Many people think liver disease only happens to people who drink too much alcohol, but that is not true. One of the fastest-growing liver problems around the world is fatty liver disease.
This condition happens when too much fat builds up inside the liver. The liver is one of the most important organs in the body. It helps remove harmful substances from the blood, stores energy, fights infection, and helps digest food.
When fat collects inside the liver, it may not cause any symptoms at first. Many people feel completely healthy and have no idea that anything is wrong. Because of this, fatty liver disease is often called a silent disease.
There are two main kinds of fatty liver disease. One is caused by drinking large amounts of alcohol and is known as alcoholic fatty liver disease. The other develops in people who drink little or no alcohol. This is called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD.
NAFLD has become the most common liver disease in the world and affects about one in every four people. It is especially common in people who are overweight, have type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. However, it can also develop in people who do not appear overweight.
The earliest stage is called simple fatty liver, also known as simple steatosis. At this stage, extra fat is stored in the liver, but there is little or no damage.
Many people stay in this stage for years. Others develop a more serious condition called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH. In NASH, the liver becomes inflamed and liver cells begin to suffer damage. As the body tries to repair this damage, scar tissue starts to form.
Research published in the journal Hepatology has shown that people with NASH have a much greater chance of developing liver fibrosis. Fibrosis means scar tissue slowly replaces healthy liver tissue. If more scar tissue forms over many years, fibrosis can become cirrhosis.
Cirrhosis is severe liver damage that prevents the liver from doing its normal jobs. It can lead to liver failure, dangerous bleeding, serious infections, and liver cancer. In some cases, the only treatment is a liver transplant.
Fatty liver disease can also affect much more than the liver. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that people with fatty liver, especially those with NASH, have a higher risk of heart disease, which is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. This shows that fatty liver disease is closely linked with overall health.
One of the biggest problems is that fatty liver usually causes no warning signs until the disease has already become advanced. Some people may feel tired or notice discomfort in the upper right side of the abdomen, but many people have no symptoms at all.
Regular health checks are therefore very important, especially for people with diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, or a family history of liver disease. Doctors may use blood tests, ultrasound scans, MRI scans, or other tests to detect extra fat or liver damage.
The good news is that early fatty liver disease can often be reversed. Many studies have shown that losing about 5% to 10% of body weight can reduce liver fat and improve inflammation.
Eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, fish, and healthy fats while reducing sugary drinks and highly processed foods can also help. Regular physical activity and avoiding alcohol may further protect the liver. For people with more advanced disease, doctors may recommend medicines along with healthy lifestyle changes.
Scientists continue to study better ways to prevent and treat fatty liver disease because it has become a major global health problem. Early diagnosis gives people the best chance of avoiding permanent liver damage and reducing the risk of heart disease and liver cancer.
Even if you feel perfectly healthy today, looking after your liver through healthy daily habits can protect your health for many years to come.
If you care about liver health, please read studies about a diet that can treat fatty liver disease and obesity, and coffee drinkers may halve their risk of liver cancer.
For more information about liver health, please see recent studies that anti-inflammatory diet could help prevent fatty liver disease, and results showing vitamin D could help prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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