Non-Alcohol related fatty liver disease

Non-Alcohol related fatty liver disease

It is a condition where there is too much fat deposition in the liver. Ideally the liver should have little or no fat.
In the early stages it won’t usually cause any symptoms but if continued can lead to serious liver damage like Cirrhosis (final stage of liver damage) or liver cancer.
Also, high levels of fat in liver can increase the risk of stroke, diabetes and heart attacks.

The stages of fatty liver are-
1)Simple fatty liver: Refers to accumulation of fat in liver cells which can be detected only during some blood tests. As it does not cause any symptoms, it is in most cases detected incidentally.

2)Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH): This happens with progression of simple fatty liver where there is inflammation of the liver and is detected by liver biopsy (A test where a small liver tissue is taken for analysis).

3)Fibrosis: With continued inflammation leads to scar tissue around the liver distorting the structure of the liver. However, in this stage, liver continues to function due to its large reserve capacity.

4)Cirrhosis:  This is the final stage of liver damage where patient starts noticing symptoms like excessive fatigue, weight loss, jaundice, leg swelling. Liver cancer can develop at this stage.

Who Are At Risk?
a)Overweight or obese whose Body Mass Index (BMI- measurement of body fat based on height and weight) is greater than 25 especially if there is lot of fat around the waist.
b)High Cholesterol
c)High Blood pressure
d)Above 50 years of age group (Though it can affect at any age. In the recent past, there is increasing incidence in younger people).
e)Smoking

Symptoms
Most cases there aren’t any symptoms in the early stage. However, some may feel a dull aching pain the upper belly, excessive tiredness, unexplained weight loss. If cirrhosis develops, one can have jaundice; skin itching, swelling in the legs, feet or in the belly.

How is fatty liver diagnosed?
a)Blood test ( Liver function test)
b)Ultrasound scan (Fibroscan)
c)In some cases liver biopsy.
Also, one would require some other blood test to rule out some other causes of liver damage which can mimic fatty liver.

Treatment
1) Lifestyle changes and diet modifications are the key treatment options which can halt the progression of fatty liver to liver failure.
2) Top 5 tips to prevent or stop progression of fatty liver disease are-

  • Lose weight
  • Aim for BMI of 18.5-24.9 (How to calculate BMI= Weight in KG/ Height in M2
  • Healthy diet – rich in fruits, vegetables, cereals & pulses but low in fat and sugar.
  • Exercise regularly. About 30 minutes of walking or cycling daily.
  • Stop smoking.

Add Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *





Book An Appointment