of liver-related metabolic diseases, such as lipid metabolism, glucose metabolism, bile acid, and protein metabolism.
In summary, if the circadian rhythm is disturbed, the liver is the first be suffered. This disruption can significantly increase the risk of various metabolic diseases. People who stay up late and have irregular eating habits are more prone to developing fatty liver.
What is the circadian rhythm?
It originates from the biological clock, an internal rhythmic variation that evolved in organisms to adapt to the day-night changes in the external environment. Mammals are constantly regulated by circadian rhythms, allowing different tissues and organs to function at specific times of the day.
For example, eating and sleeping are controlled by the circadian clock. You get hungry at mealtime, and you feel sleepy at bedtime—these are all controlled by the biological clock.
The liver, in particular, is proven to be significantly influenced by the circadian rhythm. Various physiological activities in the liver, including carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism, bile synthesis, and blood clotting, are largely regulated by the biological clock. Therefore, disruption of the circadian rhythm can lead to disturbances in liver metabolism and related functions, potentially developing into metabolic diseases.
Moreover, staying up late can lead to insufficient sleep, which, clinically, is shown to harm liver health. In a study published in the journal ‘Obesity Facts’ in 2015, titled ‘Relationship between Sleep Duration and Non-Alcoholic Liver Disease in Japanese male and female,’ it found that women who slept less than 6 hours per day had a 44% higher risk of developing non-alcoholic liver disease compared to those sleeping 6-7 hours.
Many people might wonder if compensating for lost sleep by sleeping more the next day is effective. Research indicates that even if the total sleep duration is maintained, changes in the sleep schedule can have similar effects on liver function. For instance, shifting the sleep time from 11 PM to 7 AM to 7 AM to 3 PM changes the circadian rhythm and peak levels of bilirubin significantly.
Bilirubin is a major pigment in bile, a primary metabolic product of intra-body iron compounds. It has toxicity, may cause irreversible damage to the brain and nervous system, but it also functions as an antioxidant, inhibiting the oxidation of linoleic acid and phospholipids. Bilirubin is crucial in clinical diagnosis for jaundice and serves as an essential indicator of liver function.
If staying up late is unavoidable, and you want to minimize the damage, the first thing to do is to protect the liver.
How can people who stay up late protect their liver?
Staying up late can harm the liver in various ways, oxidative stress reaction is a common problem among these issues. Liver cells cannot repair damage during sleep, leading to an excessive accumulation of free radicals within liver cells, causing cell necrosis, apoptosis, lipid peroxidation, and DNA damage.
Oxidative stress reaction mainly occur in the mitochondria of liver cells.
PQQ, a component mentioned in the text, can directly act on mitochondria, eliminating free radicals. Its redox effect is 5000 times that of vitamin C. Additionally, PQQ can promote the generation of fresh mitochondria, revitalizing liver immune cells.
Another effective component is inositol, a popular liver-protecting ingredient in recent years. It can penetrate cells, emulsify and expel excess fat within liver cells, reducing the burden on the liver and enhancing liver capacity. It is especially suitable for individuals with fatty liver, reducing the damage to the liver caused by fatty liver.
When these two components are combined, they can more effectively enhance the function and metabolism of liver cells. Once the function of liver cells is restored, the overall function of the liver naturally improves.
I personally had fatty liver before. I controlled my diet and started exercising, but the results weren’t very noticeable. Later, a friend recommended ESTHELIV’s Liver Purification Pills, which contains a combination of PQQ and inositol. After about three months, my fatty liver disappeared in the latest health check-up! It’s really gratifying. Fatty liver is stubborn, and I didn’t expect the cellular-level nutritional supplements to be so effective.
Moreover, ESTHELIV is a well-known brand origins in the United States. When choosing products, trust in science and professionalism is essential.
I have been taking it consistently for about three months now, and I feel my body becoming lighter. Even if I stay up late, my complexion is no longer as dull and pale as before, and I sleep more soundly. After overtime and staying up late, my body doesn’t feel as tired as it used to, and I’m energetic the next day. The results are rather noticeable!
A healthy liver does make a significant difference in a person’s overall condition. Although I still can’t avoid staying up late occasionally, the and complexion and the feeling of fatigue are strikingly different compared to before. Now, after staying up late, I still feel energetic the next day. As the saying goes, a healthy liver brings vitality, and indeed, a healthy liver makes a difference. It’s so evident.
References:
Gao, W., Shu, Y. (2020). Circadian Rhythms and Liver Energy Metabolism. World Chinese Journal of Digestology, 10.
Imaizumi, H., et al. (2015). The Association between Sleep Duration and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease among Japanese Men and Women. Obesity Facts, 8(4), 234-242.
Larsson, A., et al. (2009). Circadian variability of bilirubin in healthy men during normal sleep and after an acute shift of sleep. Chronobiology International, 26(8).”
Imaizumi, H., etal., The Association between Sleep Duration and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease among Japanese Men and Women. Obes Facts, 2015. 8(4): p. 234-42.
Larsson, A., et al., Circadian variability of bilirubin in healthy men during normal sleep and after an acute shift of sleep. Chronobiol Int, 2009. 26(8):p. 1613-21.