Editorial 1 : The dynamic duo: enhanced liver function and gut health
Context
On World Liver Day, let’s look at what needs to be done to support the liver and the gut to execute their functions. They have a symbiotic relationship. Nurturing one benefits the other. Introducing fiber-rich foods and avoiding processed and sugar-rich foods help the liver
The two unsung heroes
- In the intricate ecosystem of our bodies, two unsung heroes often overlooked are the liver and the gut.
- While the liver diligently detoxifies, metabolises, and stores nutrients, the gut orchestrates digestion and plays a pivotal role in our immune system.
Understanding liver function
- The liver, often hailed as the body’s powerhouse, boasts a repertoire of functions crucial for our overall well-being.
- Primarily, it detoxifies harmful substances, be it environmental toxins or metabolic byproducts, ensuring our bloodstream remains clean.
- Additionally, the liver synthesises essential proteins, stores glycogen for energy, and metabolises fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, thereby regulating blood sugar levels and cholesterol.
- Factors such as excessive alcohol consumption, poor dietary choices, viral infections, and certain medications can burden the liver, impairing its function.
- Over time, this strain may lead to liver diseases such as fatty liver disease, hepatitis, or even liver cirrhosis.
The Gut: gateway to health
- More than a mere passageway for food, the gut hosts trillions of microorganisms collectively known as the gut microbiota.
- This bustling community aids in breaking down food, synthesising vitamins, and, crucially, bolstering our immune system.
- However, modern lifestyles, marked by processed foods, antibiotics, and chronic stress, often disrupt this delicate equilibrium, paving the way for gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and leaky gut syndrome.
The Interplay: liver-gut axis
- This bidirectional communication system involves various molecules, hormones, and immune cells shuttling between the two organs, influencing each other’s function.
- One crucial link is the bile produced by the liver, which aids in fat digestion.
- Interestingly, bile acids also act as signaling molecules in the gut, modulating the composition of the gut microbiota.
- Conversely, metabolites produced by gut bacteria can influence liver metabolism and inflammation.
- Moreover, a healthy gut microbiome contributes to the integrity of the gut barrier, preventing harmful substances from leaking into the bloodstream and burdening the liver.
- Conversely, a compromised gut barrier, as seen in conditions like leaky gut syndrome, can trigger systemic inflammation and liver dysfunction.
- Given their intertwined relationship, fostering gut health emerges as a promising avenue to bolster liver function.
The strategies for optimisation
- Embracing a fiber-rich diet — fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes serve as prebiotics, nourishing beneficial gut bacteria.
- Moreover, soluble fiber binds to bile acids, aiding in their excretion and reducing cholesterol levels, thus alleviating the liver’s workload.
- Incorporating probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, and kimchi introduces beneficial bacteria into the gut, fostering a diverse microbiome.
- These microbes can metabolise bile acids and modulate inflammation, indirectly benefiting liver health.
- Excessive sugar and processed foods not only disrupt the gut microbiota but also contribute to fatty liver disease and insulin resistance.
- Adequate hydration supports liver function by aiding in the elimination of toxins through urine and optimising bile production for digestion.
- Chronic stress can wreak havoc on gut health by altering gut permeability and microbiota composition.
Conclusion
In the intricate tapestry of human physiology, the liver and gut stand as pillars of health, closely intertwined in their functions. By nurturing gut health through mindful dietary choices, stress management, and probiotic support, we can bolster liver function and pave the way for vibrant well-being.
Editorial 2 : Why have private investments dropped?
Context
The failure of private investment, as measured by private Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) at current prices, to pick up pace has been one of the major issues plaguing the Indian economy. Private investment witnessed a steady decline since 2011.
What is GFCF and why does it matter?
- GFCF refers to the growth in the size of fixed capital in an economy.
- Fixed capital refers to things such as buildings and machinery, for instance, which require investment to be created.
- So private GFCF can serve as a rough indicator of how much the private sector in an economy is willing to invest.
- Overall GFCF also includes capital formation as a result of investment by the government.
- GFCF matters because fixed capital, by helping workers produce a greater amount of goods and services each year, helps to boost economic growth and improve living standards.
- In other words, fixed capital is what largely determines the overall output of an economy and hence what consumers can actually purchase in the market.
- Developed economies such as the U.S. possess more fixed capital per capita than developing economies such as India.
The trend in private investment in India
- In India, private investment began to pick up significantly mostly after the economic reforms of the late-1980s and the early-1990s that improved private sector confidence.
- From independence to economic liberalisation, private investment largely remained either slightly below or above 10% of the GDP.
- Public investment as a percentage of GDP, on the other hand, steadily rose over the decades from less than 3% of GDP in 1950-51 to overtake private investment as a percentage of GDP in the early 1980s.
- It, however, began to drop post-liberalisation with private investment taking on the leading role in fixed capital formation.
- The growth in private investment lasted until the global financial crisis of 2007-08.
- From 2011-12 onwards, however, private investment began to drop and hit a low of 19.6% of the GDP in 2020-21.
The reasons for the fall
- Many economists in India have blamed low private consumption expenditure as the primary reason behind the failure of private investment to pick up over the last decade, and particularly since the onset of the pandemic.
- Their reasoning is that strong consumption spending is required to give businesses the confidence that there will be sufficient demand for their output once they decide to invest in building fixed capital.
- Historically, however, an increase in private consumption has not led to a rise in private investment in India.
- In fact, a drop in consumption spending has boosted private investment rather than dampening it.
- The inverse relationship between consumption and investment is likely because the money that is allocated towards savings and investment, either by the government or by private businesses, comes at the cost of lower consumption expenditure.
- Other economists believe that structural problems may likely be the core reason behind the significant fall in private investment as a percentage of GDP over the last decade or so.
- They have cited unfavourable government policy and policy uncertainty as major issues affecting private investment.
- Policy uncertainty can discourage private investment as investors expect stability to carry out risky long-term projects.
Conclusion
The biggest cost of low private investment would be slower economic growth as a larger fixed capital base is crucial to boost economic output. It should be noted, however, that private investors are considered to be better allocators of capital than public officials, helping avoid wasteful spending.