When your body breaks down old blood cells, one of the by-products created is a yellowish compound called “bilirubin.” While a healthy liver has no problem disposing of bilirubin, a diseased liver allows bilirubin to build up in your blood, which can turn your skin and eyes yellow. (Here are 10 things the color of your eyes can say about you.) This is jaundice. Dark urine and light feces are also signs of jaundice.
A diseased liver can allow too much copper to build up in your blood and brain. This can lead to Alzheimer’s-like confusion. This sort of confusion is associated with advanced-stage liver disease, meaning it’s unlikely to be the first (or only) symptom you experience if your liver is in trouble.
An oversize belly or swollen ankles coupled with skinny, weak arms and legs could result from fluid imbalances caused by a diseased liver. This muscle wasting can also show up above your cheeks and around your temples. But again, these are late-stage liver disease symptoms—and not something you’re likely to notice one day out of the blue.