Kim Yeon-koung "After Retirement, High Cholesterol and Elevated Liver Enzymes": The Cause?

The 'Queen of Volleyball' Kim Yeon-koung has revealed that there are warning signs regarding her health after retirement.

On the 22nd, a video featuring 'Figure Skating Queen' Kim Yuna was released on Kim Yeon-koung's YouTube channel 'Sikppang Unni Kim Yeon-koung'. The two, who met unexpectedly for the first time, shared stories about their daily lives after retirement.

Kim Yuna said, "I exercise minimally and control my weight through diet," adding, "Fortunately, I am not the type to gain weight easily."

On the other hand, Kim Yeon-koung stated, "After retirement, I started eating late-night snacks and whatever I wanted. I also enjoy drinking. I drank everything I couldn't drink until now," revealing her enjoyment of late-night snacks and alcohol.

She then mentioned that her body soon showed signs of trouble. Kim Yeon-koung said, "I had a health check-up and my cholesterol levels and liver enzymes increased," adding, "I guess I had too much fun. Since I haven't been exercising, I feel sluggish. So I've been trying to manage it a bit these days."

It is not uncommon for athletes to suddenly gain weight after retirement. In particular, alcohol and late-night snacks can lead to health issues.

Alcohol, Late-night Snacks, and High Cholesterol

Both alcohol consumption and late-night snacks are closely linked to high cholesterol (especially elevated triglycerides) and increased liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT). The combination can synergistically worsen the situation.

Alcohol increases the synthesis of VLDL (triglyceride carrier) in the liver, raising blood triglyceride levels. Especially when consumed with greasy snacks, it suppresses lipolytic enzymes, slowing down the processing of fat particles, leading to a significant spike in post-meal triglycerides. Binge drinking and chronic alcohol consumption can lead to persistent hypertriglyceridemia, fatty liver, and increased risk of pancreatitis.

Moreover, eating late at night disrupts our body's rhythm, making it harder to burn fat even with the same amount of food, thus decreasing fat oxidation rates. Studies have shown that late-night snacks increase total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, and when consumed at night, the triglyceride response becomes hypersensitive, resulting in higher average triglyceride levels over 24 hours. Repeated patterns of late-night snacking and binge eating have been associated with obesity and cardiovascular risk factors such as blood sugar and lipid abnormalities.

When alcohol and late-night snacks are enjoyed together, liver enzyme levels also rise. Alcohol damages liver cells, increasing liver enzymes such as ALT, AST, and GGT. Particularly, GGT is very sensitive to alcohol-related liver damage, tending to remain elevated for long periods with increased alcohol consumption. Reducing or quitting alcohol can help lower ALT, AST, and GGT levels again.

Excessive calorie and fat intake from late-night snacks can lead to fat accumulation in the liver, increasing the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In particular, binge eating and nighttime consumption patterns have been reported to be associated with obesity and insulin resistance, leading to fatty liver, and when fatty liver develops, ALT and AST can be chronically elevated.

The combination of alcohol and late-night snacks is particularly dangerous because alcohol reduces the ability to break down and process fat, and consuming high-fat, high-calorie late-night snacks can lead to a significant and prolonged spike in post-meal triglycerides. The rapid rise in triglycerides increases the risk of hyperlipidemia and pancreatitis, while also increasing fat accumulation in the liver, overlapping the factors of alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver. This can lead to elevated ALT, AST, GGT levels and decreased liver function.

To Reverse the Levels

To reverse the levels, reduce both the frequency and amount of alcohol consumption. Limit drinking to less than once a week and avoid binge drinking. When drinking, avoid greasy snacks like chicken, pork belly, and fried foods, and choose protein and vegetables instead. If you already have high cholesterol or elevated liver enzymes, abstain from alcohol for at least 1-3 months. If you have suddenly gained weight, also work on weight loss. Even a 5-10% reduction in weight can significantly improve fatty liver and lipid levels.

Late-night snacks should be eliminated. Avoid food intake as much as possible 3-4 hours before bedtime. If you often feel hungry at night, adjust your dinner to include more protein and dietary fiber to maintain satiety.

Why Stopping Exercise Leads to Weight Gain

When you suddenly stop exercising, muscle mass decreases and basal metabolic rate drops, making it easier for consumed calories to be stored as fat. Just one week after stopping exercise, the basal metabolic rate decreases sharply, and a phenomenon called detraining occurs where muscle is replaced by fat. Energy expenditure decreases, making it appear that weight is increasing even with the same amount of food intake.

The appetite that was suppressed by exercise can resurface, leading to late-night snacking or binge eating. If habits of drinking and late-night snacking overlap, as in the case of Kim Yeon-koung, weight can increase more rapidly. If accompanied by stress or lack of sleep, cortisol hormone levels increase, promoting abdominal fat accumulation. Especially in situations where there are issues with high cholesterol and liver enzyme levels, stopping exercise can accelerate the worsening of fatty liver and increase triglycerides. Maintaining regular exercise or light walking is important to keep the metabolic rate up.