Runaway algae growth causes neurological problems for those with liver disease (Drink filtered water for fatty liver)

Medical XPress / University of South Carolina / Toxicology ^ | Oct. 5, 2021 | Erin Bluvas / Ayan Mondal et al

[ConservativeMind]

Researchers from the Center for Oceans and Human Health on Climate Change Interactions (OHHC2I) have leveraged their collective expertise in environmental health sciences to reveal additional health concerns posed by the overgrowth of harmful algae blooms. The scientists previously identified an increased risk of gastrointestinal problems for individuals with liver disease who are exposed to these blooms. Now, they have uncovered that those with liver disease (up to 25 percent of the population) are also more likely to experience neurological problems.

The culprit is a specific microcystin the blooms produce. This toxin finds its way into source waters (e.g., lakes, rivers, groundwater), which provide public drinking water and recreational areas for swimming, boating and fishing.

Consuming the contaminated water can negatively impact the gut microbiome and the immune system among individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. With their latest study, environmental health sciences associate professor Saurabh Chatterjee and his team have discovered that the toxin also causes neuroinflammation, blood-brain barrier dysfunction and neurodegeneration.

"Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease occurs when too much fat is stored in liver cells," says Chatterjee, whose Environmental Health and Disease Laboratory focuses on how environmental toxins contribute to liver disease, metabolic syndrome and obesity. "This condition can remain benign and asymptomatic for years before possibly developing into a full-blown disease. Exposure to toxins, such as those created by harmful algal blooms, can trigger the progression of the disease from fatty liver into a much more serious inflammatory condition known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis."

Harmful algal blooms can be found in both fresh and marine water ecosystems and can rapidly grow out of control (i.e., bloom) in warm, nutrient-rich, slow-moving water.

[ConservativeMind]

The specific toxin was “cylindrospermopsin,” which I’ve never heard of before.

[ConservativeMind]

Another study:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/cyanotoxin

Filtering information:

https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/summary-cyanotoxins-treatment-drinking-water

It looks like wood-based carbon filters do a better job removing the toxin from the water, when not still within a functioning cell.

[ConservativeMind]

The prior EPA link says reverse osmosis might be okay, but research is needed to determine efficacy. Ozone treatment definitely helps and potassium permanganate does, too.

“Nanofiltration” also helps, but this is something beyond the other listed options.

[rainee]

My dad was just diagnosed with fatty liver, he doesn’t drink
He could afford to use a few pounds but not obese

[TTFX]

Could be excess iron ir excess vitamin a

[ConservativeMind]

The typical test for fatty liver is an ultrasound.

There’s no way Vitamin A or iron to show up looking like a fatty liver, and neither causes fatty liver. A fatty liver does cause problems with retaining Vitamin A.

Improper iron retention in the liver happens 1/3 of the time with fatty liver:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21718726/

[Rembrandt]

I live in Sarasota FL. We’ve had a couple of intense encounters with killer algae over the past few years. Lot of tourists cancelled reservations, others held their noses and tried to ignore it. I don’t recall any deaths but perhaps this is one of those where, once it’s discovered, all of a sudden everyone is expected to die, like global warming.