Fatty liver is a disease that occurs not only in alcoholics. People who are overweight and obese are also exposed to it, as well as those taking certain medications, e.g. hormonal drugs. Fatty liver is not a serious disease, but if left untreated, it can lead to serious complications. Find out what are the causes and symptoms of fatty liver.
Fatty liveris a disease involving the deposition of fat in hepatocytes, or liver cells. Until recently, fatty liver was associated only with alcohol abuse. However, with the development of diagnostics and the possibility of conducting tests such as liver ultrasound and liver biopsy, doctors have become convinced that fatty liver can also occur in people who drink alcohol occasionally or not at all.
Therefore, in medical terminology, next to the termalcoholic fatty liver diseasea new one has appeared -non-alcoholic fatty liver disease , specifically non-alcoholic fatty disease liver(NAFLD) .
It is also knownacute fatty liver in pregnant women- a rare, life-threatening complication of pregnancy that occurs in the third trimester or immediately after delivery.
Fatty liver: risk factors
Non-alcoholic fatty liver diseaseis most often diagnosed in people with
- overweight and obese (the probability of finding fatty tissue is as high as 60%)
- in people with diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes
- people with lipid metabolism disorders (dyslipidemia)
The disease is also diagnosed in some liver inflammations (especially hepatitis C) and in drug-induced liver damage.
Fatty liver: causes
The causes of alcoholic fatty liver diseaseare obvious. However, the most common causes of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are:
- overweight and obesity
- genetic predisposition to gain weight
- inappropriate lifestyle
- drug abuse
- hormonal disorders
Some features, such as: the distribution of adipose tissue (obesity type "apple" and "pear") or the metabolic rate, may be hereditary, but not more thanin 30-40%.
The lifestyle you lead is much more important, which, according to doctors, is currently not correct. Most people are not physically active, live under stress, eat poorly and irregularly (they overeat, especially junk food, drink alcohol).
In addition, overuse of sedatives, pain relievers and hormonal drugs is common, which greatly alter metabolism and cause weight gain, as well as overuse the liver.
Fatty liver is also associated with hormonal imbalance. Most women aged 45-50 gain weight. This also applies to men who suffer from abdominal obesity.
Worth knowingNAFLD is now increasingly recognized in overweight and obese children and adolescents. Research shows that NAFLD can occur as early as 8 years of age if the child is overweight in an early age.
Fatty liver: symptoms
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease , similar to alcohol abuse, is usually asymptomatic.
Sometimes in both cases the following may appear:
- fatigue
- weakness
- feeling unwell
- hepatomegaly, or enlargement of the liver
- splenomegaly, i.e. enlargement of the spleen (relatively rare)
- with large steatosis, when the liver enlarges, there is discomfort under the right costal arch or abdominal pain on the right side under the ribs
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