The liver is the second largest organ after the skin. It helps your body to remove toxins, break down fat, and regulate blood sugar levels. It functions to keep your body clean.
But when the liver does not function, the fat gets built up in the liver. This causes a condition called fatty liver. Having over 10% of liver weight, the normal liver is fatty.
It is a common condition and is related to a person’s lifestyle and genetics. With the correct changes to the lifestyle, fatty liver can be reversed.
Causes of Fatty Liver
There are many causes of fatty liver
Obesity
Obesity causes an increased risk of fatty liver. The over-intake of fat prevents the liver from functioning.
Alcohol Consumption
Drinking alcohol in large amounts can lead to the building up of fat in the liver. This causes Alcohol-related fatty liver disease (ARFLD).
Type 2 Diabetes
The liver helps in regulating blood sugar levels. So having type 2 diabetes causes insulin resistance, which further causes fatty liver.
High Blood Cholesterol
The liver balances the body’s cholesterol levels. If you eat too much, you are prone to fatty liver disease.
High cholesterol can develop fatty liver disease (steatosis) to a more serious and even fatal disease known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
PCOS
Having PCOS raises your risk of having fatty liver disease. The chance of fatty liver is 4x greater in women with PCOS. A study found that fatty liver occurs in 52% of PCOS patients.
High triglyceride
Triglycerides are the most common kind of body fat. Your liver converts the calories you eat to triglycerides. But if the levels get very high, they can cause a risk of fat buildup in the liver, known as fatty liver disease.
Symptoms of Fatty Liver
Feeling tired
People with fatty liver are known to be tired. They would not find the energy to do the daily task, and most people ignore it as laziness.
Lose Weight
Since the fat is not broken down and transported to other parts of the body, the person would experience unusual weight loss.
Pain in the Upper Right Part of the Abdomen
Patients with fatty liver would experience dull or aching pain in the upper part of their abdomen and just below their rib.
Jaundice
When the fatty liver increases and develops into cirrhosis, the patient may come up with jaundice. Jaundice is the condition of the yellowing appearance of skin and eyes because of the large amount of bilirubin in the blood.
Itchy Skin
Patients with fatty liver can cause itching of the skin because of the toxins in the blood.
Edema
Pressure occurs in the blood veins that carry blood from the liver to other parts of the body, causing swelling of the legs, ankles, and stomach.
Enlarged Spleen
When the liver increases in size, it causes pressure in the spleen. This pressure affects the the blood flow of the spleen causing it to enlarge.
Red Palms
The red palms can be a cause of dilated blood vessels due to fatty liver.
Urine Color
Urine turning dark in color, mostly dark orange or brown, is due to fatty liver. The urine is unusually dark due to toxins in it.
Spider Veins
Possible breakage of veins in the chest, back, and shoulders is a usual symptom of fatty liver.
Muscle Wasting
Muscles are reduced drastically as the compounds produced by fatty liver negatively affect the proteins of the muscles.
No Symptoms
Some patients show no symptoms at all at the early stage making their lives more at risk.
Vomiting Blood
Some patients with fatty liver have vomited blood due to bleeding in the esophagus and stomach.
Bleeding
High pressure in the blood vessels due to fatty liver can cause them to leak, break, and bleed.
Conclusion
Fatty liver is a common condition nowadays. People should be aware of the potential life threats that can be caused in their bodies. Having a properly planned diet and regular exercise can help us prevent this condition and live a relaxed and healthy life ahead.