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Click to view RunningMedic's profile Amateur
RunningMedic
8 posts since
Oct 7, 2006

Mar 5, 2007 5:42 AM

Liver disease and running

I have a chronic liver disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and was wondering if anyone else has a chronic liver disease and does long distance running. Specifically I was wondering if anyone with a liver disease was told not to run or limit the distance and/or amount of training they do.

I have a liver function test every 6 months and my GI doctor hasn't restricted me. I'm going to the Mayo clinic in a few months to see a doctor who specializes in this disease and see what he says about running and training. I'm just curious if there are any others out there in a similar situation and what they have been told or experienced.

I know running/exercise can make LFTs come back abnormal, but I just read an article where alot of running can cause liver damage.

Thanks -
RM
Click to view kevinmc025's profile Amateur
kevinmc025
31 posts since
Feb 3, 2006
1. Mar 5, 2007 9:30 AM in response to: RunningMedic
Re: Liver disease and running
Marathon Peach may have some input on this.

My wife has PSC (transplant 2/3/05). Good luck. I would rely on your doctors, although they are likely to be conservative. I guess it depends on whether you are asymptomatic or not. If you know the story of Chris Klug (Bronze medalist, Snowboarding, 2002 Olympics), he was competing in world class caliber events and workign out like a demon right up to the point of his liver transplant for PSC. Check out his web site for his story.
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Click to view RunningMedic's profile Amateur
RunningMedic
8 posts since
Oct 7, 2006
2. Mar 5, 2007 11:45 AM in response to: RunningMedic
Re: Liver disease and running
Kevinmc,

Thanks for the reply. I've read part of the Klug's book but couldn't get through it...hits a bit too close to home.

One would think that staying in shape would help should a transplant be needed...but just wondering if there is that fine line between helping and hurting. I'm sure it is a question that can't be answered. I am asymptomatic and have been except for an occasional LFT that gets out of whack.

How is your wife doing? Does she run? I'm was diagnosed approx. 5 years ago and they say the average time to transplant is 10 years post diagnosis. We'll see.

Thanks again!

RM
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Click to view kevinmc025's profile Amateur
kevinmc025
31 posts since
Feb 3, 2006
3. Mar 5, 2007 3:00 PM in response to: RunningMedic
Re: Liver disease and running
No, my wife is not a runner.

She is doing fine. She skews the average time to transplant. If you consider the time from diagnosis of PSC to transplant, it was 13 months. It was maybe 20 months from detection of elevated enzyme levels, and 16 months from detection of cirrhosis.
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Click to view LiverMan's profile Rookie
LiverMan
2 posts since
Mar 10, 2007
4. Mar 10, 2007 5:00 PM in response to: RunningMedic
Re: Liver disease and running
quote:<HR>Originally posted by RunningMedic:
I have a chronic liver disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and was wondering if anyone else has a chronic liver disease and does long distance running. Specifically I was wondering if anyone with a liver disease was told not to run or limit the distance and/or amount of training they do.

I have a liver function test every 6 months and my GI doctor hasn't restricted me. I'm going to the Mayo clinic in a few months to see a doctor who specializes in this disease and see what he says about running and training. I'm just curious if there are any others out there in a similar situation and what they have been told or experienced.

I know running/exercise can make LFTs come back abnormal, but I just read an article where alot of running can cause liver damage.

Thanks -
RM<HR>
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Click to view LiverMan's profile Rookie
LiverMan
2 posts since
Mar 10, 2007
5. Mar 10, 2007 5:08 PM in response to: RunningMedic
Re: Liver disease and running
RunningMedic.... I also have PSC and am a marathon runner. I was diagnosed in 2004, and continue to train for marathons regularly. I have pretty much been asymptomatic most of the time (sometimes fatigue and MINOR itching, but no jaundice, etc.) and just continue to stick to my usual running routine.

I, like you, see a GI doc every six months where my liver enzyme levels are checked, and I also take Ursodiol every day. Ever since they prescribed the Ursodiol my liver enzyme tests have been in the "normal" range. Soooo, I continue to live my life as if I don't really have this disease because I don't see much of the affects of it yet.

I am running Boston for the 3rd time this year... and will continue to run my normal marathon routine until the symptons begin. I work with many surgeons daily (medical device sales rep) and am always asking their opinions so as to ensure that I'm not "overdoing it" in regards to the liver disease and my running.

Hope this helps. Please shoot a reply or send me an e-mail at redstal00@yahoo.com with that article regarding "running too much can cause liver damage."

Best Regards.....
Liver Man
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Click to view RunningMedic's profile Amateur
RunningMedic
8 posts since
Oct 7, 2006
6. Mar 12, 2007 4:51 PM in response to: RunningMedic
Re: Liver disease and running
LiverMan,

Thanks for the post. I am also on Ursodil and my LFTs come back normal....occasionally I'll have an abnormal one and get it rechecked and it will be fine.

The article was in the St. Louis post on 3/5/07 and it was about ultra marathons, however, it was saying that all the data about what running does to a body comes from people doing marathons since ultras are relatively new.

The paragraph about the liver is below followed by the link for the article.

"But once you start running more than 10 miles at a time, there are some negative effects," he says. "Evidence suggests that there's musculo-skeletal damage, cartilage damage and increased whole-body inflammatory markers. The immune system is weakened immediately after a marathon, and there appears to be cardiac muscle damage and diminished cardiac function immediately afterward. Liver enzymes also increase, which can lead to liver damage."

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/lifestyle/stories.nsf/healthfitness/story/9560264DFE4F3E9C86257292006CFEE2?OpenDocument&highlight=2%2C%22ultramarathon%22[/URL" target="_blank">

If the link doesn't work go to www.stltoday.com[/URL" target="_blank"> and do a search on ultramarthon, it is the only article that came up.

I'm not going to stop running based on this article, was just wondering what other people out there with a liver disease have been told by their doctors.

RunningMedic
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