Symptoms from fatty liver disease have become increasingly common over the years due to our diets, lifestyles, and metabolic disorders. Many people have fatty liver disease for years without even knowing it. Fatty liver disease can cause very mild symptoms that often go unnoticed at first. Many people who suffer from fatty liver disease may even mistake their symptoms for feeling tired.
Learning about the symptoms of fatty liver disease, how it’s diagnosed, causes, and treatment can help you better understand liver health. In this blog we will discuss what fatty liver disease is, how fat in your liver tissue affects your health, when to get checked by your doctor, and ways to prevent/treat fatty liver disease.
What is Fatty Liver Disease?
Fatty liver disease occurs when excess fat builds up in your liver cells. Fatty liver disease is also known as hepatic steatosis or steatosis for short. Your liver naturally contains some fat, but when too much fat builds up your liver can’t process it, and you may start to experience symptoms.
There are two types of fatty liver disease: alcoholic fatty liver disease & non alcoholic fatty liver disease. Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is much more common these days and is typically related to obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes and high cholesterol. If left untreated fatty liver disease can cause inflammation to the liver, scarring of the liver, and serious liver damage.
Your liver works to help digest food, detox your body, and metabolize nutrients you take in. When excess fat surrounds your liver tissue these functions will slowly begin to decline even if you do not experience symptoms.
Different Types of Fatty Liver Disease
There are many types of fatty liver disease and they are determined by what caused your liver disease and how severe the fat levels in your liver are. It’s important to know which type of fatty liver disease you have so you know how to treat it and prevent it from turning into serious liver diseases.
- Alcoholic fatty liver disease: Fatty liver disease can occur when you’re a chronic alcoholic. Alcohol is very damaging to your liver. When your liver is damaged from excess alcohol it cannot metabolize fat as well. Continued drinking will cause more damage to your liver or lead to inflammation and scarring.
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): NAFLD occurs when you’re a non alcoholic or someone who only consumes minimal amounts of alcohol. This type of fatty liver disease is usually associated with obesity, diabetes and can occur with metabolic syndrome. NAFLD typically occurs with no symptoms.
- Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): NASH is a more aggressive form of NAFLD that consists of fat in the liver as well as inflammation and damage to your liver cells also known as hepatocytes. If not treated properly the inflammation can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis or liver failure.
- Lean fatty liver disease: Lean fatty liver disease occurs in people who have a normal weight. Developing fatty liver disease as a person with lean weight is typically associated with metabolic or genetic risk factors. Even if you’re not overweight you can still be susceptible to fatty liver disease and suffer from long term consequences.
Recognizing the Symptoms of Fatty Liver Disease
Your liver is made up of fat cells. However, if you have excess fat building up in your liver you may be suffering from fatty liver disease. Fatty liver disease doesn’t always produce obvious fatty liver symptoms. That’s why you can have it for years before finding out you have it. There are many causes that can lead to a fatty build up in your liver. From your metabolism to your day-to-day lifestyle. Excess fat in your liver can lead to serious health problems if left untreated.
Common Symptoms of Fatty Liver Disease:
- Fatigue or low energy
- Mild pain or discomfort in the upper right abdomen
- Unexplained weight gain or bloating
- Loss of appetite/nausea
- Brain fog or difficulty concentrating
- Yellow tint to your skin or eyes (advanced cases)
- Swelling of legs or abdomen (advanced cases)
- Dark urine or pale stools (advanced cases)
When to See a Doctor?
If you experience consistent symptoms like tiredness, pain in your abdomen, or sudden weight changes you should schedule a visit with your doctor. If you aren’t experiencing symptoms but have risk factors such as obesity or diabetes you should still get checked regularly.
The sooner you catch fatty liver disease, the better chance you have of stopping it before it gets worse. Many patients like to get screened for fatty liver disease regularly with our at home blood test service. Our at home liver test allows your doctors to look for any abnormalities in your liver even if you don’t show symptoms.
Treatment for fatty liver disease includes lifestyle modifications and being monitored by your doctor to ensure that the fat in your liver isn’t affecting your major organs. If you take action soon after noticing symptoms your doctor will most likely recommend lifestyle changes to help reverse some of the fat built up in your liver.
How is Fatty Liver Disease Diagnosed?
Diagnosis of fatty liver disease typically starts with obtaining your medical history and conducting a physical exam. Blood tests are often performed to measure liver enzyme levels. These enzymes can be high in those with hepatic steatosis.
Imaging testing, such as ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI may allow visualization of fat near liver tissue and confirm steatosis. Non-invasive fibrosis tests and liver elastography may also be recommended.
If you are looking for convenience, try the Liver Function Test at home to help with early detection and monitoring of fatty liver disease. On rare occasions a liver biopsy may be required if your doctor is unable to make a diagnosis or determine disease severity.
Treatment Options for Fatty Liver Disease
The largest factor in fatty liver treatment is lifestyle modification. If you have fatty liver disease, your doctor will most likely recommend that you eat healthy foods and exercise. Those who suffer from fatty liver disease are encouraged to lose weight. By losing weight, you will slowly start to lose the fat surrounding your liver.
Cutting out sugar and refined carbs, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and adding good fats to your diet can help your liver out. If you don’t drink or drink lightly you should avoid alcohol as it can damage your liver. Exercising will allow your body to better metabolize insulin and decrease the amount of fat in your liver.
Treatment can consist of controlling blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Sometimes treatment can vary depending on how severe your liver steatosis is and if there are any other medical issues you may be facing.
Advanced cases may require you to be monitored for longer or require you to see a specialist. If you experience sudden symptoms you should seek help immediately and may want to speak with a doctor on call.
Early vs Advanced Signs of Fatty Liver Disease
Some people may not experience any symptoms for years. Symptoms of fatty liver disease can go unnoticed and slowly progress. It’s important to recognize what symptoms you may experience early on and what symptoms may occur when your liver is badly affected.
- Early Signs: When your liver is in the early stages of fatty liver disease you may experience mild symptoms that don’t really affect your day to day life. Symptoms such as fatigue, low energy, mild pain or discomfort in your upper right abdomen. Some people may experience bloating, digestive problems or small weight changes.
- Advanced symptoms: When your liver starts to become very affected by fat it can cause your liver to become inflamed. In later stages you may experience severe symptoms such as severe pain in your abdomen, swelling in your legs or abdomen, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine or pale stools. These symptoms indicate that your liver is seriously affected and you should seek medical attention immediately.
Knowing the difference between early signs and symptoms that are advancing can help you seek help sooner and allow for more treatment options as well as decrease your chances of permanent damage.
Possible Complications of Fatty Liver Disease
If you leave fatty liver disease untreated it can cause inflammation to the liver (non alcoholic steatohepatitis), fibrosis or irreversible scarring of the liver (cirrhosis). Liver fibrosis and cirrhosis are both forms of scarring that affect the liver.
If your fatty liver disease has gotten very advanced it can lead to liver failure, internal bleeding, or even liver cancer. People with fatty liver disease have a higher chance of experiencing heart disease. Fatty liver disease may only seem like it affects your liver but it can actually cause problems in other areas of your body.
With proper treatment and diagnosis of fatty liver you can decrease your chances of having any type of long-term complications.
Diet and Nutrition For Fatty Liver Disease
If you maintain a well-rounded diet you can help improve your liver if you have fatty liver disease. Eating foods high in fiber, lean proteins, good fats, and complex carbs can help reverse fatty liver disease. Avoid consuming processed foods, sugar beverages, foods high in refined carbs, and salt.
Salt can cause inflammation in your body and cause metabolic stress. Although alcohol consumption doesn’t relate to all cases of fatty liver disease you should still avoid it. Alcohol can cause major damage to your liver and increase your current damage.
Eating a clean diet and sticking to your healthy lifestyle can help you improve your treatment of fatty liver disease.
Conclusion
Fatty liver disease can happen to anyone and often goes unnoticed until the later stages. If you know the symptoms of fatty liver disease and catch it early you can prevent it from getting worse. Eating right and exercising can help your body heal if you have fatty liver disease. Always follow the instructions your doctor provides you and attend all of your checkups. Staying healthy and knowing your body are great ways to prevent any further complications. Eat right and live healthy!
FAQ’s
1. How serious can fatty liver disease be?
Fatty liver disease can be very serious if left untreated. Fatty liver disease can progress to inflammation, fibrosis, or irreversible scarring of your liver.
2. Can fatty liver disease be caused by something other than alcohol?
Yes, it can. Fatty liver disease can affect anyone, even if you’re a non-drinker. The most common causes are obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders.
3. How long will it take me to recover from fatty liver disease?
If you stick to a healthy diet and exercise, you can start to see improvements in your liver in a few months. Everyone is different, and bodies will react differently.
4. Can fatty liver disease affect other organs in my body?
Yes, it can. Fat buildup in the liver can cause you to become more at risk of heart disease and other metabolic diseases.
