The most common complaint I hear is that people always feel tired. There are many causes of chronic tiredness. Sometimes it's obvious like not getting enough sleep, but other times it can be due to an underlying health issue. Chronic tiredness can be a frustrating condition. There usually isn't a simple solution to it and any medical tests are likely to come back 'normal'.

One reason for chronic tiredness is a problem with liver function. In this article I'm going to explore liver problems and how they could cause chronic tiredness.

Common symptoms of liver problems include:

· Feel tired and unrefreshed when you wake up
· Energy levels fluctuate throughout the day, with your tiredness becoming worse around mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon
· Difficulty losing weight
· Allergies and intolerances to foods that are worsening as time goes on
· Reactions to many chemicals including cleaning products, petrol, paint, perfumes, bleaches, etc.
· Problems digesting fatty/creamy/oily foods. They can make you feel unwell, nauseous or cause heart burn and reflux
· A yellowish tinge to the skin, eyes and palms of the hands
· Reactions to drugs, in particular headache tablets, antibiotics and anti-histamines
· An intolerance to alcohol
· Frequent headaches and bad breath
· Skin problems such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, general rashes, itchy skin

The liver has many roles within our body and is the hardest working organ we have. If you have a liver problem, there are two main reasons that you may experience chronic tiredness.

Firstly, the liver is our main detoxification organ and it does this three ways.

1. During Phase 1 and 2 detoxification processes, it coordinates the excretion of most wastes and toxins through the four main elimination pathways - kidneys, skin, bowels and lungs. In order to this, it may have to convert fat soluble toxins into a water soluble form.
2. Along with the kidneys, it is continuously filtering and cleansing the blood.
3. It produces bile, one of the main carriers of toxins out of the body.

If the liver becomes congested – either from a high level of toxins in the body or because bile flow is blocked or reduced – there will be a build-up of wastes and toxins in the blood stream. This can pollute the body's fluids and tissues and place an extra burden on the other eliminative organs. This situation will commonly lead to an increase in general tiredness and sluggishness as well as a number of other symptoms (see list above). This is why people who follow a detoxification programme often experience an improvement in their energy; their skin clears and they lose weight.

Secondly, the liver is involved in carbohydrate metabolism. It's especially important in maintaining a normal blood glucose level. When blood glucose levels are low, the liver can break down glycogen (the glucose stored in muscle and liver cells) into glucose and release it into the bloodstream for instant energy. The liver can also convert proteins and fatty acids into energy. Therefore, if the liver's function is compromised your blood sugar will fluctuate leading to episodic tiredness, especially around mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon.

Our liver needs to be cared for and supported with a healthy diet. Certain herbal medicine, amino acids, foods and supplements can protect and regenerate the liver back to health. But remember - it's always easier to prevent something going wrong than to fix it after it's broken.

Please note: The information in this article is not intended to take the place of a personal relationship with a qualified health practitioner nor is it intended as medical advice.