Signs and symptoms of fatty liver disease

Fatty liver disease is a common condition caused by the storage of excess fat in the liver, and most patients have no symptoms and do not cause them serious problems; however, in some cases, it can lead to liver damage, but the good news is that you can often prevent or even reverse fatty liver disease through lifestyle change, in this article in PORTO STATION We will discuss all the details of the fatty liver.

What is fatty liver disease?

The liver is the largest organ in the body, helping to digest food, store energy and detoxify. Fatty liver, or liver fat, is a condition in which fat accumulates in the liver, and there are two main types:

Alcoholic fatty liver disease: Also called alcoholic fatty hepatitis, a type of fatty liver disease that is not associated with heavy alcohol use.

Alcoholic fatty liver disease: It is caused by frequent alcohol intake, where the liver dismantles most of the alcohol you drink, so it is removed from the body. But the process of dismantling it generates harmful substances that damage liver cells and promote inflammation.

Who is at risk of developing fatty liver?

The cause of non-alcoholic fatty liver is unknown, but researchers know it is more common in people who have the following:

Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.
Obesity.
Middle-aged or older (although children can also develop it).
Of Spanish origin. Liver fat is less common in African Americans.
High levels of blood fat, such as cholesterol and triglycerides.
High blood pressure.
Take certain medications, such as corticosteroids and some cancer drugs.
Some metabolic disorders, including metabolic syndrome.
Lose weight quickly.
A certain infection, such as hepatitis C.
Exposure to some toxins.

About 25% of the world's people are infected with non-alcoholic fatty livers. Due to high rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, the rate of the non-alcoholic fatty liver also rises.

Alcoholic fatty liver occurs only in people who drink heavily, especially those who drink alcohol for a long period of time. The risk is higher for women drinkers, obese people, or having certain genetic mutations.

Fatty liver during pregnancy

Acute fatty liver resulting from pregnancy is a specific form of fatty liver disease, and about 3% of pregnant women will develop this type of fatty liver, and symptoms may include:

Stomach pains.
Anorexia.
Extreme fatigue.
Jaundice.
Nausea.

Any pregnant woman with these symptoms should seek urgent medical attention, and the acute fatty liver resulting from pregnancy may be life-threatening, so diagnosis and rapid treatment are necessary.

What are the symptoms of fatty liver?

People with fatty liver often do not show any symptoms until the disease develops into cirrhosis, and if you have symptoms, they may include:

Pain on the upper right side of the abdominal area.
Nausea, anorexia, or weight loss.
Jaundice.
Flatulence and legs (edema).
Extreme fatigue.

Diagnosis of fatty liver disease

It can be difficult for a person to know when to seek advice from a doctor because cirrhosis of the liver often shows no symptoms. Your doctor will take into account a person's medical history, diet, and lifestyle habits, and the diagnosis is as follows:

He will also perform a physical examination and other tests to help diagnose the fatty liver, and a physical examination may include the height and weight tests to determine your BMI.

Your doctor will also look for signs of jaundice and insulin resistance and check for enlarged liver. Blood tests may also show whether a person has higher levels of specific liver enzymes.

Imaging tests, such as ultrasound, CT, or MRI, also help identify liver fat or other signs of fatty liver disorder.

Your doctor may perform a biopsy, including inserting a needle into the liver and taking a precise tissue sample, and then the laboratory technician examines the tissue to examine liver fat, and this simple procedure uses a local anesthetic to numb the area.

What are fatty liver treatments?

There are no approved drugs to treat non-alcoholic fatty liver, and research is being done on whether a particular drug for diabetes or vitamin E can help, but further studies are needed, through lifestyle changes and prevention by:

Abstinence from alcohol

The most important part of treating alcohol-related fatty livers is to stop drinking alcohol, so if you need help doing so, you may want to see a therapist or participate in an alcohol recovery program.

There are also medications that can help, either by reducing your cravings or making you feel sick if you drink alcohol.

Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty livers can lead to cirrhosis, and doctors can treat health problems caused by cirrhosis with medications, other medical processes, and procedures, but if it leads to liver organ failure, you may need a liver transplant.

Eat a balanced diet

Foods that may help prevent the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver include garlic, coffee, leeks, asparagus, and probiotics.

A person should also choose whole grains and eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables.

You should avoid foods that are high in saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, or sugar.

Regular exercises

It is also important to exercise regularly, and the goal is 2.5 hours of physical exercise per week, and this should be an activity that raises your heart rate, such as going on a bike trip.

Complications of fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver, also known as metabolically associated fatty liver, involves the accumulation of fat in the liver, and over time, this can develop into a more serious condition known as non-alcoholic fatty hepatitis, leading to the following:

Fat build-up leads to inflammation, which can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Now that hepatitis B can be prevented with a vaccine and hepatitis C can be treated, fatty liver has become a major cause of serious liver complications and liver transplants.

Fatty liver disease has become a major cause of liver transplantation after the prevention and treatment of hepatitis B and C, so keep a healthy diet and regular exercise so that your fat doesn't accumulate on your liver organ.

Signs and symptoms of fatty liver disease