Joshua Wallace

---

These discussions are attempts at recreating genuine interactions from my encounters with intriguing individuals. They are sourced from Zoom records, scribbled notes, emails and voice recordings, then whimsically reshaped through AI.

---

Joshua: Hey Lili, you know, as a scientist I’ve been diving into some of the unsung heroes of our bodies. And do you remember Pablo Neruda’s “Ode to the Liver”?

Lili: Ah, yes! From the 1950s, right? The beautiful portrayal of the liver as a tireless chemical factory. That was during his encounter with Hector Orrego.

Joshua: Exactly! It’s fascinating that, compared to the heart and brain, the liver is often overlooked when it comes to health optimization or chronic disease prevention. Yet, it’s so essential for the biochemical conditions that our heart and brain need to thrive.

Lili: Absolutely! The liver acts as a chemical laboratory with many roles: from regulating blood supply, acting as a blood reservoir, managing metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, to waste disposal like producing bile to help remove harmful substances.

Joshua: Speaking of metabolism, I think that’s where the liver truly shines. Could you shed some light on its role in metabolism?

Lili: Of course! The liver is fundamental in managing our carbohydrates. It looks after the storage of glucose through a process called glycogenesis, releases glucose via glycogenolysis, and produces glucose through gluconeogenesis. Plus, it aids in the breakdown of lipids in the small intestine and has enzymes, like cytochrome P450s, that convert various compounds into forms the body can excrete.

Joshua: So then, how does the liver play into metabolic syndrome and conditions like insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes?

Lili: Great question! When we talk about insulin resistance, we’re looking at a key sign that an organism’s underlying metabolic system isn’t optimal. In a healthy individual, insulin will increase glucose uptake by muscles, adipose tissue, and the liver. It also decreases gluconeogenesis. However, in someone who’s insulin resistant, these processes don’t function well, leading to problems like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and type 2 diabetes.

Joshua: And there’s a rising concern about NAFLD globally, isn’t there?

Lili: Definitely. NAFLD, in essence, can be seen as a spectrum ranging from obesity to metabolic syndrome and then to diabetes. It’s becoming more prevalent, and as research progresses, the role of metabolic dysregulation as a factor for diseases like CVD, neurodegenerative disease, and cancer becomes clearer.

Joshua: This is enlightening. Now, let’s say I want to get a snapshot of my liver’s health. Are there common biomarkers that can help?

Lili: Absolutely. Clinically, we look at serum biomarkers like Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), and Total bilirubin (TBIL) to gauge liver function and injury.

Joshua: With all this in mind, it’s crucial for us to appreciate our livers more, isn’t it? Perhaps, while enjoying some peri-peri chicken livers!

Lili: (Laughs) Exactly! And remember to optimize liver function by exercising to increase glucose uptake, reducing fructose and glucose consumption, and lowering detoxification load. Here’s to the unsung hero of our bodies! Cheers to the liver!

Joshua: Cheers! And thank you, Lili. This has been both informative and enlightening.

Thanks to Lili for being passionate about science communication and for allowing our notes to be the feedstock for our AI overlords.