An unexpected factor damaging liver health has been identified

Shift work and irregular eating patterns can disrupt liver function by throwing off its internal biological rhythms. This is the conclusion reached by scientists from the University of Queensland in Australia. The study was published in the journal Nature Metabolism.

As the researchers explained, the human body has several circadian "clocks" that control key biological processes. The liver, one of the most important metabolic organs, has its own working rhythm and releases proteins into the blood not constantly, but in waves - over the course of 24 hours.

"The liver is one of the most important organs in the body. It produces and exports most of the essential proteins circulating in our blood. These proteins are involved in regulating metabolism, inflammatory processes, and energy balance, but their production is not the same throughout the day," said the study leader, Dr. Meltem Weger from the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland.

The scientists discovered that the release of liver proteins is strictly synchronized with the body's circadian rhythms and is highly dependent on meal timing. Disruption of the usual daily routine - for example, due to night shifts or chaotic eating - leads to failures in this system.

"Our data challenge the notion that the liver works at a constant rate. We have shown that disruptions to sleep and eating patterns can directly affect its functions," Weger emphasized.

During the experiments, the researchers also established that regular meals help maintain the normal rhythm of liver function. At the same time, in participants who received small portions of nutritional mixture every hour, the circadian rhythms of protein secretion virtually disappeared.

According to Dr. Benjamin Weger, co-author of the study, the findings may help better understand the connection between disruption of biological rhythms and the development of chronic diseases.

"We don't yet fully understand exactly how disruptions to the liver's 'clocks' lead to disease, but it is clear that such disruptions are associated with the risk of obesity and metabolic disorders," he noted.

The authors of the study believe that further research into the liver's circadian rhythms could change approaches to the prevention of chronic diseases, as well as to the organization of nutrition and work schedules for people working in shifts.