Fatty Liver: Causes And Symptoms
Causes of fatty liver
The liver is the largest internal organ in the body and helps to remove toxins and process food nutrients. The blood from the digestive system filters through the liver before transmitting it everywhere in the body.
Fatty liver disease is caused due to the accumulation of abnormal amounts of fat within the liver cells in our body. This disease causes when fat builds up in the liver. A very small amount of fat in the liver is quite common, but too much of it becomes a health concern that needs to resolve immediately.
Too much fat in your can cause liver inflammation, which can damage your liver and create scarring. It also leads to liver failure in severe cases.
What Are The Types Of Fatty Liver Disease?
Below are few types of fatty liver diseases:
People who consume alcohol excessively have great chances of developing alcoholic fatty liver disease. As the liver breaks down the excess alcohol, it can generate harmful substances and result in damaging cells of the liver. Alcoholic fatty liver disease can develop into alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease occurs in people who consume very little alcohol. This condition often occurs in one in three adults and one in 10 children in America. However, researchers haven’t found the reasons or exact cause of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Well, conditions like obesity and diabetes might increase the risk of the condition.
Cirrhosis is one of the most serious conditions of fatty liver disease. This condition occurs when scar tissues of the liver replace with healthy liver tissue. It can lead to liver failure.
The cirrhosis symptoms include:
- Bruising or bleeding
- Swelling of feet
- Bloating
- Itchy skin
- Jaundice
A person with this condition should seek medical help immediately.
Causes Of Fatty Liver Disease:
The causes of fatty liver disease are unknown, but genetics may play a major role. The health conditions can increase the risk of developing Fatty liver diseases, check out some of them:
- Obesity or being overweight
- Type 2 diabetes
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Insulin resistance
- High or Low blood pressure
High levels of fat in a person’s blood also contribute to the risk of developing fatty liver disease.
There are very few chances of health issues that cause fatty liver disease include rapid weight loss, hepatitis C, consuming certain medications, glucocorticoids.
Symptoms Of Fatty Liver Disease:
Sometimes, fatty liver is a silent disease. It is because a person might not experience any symptoms. However, fatty liver can enlarge the liver which might result in causing pain and discomfort in the upper side of the abdomen.
Some of those symptoms include:
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Tiredness
- Weight loss
- Nausea
- Itchy Skin
- Yellow skin and eyes
- Abdominal swelling
- Swelling of your legs
- Breast enlargement in men
- Web-like clusters of blood vessels
- Bleeding of nose
- Abdominal pain
How To Treat Fatty Liver?
There are no medications to treat fatty liver disease, depending on the stage of the disease some people can reverse it.
People who have an alcoholic fatty liver disease can reverse it by reducing the consumption of alcohol. However, this will not reverse cirrhosis.
Some people might find giving up alcohol extremely difficult, but reaching to doctors might help and support you in a safe way.
Here are some lifestyle changes that might help you to treat fatty liver diseases:
Lifestyle changes include:
- Following a balanced and healthy diet
- Choosing small portions
- Doing regular exercise
- Reducing the consumption of alcohol
If you want to treat fatty liver disease, a person should avoid foods that are high in saturated fats, sugar, or refined carbohydrates.
Staying active and maintaining a healthy weight, and moderate drinking will definitely help you to treat fatty liver disease.
Diet For Fatty Liver Disease:
If you are one of those people who is dealing with fatty liver disease, the doctor might encourage you to adjust your diet to treat the condition and lower the risk of complications.
- Eat a diet that’s rich in vitamins, nutrients, and minerals such as vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and plant-based foods.
- Limit the consumption of refined carbohydrates such as sweets, white rice, refined grain products, and white bread.
Cut calories to reduce weight and maintain a healthy weight which might helps in reducing the risks of fatty liver diseases.