Dr. Natalia Vasilyeva, a gastroenterologist and liver specialist, points out that skin itching can occur due to a variety of reasons, including liver problems.
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According to her, the liver is one of the body's main organs, playing a crucial role in processes such as detoxification and metabolic functions. Any dysfunction in its activities can lead to health issues, including skin itching.
One of the conditions that can cause this is cholestasis in the liver, where bile accumulates in the skin, leading to unbearable itching, especially at night or during bathing.
This condition can develop with primary biliary liver damage due to diseases like cirrhosis, cholangitis, and hepatitis from various causes (viruses, alcohol, toxins).
Dr. Vasilyeva adds that cholestasis can also occur outside the liver, when the bile duct is subjected to external pressure, such as when gallstones develop, blocking the flow of bile. As a result, bile accumulates in the skin, causing itching and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).
Additionally, skin itching may arise from elevated levels of iron and copper in the body. This usually occurs when the liver's metabolic functions are impaired due to diseases like Wilson's disease, hemochromatosis, Gilbert's syndrome (a common hereditary liver disorder), and others.
She further explains that a range of autoimmune liver diseases is also associated with persistent and painful itching. These include autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cholangitis, among others. This condition is linked to the deposition of autoimmune complexes in the connective tissue of the skin, which is reflected in blood tests showing increased levels of bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and autoimmune markers, helping to diagnose these diseases.
In addition to these functions, the liver regulates blood sugar levels by producing glucose from amino acids involved in glucose formation.
Dr. Vasilyeva explains, "When glycogen accumulation increases, the liver breaks it down into glucose, which enters the bloodstream in higher concentrations. As is well-known, when blood glucose levels rise, conditions like carbohydrate metabolism disorders (pre-diabetes) and diabetes develop, and one of the first symptoms of these conditions is skin itching."
Source: RT
