Fatty Liver Disease: Symptoms, Causes and Prevention

Fatty liver disease (FLD) is also called steatotic liver disease (SLD). It is a disease caused by too much fat building up in the liver. A healthy liver should contain little fat. When fat accounts for over 5% of the liver\'s weight, it becomes a problem. People feel no discomfort in the early stages of fatty liver disease, but it can lead to serious liver damage if left untreated. Here are several facts about fatty liver disease.

Types

• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): It is also named metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). This condition isn't associated with heavy alcohol consumption. Obesity and excess fat intake may be the main culprits of NAFLD, but there are also other potential risk factors that contribute to the condition.
• Alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD): It is in the large family of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). As the name suggests, it occurs because of excessive alcohol consumption. The liver processes alcohol and filters waste products created in this process. This function makes the liver vulnerable to alcohol damage. Too much alcohol consumption will increase the liver's burden of self-repairing and cause liver damage.

Symptoms

People with early-stage fatty liver disease usually won't discover any visual symptoms. The disease will remain undiscovered unless it's diagnosed during medical tests or develops into advanced stages, such as fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. If you are experiencing the following symptoms, go to see the doctor and have a thorough medical examination immediately.

• Abdominal pain: Patients will feel a dull pain in the upper right side of the abdomen. The liver itself cannot sense pain because it contains few relative nerves. When the liver becomes inflamed or affected by liver disease, the protective tissue of the liver, Glisson's capsule, will signal to the brain that something is wrong with your liver.
• Weight loss: When fat builds up in the liver, it will cause inflammation and decrease the liver's function, making the liver produce less bile which helps digest food. It will disrupt the patient's digestive system, and the patient will suffer from a disinterest in food and weight loss. It's one of the early symptoms of liver damage.



• Fatigue and malaise: With fatty liver disease, the presence of excess fat in the liver can lead to inflammation, which can cause the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The inflammation also causes decreased liver function, restricting the liver's production of energy. Both may contribute to the feeling of fatigue and general malaise.



• Jaundice: Jaundice happens because the damaged liver cells cannot process bilirubin. It is caused by the build-up of a bile pigment called bilirubin in the blood. When the liver is damaged, waste in the human body cannot be removed efficiently, and bilirubin will build up in the bloodstream and result in many visual symptoms like yellow skin and eyes, dark-colored urine and light-colored stools.



• Pruritus: Itchy skin is also a sign of liver damage caused by fatty liver disease. The exact cause of itching in fatty liver disease is complicated. Problems with the liver can cause toxin buildup, which irritates the nerves and leads to itchy skin. The itching can be mild or severe and may occur in different areas.



• Bruising: People with fatty liver disease tend to bruise more easily. Because the liver can produce clotting factors that help stop bleeding. A damaged liver cannot produce enough clotting factors required to heal a bruise. This can result in increased bruising and bleeding, even from minor injuries.



• Abdominal swelling: The liver produces various substances, including enzymes and clotting factors. Therefore, liver malfunction caused by fatty liver disease can lead to an imbalance of protein and other compounds, which will make the fluid build up in the tissue, resulting in a swollen abdomen. This condition is called ascites.

Risk Factors

• Being obese or overweight: Obesity is the main culprit of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This is because extra fat will build up in your liver, leading to more inflammation. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease improves the risk of developing serious chronic liver disease, such as liver cirrhosis, which can lead to liver failure and cancer. Losing weight can help slow or reverse the development of NAFLD.
• Type-2 diabetes: According to relative research, up to two-thirds of people with type 2 diabetes have NAFLD, and eighty percent of people with diabetes have fat in the liver. Research indicates that NAFLD may contribute to type 2 diabetes because the liver plays an important role in regulating blood glucose. The fat buildup in the liver will reduce its ability to control blood glucose levels. If you have type-2 diabetes, you should pay more attention to your liver.



• Alcohol use disorder: Alcohol abuse is the cause of alcoholic fatty liver disease. When the liver breaks down the alcohol one consumes, a toxic compound called acetaldehyde is generated. It can damage liver cells and lead to inflammation, liver disease, and cancer. Alcohol will increase the liver's burden and lead to serious liver disease, including alcoholic fatty liver and chronic hepatitis.



• Metabolic Syndrome: Having metabolic syndrome will increase the risk of developing fatty liver disease. Metabolic syndrome refers to a group of metabolic disorders involving high BMI (body mass index), high blood lipid levels, high blood pressure and diabetes. Insulin resistance is the main driver of metabolic syndrome. Besides fatty liver disease, it will also increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes and stroke.

Prevention

• Lose weight: Losing weight by 7 to 10% is the most effective way of improving fatty liver disease conditions. For people without liver problems, keeping a healthy weight can help prevent potential risks. Develop the habit of exercise. Change your diet and eat less food rich in fat and sugar.
• Quit alcohol: Abstaining from drinking alcohol can help stop the development of alcoholic fatty liver disease and even potentially reverse it. If you have alcoholic fatty liver disease, the damage it causes may be reversed if you manage to give up drinking for a period of time. This process may last for a long time, months or years.



• Regular check-ups: In the early stages of fatty liver disease, people usually won't find any visual symptoms unless they have a medical test. Diagnosing fatty liver disease in time can help doctors make targeted therapy and prevent it from developing into advanced stages. Go to the hospital and have medical examinations regularly.