Hepatitis C can lead to liver complications, especially when it’s chronic. You may be able to help prevent these complications by making changes to your diet, your activity level, and other factors.

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes inflammation (swelling) of your liver. Long-term inflammation can lead to liver damage, but you may be able to make some changes to help protect your liver.

In this article, we discuss hepatitis C’s impact on your liver and what you can do to prevent or reduce the damage.

The longer your liver is inflamed, the greater the chance of long-term damage to liver tissue.

Liver damage happens because hepatitis C targets healthy liver cells. Your body then begins an immune response that can speed up liver damage, leading to fibrosis (liver scarring), which prevents healthy liver function.

The combination of this immune response and the effects of the hepatitis C virus may lead to complications of the disease. Complications such as cirrhosis (permanent liver scarring) and liver cancer are possible, especially if you have chronic hepatitis C.

Chronic hepatitis C can develop if you do not receive treatment for acute hepatitis C or if your body is otherwise unable to fight off the infection.

This is a relatively common: Up to 85%Trusted Source of people with acute hepatitis C will develop chronic hepatitis C after 6 months.

Liver damage from chronic hepatitis C may progress from liver inflammation to the following complications:

  • Fibrosis: Fibrosis may be mild at first but can progress to affect liver function.
  • Cirrhosis: The hepatitis C virus is the leading cause of cirrhosis in the United States. Having cirrhosis means your liver is permanently scarred as a result of underlying inflammation. Moderate to severe fibrosis makes it difficult for your liver to work properly and may even block blood flow.
  • End stage liver disease (ESLD): Also called hepatic (liver) failure, ESLD results from damage so significant that your liver can no longer function independently. This type of damage usually develops over several months or yearsTrusted Source and often leads to the need for a liver transplant.
  • Liver cancer: Cirrhosis and ESLD may also increase your risk of liver cancer. This can also happen if the hepatitis C infection is successfully treated, but cirrhosis has already developed.

As a result of advances in antiviral treatments, hepatitis C has a better outlook now than it did in previous years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, the rate of death due to hepatitis C has been decreasing in recent years.

That said, 15% to 30% of peopleTrusted Source with chronic hepatitis C develop cirrhosis within 20 years.

Among people with cirrhosis, there is a 2% to 4% annual risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma, a type of liver cancer.

For this reason, your doctor may still recommend that you make some lifestyle changes in addition to taking standard medications.

While lifestyle changes cannot replace antiviral medications for hepatitis C, they can help by supporting your liver more generally. Consider the following steps you can take to protect the health of your liver.

Manage your weight

Hepatitis C can cause weight loss at first as your body tries to fight off the virus. But the disease can lead to weight gain in the long term.

It’s possible that your weight may fluctuate as you start regaining your appetite after experiencing symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.

Gaining weight may or may not be a concern for you, but if you have overweight or obesity, you may be at higher riskTrusted Source of liver damage. Hepatitis C is thought to be more damaging to your liver if you have excess body weight.

Long-term weight management can go a long way toward protecting your liver. Losing weight may also help prevent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

If you’re trying to lose weight or maintain your weight and having difficulty, you can ask a doctor about resources that may be helpful. They can also help you set attainable weight goals that are appropriate for your age, height, and overall health.

Eat liver-friendly foods

Beyond managing your weight if needed, you may want to reconsider the foods you consume for overall liver health.

A liver-friendly diet focuses on fruits and vegetables, lean protein sources, and complex carbs derived from whole grains. Limiting your portion sizes — especially with fatty foods — can also help you protect your liver.

Here are some other dietary tips that can help you protect your liver while you work toward any weight-related goals you may have:

  • Avoid added sugars.
  • Choose plant-based oils, such as olive oil, over butter.
  • Snack on nuts and seeds.
  • Choose low fat dairy products.
  • Avoid saturated fats found in sour cream, packaged meats, and boxed foods.
  • Reduce your sodium intake.
  • Limit your iron intake.
  • Avoid raw or undercooked meats and shellfish.
  • Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

You may also want to consider working with a dietitian to develop an eating plan tailored to your liver health and any other goals you have, such as weight loss.

Limit your alcohol intake

Drinking alcohol can negatively affect an already damaged liver. If you consume alcohol on a regular basis, it may be necessary to decrease the amount. Your doctor may even recommend that you avoid alcohol altogether.

Your liver is the primary organ responsible for breaking down the nutrients and other substances you consume. If there’s too much alcohol in your system, your liver enzymes may not be able to process it properly. In turn, the excess alcohol will circulate through the rest of your body.

As a general rule, it’s important to drink alcohol only in moderation. This equates to no more than two drinksTrusted Source per day for males or one per day for females.

Still, even moderate alcohol consumption can be dangerous when you’re living with hepatitis C. For this reason, a doctor may recommend that you avoid alcohol completely if you have an active hepatitis C infection or related liver damage.

Increase your activity level

If a doctor recommends weight loss to improve your liver health, exercise is one method to do that. But the benefits of exercise extend beyond weight loss and weight management.

In addition to potentially reducing your overall body fat, exercise can help decrease the fat around your liver. Regular exercise can also boost your mood and energy levels.

One 2020 reviewTrusted Source identified a sedentary lifestyle as one factor that can contribute to less favorable outcomes in cirrhosis. Smoking, alcohol consumption, and inadequate nutrition are other contributing factors.

For best results, aim for 150 minutesTrusted Source of cardiovascular exercise per week plus strength training. Start out gradually and focus on activities you enjoy. For example, you may want to include a combination of running or walking, group exercise classes or team sports, and use of gym machines.

Be careful with medications and supplements

Your liver is critical for processing medications and supplements, including nutritional supplements, herbal remedies, and over-the-counter medications such as allergy drugs and pain relievers. It’s important to take extra precautions with these when your liver is weakened as a result of hepatitis C.

Talk with a doctor before using any new medications or supplements. Also, avoid consuming alcohol while you’re taking any medications. Combining the two can increase liver damage.

If you have hepatitis C, protecting your overall liver health can go a long way toward preventing complications of the disease. This is crucial to help prevent your liver from reaching a state of cirrhosis, which involves irreversible scarring. Severe liver damage from hepatitis C may eventually require a liver transplant.

While antiviral treatments can clear the hepatitis C virus from your body, you may still have lingering liver damage. You’re also at a higher risk of developing cirrhosis if you have untreated chronic hepatitis C.

It’s important for everyone to protect their liver health, but it’s especially vital if you have a condition that affects your liver, such as hepatitis C. Talk with a doctor about ways you can incorporate the above lifestyle habits and how they might complement your hepatitis C treatment plan.