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DIONYSOS 1 Project
It was during 1991 that the researchers at the Foundation for the Study of Liver Diseases asked a number of simple questions: 1) How may citizens suffer from liver disease? 2) Are there foods or lifelong habits which may cause particular harm?
After having investigated more than 7000 people, the image of the general situation which has emerged from the Dionysos Project is that chronic liver disease is three times more widespread than previously thought. Luckily, most of these diseases are long term (20-30 years) and very often are not the cause of death, except when the disease is progressive. Unfortunately, almost all the chronic liver diseases do not have specific symptoms or apparent signs and their discovery is frequently by chance, from certain blood analyses.
1 – Which
citizens suffer from liver disease?
It was thought that there were some 40 to 60.000 Italians suffering from
liver cirrhosis. The Dionysos project has revealed that at least 1% of the
Italian population have hepatic cirrhosis (which means 600.000 sufferers),
that 40.000 Italians have malignant liver tumours and that as many as 10
million Italians between 12 and 65 years old have some blood analysis indicative
of altered hepatic functionality (the famous transaminases) Hence our data
indicate that chronic liver disease is ever more a “social disease”.
2 – How many individuals are gravely ill and how
many not?
Chronic liver diseases can also be somewhat masked. 80% of the individuals
with a chronic liver disease identified during the Dionysos project, did
not have any discomfort and had no idea of any liver problems. 20% of the
individuals with "liver problems" were actually gravely ill (chronic hepatic
cirrhoses and tumours), even if often they did not realise it.
3 – What are the main factors for liver damage?
The most important causes of liver damage, as identified by the Dionysos
Project, are viruses, above all the C virus: some 2
million Italians go about their daily lives with Hepatitis C virus lodged in their bodies: some get
sick, others not. In 50-60% of cases, this virus causes a chronic inflammation
of the liver. It is very underhand: showing no sign of its existence while
it slowly proceeds to damage the liver, becoming a serious disease such as
liver cirrhoses or tumours over the span of some 25-30 years.
Many of those with the C virus, even though apparently healthy with all their
blood exams fine, must be particularly careful to avoid other factors potentially
damaging to the liver (contracting other viral infections, abusing certain
foods) and must also have periodic health checks.
4 – Are there perhaps certain foods or lifelong habits which may cause
liver damage?
The Dionysos project has demonstrated for the first time that even just food
in excess can cause liver damage. In fact it seems that overweight
and obesity are greater factors even than alcohol in causing what is known as hepatic
steatosis, a situation in which the liver is overloaded with fatty substances.
The same thing occurs (but less frequently) if alcohol is drunk in a disproportionate
manner (more than 30 grams alcohol per day).
Drinking one glass of medium gradation wine with a meal carries no risk of
liver damage to a healthy person.
Risk of liver damage increases with an increase in the quantity of alcohol
consumed. One should not drink on an empty stomach or outside of meals nor
should one drink high gradation alcoholic beverages (spirits), or “home-made” drinks
such as wines or grappas or other liqueurs if appropriate enological checks
have not been carried out. Drinking alcohol in excess for a long period of
time may have serious consequences for the liver (cirrhoses and tumours) and
not only for the liver (brain, pancreas, stomach, heart, etc.).
Despite this, more than half (60%) of a group of heavy drinkers followed
for more than 10 years have not demonstrated any evidence of liver disease:
which indicates the probable existence of perhaps some hereditary or familial
factor, linked to a particular individual which allows the liver to overcome
unscathed the assault of a number of litres of alcohol ingested on a daily
basis.