The liver reduction diet
It’s very likely that you’ll have to follow a 1-2 week liver reduction diet prior to your surgery. The liver reduction diet, or LRD, aims to reduce your liver size.
Up to 90% of candidates for bariatric surgery have non alcoholic fatty liver disease characterized by an enlarged and fatty liver. An enlarged liver increases the risk of bleeding during surgery.
The aim of the LRD is to reduce liver size which in turn leads to a reduced risk of bleeding during surgery. Some surgical centers will recommend a very low calorie diet (VLCD) while others may advice a low calorie diet (LCD).
VLCD versus LCD
A VLCD has proven to be effective for liver reduction prior to bariatric surgery. These diets are restricted to a maximum of 800 calories per day and lead to 5-20% reduction in liver size.
The downside of a VLCD are some negative side effects due to the extreme restriction of this diet.
The LCD also has proven to be an effective means for liver reduction. A LCD usually ranges between 800-1200 calories per day and shows a reduction of liver size by 12-27%.
Did you know that?
The liver reduction diet is also known as the liver shrinking diet or the pre-op liquid diet? LRD is short for liver reduction diet. And LSD is short for liver shrinking diet.
There’s a lot to wrap your head around when you’re gearing up for your surgery day. It’s not only the liver reduction diet that needs your attention, but you’re also swamped in pre-op appointments and lab tests to prepare for the “big day”. Stop worrying, and start with our straightforward blogpost with 7 tips on how to prepare for bariatric surgery. Let’s go!