Cholestasis

Cholestasis is an organic disorder that leads to the failure to excrete toxic substances out of the body through the liver and the bile.  The toxic substances accumulate in the liver and poison liver cells, eventually leading to chronic liver disease causing cirrhosis (a condition where the liver slowly shrinks, hardens and loses its ability to perform its vital functions.)

Cholestasis, is not well known, but can be fatal.  Cholestasis can affect people of all ages, even infants. Symptoms of cholestasis include yellowish skin and the whites of eyes along with dark urine and pale stools. The yellow discoloration is caused by excessive bilirubin (or bile pigment) in the blood stream that dissolves in the subcutaneous fat.

Cholestasis comes in two forms, intrahepatic cholestasis and extrahepatic cholestasis. Intrahepatic cholestasis can be triggered by viral and bacterial infections.  Serious infections in which microorganisms have entered the bloodstream can cause cholestasis by damaging the liver cells.  Noninfectious causes of cholestasis include irregularities in fat, protein or carbohydrate metabolism, congenital disorder, drug-induced liver damage, Down's Syndrome and hormonal disorders (like hypothyroid and panhypopituitarism). A blockage of the bile duct (also called biliary atresia) or the cystic duct can cause extrahepatic cholestasis.  Biliary atresia results in an inability to excrete toxic substances out of the body through fecal discharge, while a blocked cystic duct can cause enlargement of the bile duct that can in turn lead to various complications, and even death.

Other Disease Information: Alzheimers, Arterial Plaque, Arteriosclerosis, Blood Clotting, Chest Pain, Cholestasis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Circulatory System, Coronary Disease, Heart Attack, Disease, Heart Disease, Inflammatory Disorder, Mononucleosis, Obesity, Preeclamsia, Stroke, Vascular

Cholestasis Nutraceutical Products: Essential Seven