Fatty liver: Causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention
Fatty liver is a common condition in which too much fat builds up in the liver. This can cause liver damage, inflammation, and scarring, and even lead to liver failure if not detected and treated early.
1.Causes of fatty liver
There are two forms of fatty liver disease: alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Alcohol-related fatty liver disease
Excessive alcohol consumption is the main cause of alcoholic fatty liver disease, which develops in 46% to 90% of heavy drinkers. Drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week (one unit is equivalent to half a pint of beer or a 25ml shot of spirits) can cause fatty liver disease.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
In cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the cause of the disease may be due to:
Overweight, obesity.
Metabolic syndrome is a combination of high cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension (high blood pressure).
Polycystic ovary syndrome.
Protein malnutrition (too little protein in the diet).
Lose weight too fast.
Use of certain medications that affect the liver.
However, the most common cause is alcohol. But in many cases, there are still patients with fatty liver who do not belong to the group of heavy alcohol users. When the body produces too much fat or cannot metabolize fat fast enough, the excess fat will accumulate in the liver cells and cause fatty liver. However, a high-fat diet is not necessarily the cause of this condition.
2. Symptoms of fatty liver
In the early stages of fatty liver disease, there are often no obvious symptoms. Most people with fatty liver disease feel well and do not know they have the disease. However, some people experience symptoms such as:
Feeling sick and tired all the time.
Sudden weight loss.
Pain or discomfort in the upper right part of the stomach.
It is difficult to diagnose fatty liver disease, especially when the disease is still in its early stages. Doctors will take a patient's medical history and check for symptoms. Tests can be performed to accurately diagnose the condition:
Blood tests: liver function tests.
Cholesterol test and fasting blood sugar test.
Liver ultrasound.
Liver biopsy.
3.Is fatty liver contagious?
Because fatty liver disease is not caused by viruses or bacteria, it is not contagious. Family members can completely rest assured to take care of the patient without fear of the risk of transmission.
Unlike other liver diseases such as hepatitis B and C, which are transmitted sexually, from mother to child, or through blood transfusion, hepatitis A is transmitted through food... Fatty liver is not a contagious disease but is mainly caused by an unhealthy diet and unscientific living habits such as drinking a lot of beer and alcohol, eating a lot of processed foods, being sedentary...
4. Prevent fatty liver
Fatty liver can be prevented by a specific healthy lifestyle:
Need to have a healthy scientific diet, should eat lots of green vegetables and fruits.
Limit animal fat, organs, red meat and replace with vegetable oil, fish, especially salmon.
Increase regular exercise: at least 30 minutes a day. If you can exercise every day, 5 days a week is better.
Lose weight slowly if overweight.
Absolutely say no to alcohol.
Hepatitis vaccination: Get vaccinated, especially against hepatitis A and hepatitis B. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C so precautions should be taken to prevent infection and regular testing should be done.
Be careful when using functional foods, drugs, and herbs of unknown origin. When using drugs, take them exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
Manage underlying diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, etc. The most important thing is to have a general health check-up at least once a year. Regular health check-ups always include paraclinical tests to check liver function. Early detection of fatty liver is important in treating and preventing liver complications.
5. Treatment of fatty liver
Treatment of fatty liver disease will depend on the cause and diagnosis. In fact, there is no medicine that can cure the disease immediately, the disease will improve gradually by changing lifestyle and combining with treatment of some other diseases.
If the cause of the disease is alcohol, the patient must completely abstain from this drink.
For non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the main treatment is lifestyle changes such as:
- Gradual weight loss: If the patient is obese or overweight, the first thing to do is to lose weight to reduce liver damage and improve insulin resistance. However, do not perform fasting or sudden strict weight loss measures. Lose weight gradually, ranging from 0.5 to 1 kg per week. For obese people who cannot reach their weight goal and have severe fatty liver disease, partial gastrectomy can be performed to reduce the need for food.
- Vitamin E supplementation: According to research, vitamin E helps improve fatty liver condition without causing diabetes.
For some patients with fatty liver accompanied by diabetes, doctors may prescribe certain medications to improve hepatitis and cirrhosis.
- Exercise regularly: Regular exercise is an effective way to reduce liver fat. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day and at least 5 times a week.
If fatty liver progresses and causes complications, treatment will include treating these conditions with medication or surgery. If cirrhosis causes severe liver failure, a liver transplant may be needed./.
