Fatty Liver Disease

About The Disease.

Almost everyone has some fat in his/her liver, but when there is an excess amount (more than 5 – 10 percent of the liver’s weight), it is considered to be fatty liver disease.

There are two types of fatty liver disease:

1. Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) (fat + no inflammation and no scaring of the liver)
2. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (fat + inflammation + scarring of the liver)

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)

Due to the obesity epidemic, fatty liver disease is evolving into a major health crisis in the United States.

In addition, NAFLD is more likely to occur to people who are overweight or obese, those who have diabetes, and those who have other family members with the disease.

Other causes include:

• Metabolic Syndrome
• Hyperlipidemia
• Certain medications
• Alcohol ingestion
• Malnutrition
• Viral Hepatitis
• Autoimmune or inherited liver disease
• Rapid weight loss
• Certain gastrointestinal surgical procedures

Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD)

ALD typically happens when a person drinks over than 20-40 grams of alcohol a day. Daily drinking or binge drinking leads to acute fatty liver infiltration. Long durations of drinking alcohol may result in acute or chronic alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.

Your genes can also play a big role because they can determine how your body breaks down the alcohol. Other factors that may contribute to ALD include:

• Hepatitis C
• Obesity and fatty liver
• An excess amount of iron in the body

If you have alcoholic fatty liver disease, you may notice that these symptoms get worse after heavy drinking.

Symptoms

People with fatty liver disease sometimes don’t even know they have it because symptoms don’t typically manifest at the onset. However, as time goes on symptoms develop such as:

• Enlarged liver
• Pain in the center or right upper part of your stomach
• Tiredness
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Trouble concentrating
• Dark colored patches on your neck or under your arms
• Unexplained weight loss
• Loss of appetite

Treatment

At SCLC, our approach to fatty liver is holistic, that involves the management of the patient’s comorbidities, lifestyle modification including proper nutrition, exercise, and relaxation techniques. Our state-of-the-art center treats patients and families suffering from fatty liver disease.

Our program of medical management, nutrition, and group classes has increased our success in helping patients improve their liver function and maintain a healthy lifestyle.