Fatty Liver Disease, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment And Prevention!
fatty liver disease
Alcoholic And, Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease:
Also called: Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Alcoholic Steatohepatitis, NAFLD, NASH, Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.
Are you experiencing a variety of undesirable symptoms that include weight loss and fatigue, as well as overall weakness? Are you feeling tired all of the time? You may have what is called fatty liver disease, which is an extremely high amount of fat cells growing inside of the liver. fatty liver disease
Fatty liver disease affects over 50% of the 50 and overpopulation, with a few of the most common causes being obesity and the overly excessive consumption of alcohol. This liver disease is very serious but can be reversed with time and the proper diet.
What is NAFLD?
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition in which excess fat is stored in your liver. This buildup of fat is not caused by heavy alcohol use. When heavy alcohol use causes fat to build up in the liver, this condition is called alcoholic liver disease.
Two types of NAFLD are simple fatty liver and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Simple fatty liver and NASH are two separate conditions. People typically develop one type of NAFLD or the other, although sometimes people with one form are later diagnosed with the other form of NAFLD.
Type of Fatty Liver Disease:
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
- Alcoholic fatty liver disease also called alcoholic steatohepatitis.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD):
NAFLD is a type of fatty liver disease that is not related to heavy alcohol use. There are two kinds:
- Simple fatty liver, in which you have fat in your liver but little or no inflammation or liver cell damage. The simple fatty liver typically does not get bad enough to cause liver damage or complications.
- Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), in which you have inflammation and liver cell damage, as well as fat in your liver. Inflammation and liver cell damage can cause fibrosis, or scarring, of the liver. NASH may lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is:
Due to heavy alcohol use. Your liver breaks down most of the alcohol you drink, so it can be removed from your body. But the process of breaking it down can generate harmful substances. These substances can damage liver cells, promote inflammation, and weaken your body’s natural defenses.
The more alcohol that you drink, the more you damage your liver. Alcoholic fatty liver disease is the earliest stage of alcohol-related liver disease. The next stages are alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis.
Excessive Alcohol Consumption:
More than 2 drinks per day for women and 3 drinks per day for men.
One drink is equivalent to:
- 341 ml (12 oz.) bottle of 5% alcohol beer, cider or cooler or
- 142 ml (5 oz.) glass of 12% alcohol wine or
- 43 ml (1.5 oz.) serving of 40% spirits.
Fatty Liver Disease
A fatty liver is the result of the excess fat in liver cells. Fatty tissue slowly builds up in the liver when a person’s diet exceeds the amount of fat his or her body can handle. A person has a fatty liver when fat makes up at least 5% of the liver.
‘Simple’ fatty liver can be a completely benign condition and usually does not lead to liver damage. However, once there is a buildup of ‘simple’ fat, the liver becomes vulnerable to further injury, which may result in inflammation and scarring of the liver.
How common are NAFLD and NASH?
NAFLD is one of the most common causes of liver disease in the United States. Most people with NAFLD have simple fatty liver. Only a small number of people with NAFLD have NASH. Experts estimate that about 20 percent of people with NAFLD have NASH.
Between 30 and 40 percent of adults in the United States have NAFLD. About 3 to 12 percent of adults in the United States have NASH.
How a Liver Becomes Fatty?
It is unclear how the liver becomes fatty. The fat may come from other parts of your body, or your liver may absorb an increased amount of fat from your intestine. Another possible explanation is that the liver loses its ability to change fat into a form that can be eliminated. However, the eating of fatty foods, by itself, doesn’t produce a fatty liver.
Experts,
Don’t know exactly why some people accumulate fat in the liver while others do not. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis are both linked to the following:
- Overweight.
- Insulin resistance, in which your cells don’t take up sugar in response to the hormone insulin.
- High blood sugar (hyperglycemia), indicating prediabetes or actual type 2 diabetes
- High levels of fats, particularly triglycerides, in the blood.
What causes NAFLD and NASH?
Experts are still studying the causes of NAFLD and NASH. Research suggests that certain health conditions make you more likely to develop NAFLD or NASH.
Causes of NAFLD:
You are more likely to develop NAFLD—either simple fatty liver or NASH—if you:
- Are overweight or obese.
- Have insulin resistance.
- Have abnormal levels of fats in your blood, which may include:
- high levels of triglycerides.
- abnormal levels of cholesterol—high total cholesterol, high LDL cholesterol, or low HDL cholesterol
- Have metabolic syndrome or one or more traits of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a group of traits and medical conditions linked to overweight and obesity. People with metabolic syndrome are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Experts think NAFLD may be closely linked to metabolic syndrome. Doctors define metabolic syndrome as the presence of any three of the following:
- Large waist size.
- High levels of triglycerides in your blood.
- Low levels of HDL cholesterol in your blood.
- High blood pressure.
- Higher than normal blood glucose levels.
- Have type 2 diabetes
Research also suggests that certain genes may make you more likely to develop NAFLD. Experts are still studying the genes that may play a role in NAFLD.
In NAFLD, people have a buildup of fat in the liver that is not caused by alcohol use. If you have a history of heavy alcohol use and fat in your liver, your doctor may determine that you have alcoholic liver disease NIH external link instead of NAFLD.
Causes of NASH:
Experts are not sure why some people with NAFLD have NASH and others have simple fatty liver. Research suggests that certain genes may play a role.
People with NAFLD are more likely to have NASH if they have one or more of the following conditions:
- Obesity, especially with large waist size.
- High blood pressure.
- High levels of triglycerides or abnormal levels of cholesterol in their blood.
- Type 2 diabetes.
- Metabolic syndrome.
Less common causes of NAFLD and NASH:
Less common causes of NAFLD and NASH include:
- Disorders that cause your body to use or store fat improperly.
- Rapid weight loss.
- Certain infections, such as hepatitis C.
- Certain medicines, such as:
- Amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone).
- Diltiazem.
- Glucocorticoids.
- Highly active antiretroviral therapy.
- Methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall)
- Synthetic estrogens.
- Tamoxifen (Nolvadex, Soltamox).
- Valproic acid.
- Exposure to some toxins.
A study funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases found that people who had surgery to remove their gallbladder were more likely to develop NAFLD. More research is needed on the link between gallbladder removal and NAFLD.
Symptoms of Fatty Liver Disease:
Both NAFLD and alcoholic fatty liver disease are usually silent diseases with few or no signs and symptoms. If you do have symptoms, you may feel tired or have discomfort in the upper right side of your abdomen.
Symptoms May Include:
- Enlarged liver.
- Fatigue.
- Pain in the upper right abdomen.
Possible signs and symptoms of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and cirrhosis (advanced scarring) include:
- Abdominal swelling (ascites).
Enlarged,
- Blood vessels just beneath the skin’s surface.
- Breasts in men.
- Spleen.
- Red palms.
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice).
When to See a Doctor?
If you believe that you have the disease, it is extremely important that you visit your family doctor to have tests run to determine whether or not you actually have it, and whether or not to make a fatty liver diagnosis.
Once this diagnosis has been made, you can start working on improving your health immediately to reverse the effects of fatty liver disease.
Complications of NAFLD and NASH:
The majority of people with NAFLD have simple fatty liver, and people with simple fatty liver typically don’t develop complications.
- NASH can lead to complications, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. People with NASH have an increased chance of dying from liver-related causes.
- If NASH leads to cirrhosis, and cirrhosis leads to liver failure, you may need a liver transplant to survive.
- Studies also suggest that people with NAFLD have a greater chance of developing cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in people who have either form of NAFLD.
Diagnosis:
Fatty liver is diagnosed by eliminating the chances of chronic liver disease, particularly from alcohol abuse. Images of the liver obtained through an ultrasound test, a CT scan or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan can diagnose a fatty liver. In an ultrasound test, a fatty liver produces a bright image in a ripple pattern. A CT scan will show a picture in which the liver will appear less dense than normal.
Treatment For Fatty Liver Disease:
The treatment of fatty liver is linked with the cause. A simple fatty liver does not need treatment, because it does not damage the liver cells. Overweight patients with fatty liver will have to reduce their weight. Control of diabetes also decreases the fat content in the liver.
People with diabetes and high lipids in their blood have to improve their sugar control and lower lipids levels. Usually, a low-fat, low-calorie diet is recommended along with insulin or medications to lower blood sugar in people with diabetes.
Fatty Liver is Currently The Focus of Intense Research.
Scientists are studying whether various medications can help reduce liver inflammation, including new diabetes medications that may help you even if you don’t have diabetes.
These include metformin, pioglitazone, rosiglitazone, and betaine. Another drug being investigated is orlistat (Xenical), a medication that blocks the absorption of some of the fat from your food. Early results indicate that orlistat may reduce the amount of fat in the liver.
Study,
A study by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases’ NASH Clinical Research Network found that treatment with vitamin E or pioglitazone improved NASH in about half of the people treated. Doctors may recommend vitamin E for people who have NASH and don’t have diabetes or cirrhosis. Talk with your doctor before taking vitamin E or pioglitazone.
For safety reasons, talk with your doctor before using dietary supplements such as vitamins, or any complementary or alternative medicines or medical practices. Some herbal remedies can actually damage your liver.
How do doctors treat the complications of NASH?
If NASH leads to cirrhosis, doctors can treat the health problems caused by cirrhosis with medicines, operations, and other medical procedures. If cirrhosis leads to liver failure, you may need a liver transplant.
Prevention:
Keeping Your Liver Healthy:
There are no medical or surgical treatments for fatty liver, but some steps may help prevent or reverse some of the damage. In general, if you have fatty liver, and in particular if you have NASH,
You should:
- Lose weight – safely. This usually means losing no more than half to one kilogram (one to two pounds) a week.
- Lower your triglycerides through diet, medication or both.
- Avoid alcohol
- Control your diabetes if you have it.
- Eat a balanced, healthy diet.
- Stay away from highly processed foods like white or bleached flour, white bread or white rice.
- Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Increase your physical activity.
- Get vaccinated to protect against liver viruses hepatitis A and B.
- Get regular check-ups from a doctor who specializes in liver care.
- Don’t smoke and avoid environmental toxins.
- Make sure that your diet includes adequate amounts of choline.
- And eat whole grain bread and brown rice in moderation.
Metabolic Syndrome And Fatty Liver Disease:
Many researchers now believe that metabolic syndrome – a cluster of disorders that increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke – plays an important role in the development of the fatty liver.
Signs and symptoms of metabolic syndrome include:
- Obesity, particularly around the waist (abdominal obesity)
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- One or more abnormal cholesterol levels — high levels of triglycerides, a type of blood fat, or low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the ’good’ cholesterol
- Resistance to insulin, a hormone that helps to regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.
Of these, insulin resistance may be the most important trigger of NASH. Because the condition can remain stable for many years, causing little harm, researchers have proposed that a ‘second hit’ to the liver, such as a bacterial infection or hormonal abnormality, may lead to cirrhosis.
Here’re 3 Ways to Help Treat Fatty Liver:
A. Go Easy on Proteins:
You should avoid eating too much protein because it puts further strain on your liver. Red meat and pork are the worst offenders. Mild proteins like chicken, turkey, and fish are much better for you and gentler on your liver.
B. Take Vitamins and Supplements:
Supplementing with B-vitamins can reverse mild fatty liver in most common cases. Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and Magnesium have been shown to protect the liver and help clear the toxic buildup that is occurring in your liver cells.
C. Get Tested for Insulin Resistance:
Most patients with FLD also have insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a pre-diabetic condition. Doctors report that the treatment of insulin resistance has improved outcomes in patients who have this disease. You will want to be tested for insulin resistance. Ask your doctor for advice.
Patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are advised to focus on losing weight through dietary changes. Slow and gradual weight loss is the key. A diet plan that helps you lose weight slowly will go a long way in treating your condition.
In order to care for, reverse or even cure fatty liver, it is important for you to recognize that healthy eating habits and daily physical activity will produce the most successful outcome.
Conclusion:
Make no mistake about it. There is a solution to fatty liver disease. First thing is to determine if you are suffering from this disease when you have your next blood drawn. Once you know what the cause is, you can take the active steps to combat this problem. Inflammation is a major problem but can be dealt with using high-quality Omega 3 fish oil. Take that step to better health today.
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Disclaimer: “Nothing in this article makes any claim to offer cures or treatment of any disease or illness. If you are sick please consult with your doctor.”
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