GERMANY – Smoking harms lungs, pharynx and larynx – which is known to most people. The German Liver Foundation points out that tobacco also damages the liver and existing liver disease may worsen. So with existing liver disease rises as the risk of serious consequences like hepatocellular carcinoma.

Liver inflammation often remain unnoticed for some time

Liver is the detoxification center of the body and filters pollutants from the blood. Also, the nicotine passes through the tobacco in the body is broken down by the liver and therefore this vital organ is burdened. If there already is a liver disease, for example, a chronic infection with a hepatitis virus, smoking increases the risk of developing a liver cirrhosis and subsequently hepatocellular cancer.

Since chronic inflammation of the liver often proceed without symptoms and therefore go unnoticed for a long time, smoking can aggravate this disease even further.

Even with a fatty liver smoking is dangerous

Smoking is also a significant risk factor for progression of liver disease in patients with fatty liver. People who have smoked for more than a decade, at least one pack of cigarettes per day, have a higher probability of developing advanced liver scarring ( “fibrosis”) or even liver cirrhosis. In Germany, more than ten million people suffer from fatty liver.