Fatty Liver: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

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Fatty liver disease is a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation of fat in the liver. Understand the disease and learn about the treatment.

It is normal for the liver to accumulate some fat, however, if the amount is large, it means that the patient has a “fatty liver”.

As it usually does not show symptoms in the early stages, it is important to be vigilant and undergo routine checkup exams.

What causes fatty liver disease?

There are two classifications for fatty liver disease: alcoholic and non-alcoholic. The alcoholic is caused by excessive alcohol consumption, while the non-alcoholic can derive from:

• Sedentary lifestyle;
• Overweight;
• Surgeries;
• Diabetes;
• Pregnancy;
• Sudden weight loss;

Fatty liver disease can occur in children in the first years of life, in the presence of metabolic diseases. In the case of older children and adolescents, the causes are similar to those of adults.

Symptoms

It is important to emphasize that fatty liver disease usually does not cause symptoms or apparent problems. In exams, there may be elevations of liver enzymes, a condition called fatty liver hepatitis (steatohepatitis).

Moreover, the first symptoms only begin to appear when there is constant liver damage, causing a serious condition such as cirrhosis.

How is fatty liver disease diagnosed?

Especially in the case of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the diagnosis is made by abdominal ultrasound examination.

When some alteration is identified, the doctor requests other exams, to measure the levels of liver enzymes and draw the final diagnosis.

What is the treatment for fatty liver disease?

Basically, the treatment for fatty liver disease involves changes in the patient’s routine, with a healthier diet, regular physical exercise, and reduced alcohol consumption.

In most cases, it is necessary to lose weight and control other possible diseases that may arise due to the excess fat in the liver.

Furthermore, there are no specific medications that treat fatty liver disease, but the doctor responsible for the case may recommend that the patient receive a hepatitis B vaccine just to mitigate the onset of another liver disease.

How to prevent?

There are some measures to be taken to prevent excess fat in the liver and/or assist in the treatment of fatty liver disease. The main ones involve:

• Engaging in regular physical activities;
• Reducing the intake of fat, especially of animal origin;
• Avoiding alcoholic beverages;
• Consuming carbohydrates more balanced, preferring whole grains;
• Including fiber-rich foods in the diet;
• Promoting the control of body weight, which should be done with the guidance of a nutritionist.

Learn more about diseases like fatty liver disease through the EndoBlog portal

The EndoBlog was conceived by a team of doctors and health professionals, with the aim of promoting real information about fatty liver disease and other diseases that can affect the quality of life of patients.

Therefore, here at EndoBlog you can find various contents about health, involving quality of life and exams such as endoscopy, and you can have your questions answered for free.

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