Spicy strips, as an inexpensive and delicious snack, are loved by many young people. However, although spicy strips are tasty, eating too many of them can be harmful to your health. Our department recently admitted a patient with liver damage caused by eating spicy strips.
This 10-year-old boy from Henan suddenly developed "liver failure" before the Spring Festival. He was hospitalized at a local top-tier hospital for three weeks and was discharged after his condition improved. In early March, his condition relapsed. It was found that his transaminase levels in his liver function tests were nearly 30 times higher than normal, and his bilirubin levels also rose rapidly. To find the cause of his illness, his family traveled a long distance to our hospital for treatment. To identify the cause as quickly as possible, our experts performed a liver biopsy. The results of both the light and electron microscopy examinations were consistent with drug/chemical-induced liver injury. After ruling out other causes of liver damage such as drugs, chemical toxins, traditional Chinese medicine, and health products, the final diagnosis was considered to be liver damage caused by food additives in the spicy strips.
Such cases are not uncommon in recent years. During a recent academic exchange, a case of an 11-year-old patient was reported in Fuzhou. The patient was admitted with severe liver damage and jaundice, and a liver biopsy indicated drug/chemical-induced liver injury. The child had no history of liver-damaging drugs, but had been eating spicy strips for several consecutive weeks.
Spicy strips are high in oil and salt and contain a large amount of food additives. Excessive intake of sweeteners and saccharin can harm the human liver and nervous system, posing a more significant risk to adolescents whose metabolic and detoxification capabilities are relatively weak. Over time, this can easily lead to chemical-induced liver damage. If not taken seriously, acute damage can progress to chronic damage, and over time, it can lead to end-stage liver diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Finally, we remind parents to control their children's diet in daily life, encourage them to eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, and eat less spicy, irritating, and greasy food. Remind children not to eat street snacks indiscriminately. If you notice symptoms such as lethargy and fatigue in your child, seek medical attention promptly.