What are the symptoms of Fatty Liver Disease? The liver is the second largest organ in the body, and it helps to process nutrients, food, drinks, etc. If someone drinks a lot, it is known as alcoholic fatty liver disease but if someone doesn’t drink a lot it would be known as non-alcoholic liver disease. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease also known as (NAFLD) affects about 25 to 30% of people in the U.S and Europe.
What are the symptoms of Fatty Liver Disease? iStock- photo credit: blueringmedia
Some of the symptoms of cirrhosis of the liver is the following:
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness or fatigue
- Swelling of legs
- Weakness or fatigue
- Jaundice such as yellow skin and eyes.
- Weight loss
- Pale stools
- Abdominal pain
- Dark colored urine
Having non-alcoholic liver disease is when the fat builds up in the liver. And this is for people that don’t drink a lot of alcohol, and this accompanies inflammation.
A medical doctor will classify your case as (NALD) if you have excess fat in the liver if your liver is inflamed, and you have no history of heavy alcohol use.
Heavy Alcohol Consumption
The CDC classifies heavy drinking as 15 or more drinks for males and 8 or more drinks for females. Research studies have shown that males who consume anywhere from 40 to 80 grams of alcohol per day and women who consume anywhere from 20 to 40 grams of alcohol per day over a 10-to-12-year period are at a higher risk of severe alcohol related disease.
Physical Exam
One of the best ways to detect if you have liver inflammation is through a physical exam. The doctor will push on your stomach to see if your liver is enlarged and to see if they might feel something. It is possible to have an inflamed liver without it being enlarged.
Blood Tests
If you have fatty liver disease the most accurate way to detect it is through a blood test. If you have elevated liver enzyme levels it means your liver is inflamed.
Imaging Tests
The three different imaging tests that a doctor can do to check for problems with your liver are a CT scan, MRI scan and ultrasound exam.
Biopsy
Another way to detect if the liver has any issues is through a liver biopsy. During a liver biopsy the doctor pokes a needle into your liver and removes a piece of tissue for the biopsy examination. This test will determine if you have severe fatty liver disease.
Some of the basic lifestyle changes you can make as a first line defense for fatty liver disease is:
- Lose weight.
- Reduce Alcohol consumption.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes a day
- Obtain a full balanced nutrient diet that is low in saturated and trans fats.
- Focus on fiber foods like fruits and vegetables.
- Reduce the consumption of foods that are high in sodium. Eat those foods within moderation.
- Drink lots of water daily and consume up to 8 glasses of water daily to stay hydrated.
- Drink alcohol within moderation at a minimal.
A 2020 research review study showed that Vitamin E supplements can help improve liver enzyme scores. For some of the most severe cases cirrhosis can lead to a potential liver transplant.
The Bottom Line is fatty liver disease is when there is excess fat in the liver, and this happens with heavy alcohol use which is known as alcoholic liver disease. When fatty liver happens with someone that doesn’t drink much alcohol that is known as non-alcoholic liver disease.
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References
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- Osna NA, Donohue TM Jr, Kharbanda KK. Alcoholic Liver Disease: Pathogenesis and Current Management. Alcohol Res. 2017;38(2):147-161. PMID: 28988570; PMCID: PMC5513682.
- CDC- https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/alcohol.htm
- Patel R, Mueller M. Alcoholic Liver Disease. [Updated 2023 Jul 13]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546632/
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- Lonardo A, Nascimbeni F, Maurantonio M, Marrazzo A, Rinaldi L, Adinolfi LE. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Evolving paradigms. World J Gastroenterol. 2017 Sep 28;23(36):6571-6592. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i36.6571. PMID: 29085206; PMCID: PMC5643282.
- Antunes C, Azadfard M, Hoilat GJ, et al. Fatty Liver. [Updated 2023 Jan 1]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441992/
