On more than one occasion, someone came to consult me with the [fatty liver] on the physical examination report, saying that he was not fat and ate very green. Why was there fatty liver? It is true that fatty liver is common in many people with obesity and metabolic problems. Some fatty liver may be related to intake, but fatty liver is not entirely caused by obesity and diet. There are many misunderstandings in this, which we will sort out today.
Fatty liver does not mean eating too much fat.
It is believed that [fatty liver equals excessive oil intake] is a common meaning. In fact, the word [fatty liver] is used to describe a pathological state of the liver, and its full name is [fatty degeneration of hepatocytes]. Usually, only when more than 30% of hepatocytes undergo fatty degeneration can it be found by B-ultrasound, and CT is less likely to find it.
Liver cells are the key sites of fat metabolism.
If there is a problem in any link of fat metabolism in hepatocytes, fat can accumulate in hepatocytes, not only because of excessive intake of fat.
These include:
- Obstacles in Fatty Acid Decomposition and Transfer Excessive Fat Synthesis Hepatocellular Poisoning and Malnutrition
Therefore, eating light food alone may not solve the problem of fatty liver. We need to realize that fatty liver is far more complicated than it sounds.
Obese People Should Pay Special Attention to Fatty Liver
Obviously obese, especially [big belly] people, if fatty liver is found, it may not be as simple as eating light food.
In recent years, medical research believes that obesity, especially [abdominal obesity] [visceral obesity], has a great correlation with various systemic metabolic problems, not just lifestyle problems.
In the non-alcoholic population, more than 70% of fatty liver patients are accompanied by obesity, 75% suffer from type 2 diabetes, more than half have dyslipidemia, and many have manifestations of insulin resistance.
Obesity and metabolic diseases are likely to be a syndrome of mutual causal relationship, and fatty liver may be the result of abnormal fat metabolism.
Therefore, obese people find fatty liver, should also pay attention to their blood sugar, blood lipid and blood pressure for a long time. Of course, no matter whether it is so serious or not, weight loss is very important, just pay attention to weight changes at the same time, also pay attention to abdominal circumference. People with large abdominal circumference may have a lot of visceral fat accumulation, and the latter is closely related to various metabolic diseases and cardiovascular diseases.
Alcohol may also cause fatty liver
Some people who often socialize find fatty liver in physical examination. Their first reaction is to pat their stomachs and say, “It seems that they will eat lighter in the future!” In fact, his biggest problem does not necessarily lie in eating, but in drinking.
After drinking alcohol, alcohol must enter the liver for degradation, and a large number of alcohol decomposition products have obvious toxicity to hepatocytes. Early liver injury may be manifested as alcoholic fatty liver, commonly known as [alcoholic liver].
Both long-term and short-term binge drinking have such hazards. Continuous alcohol damage can also lead to alcoholic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, liver dysfunction, etc., and the risk of liver cancer is significantly higher than that of ordinary people. For people who drink too much and have fatty liver, abstinence from alcohol and medical treatment are necessary.
Fatty Liver Caused by Drug Side Effects and Hepatitis
Since liver cell poisoning and injury can lead to fatty liver, are other factors that damage the liver OK?
It is quite possible. At present, it is relatively clear that some drugs with liver side effects may lead to fatty liver if taken for a long time, such as:
- Common hormone drugs; Antiarrhythmic drugs such as amiodarone, etc.
Therefore, if the drug has to be used for a long time, doctors will recommend regular review of liver function and adjustment of drug regimen if abnormalities occur. In addition, viral hepatitis, especially hepatitis C, may also manifest as fatty liver at an early stage.
Very thin people can also get fatty liver.
There are also some people who are not fat, do not drink, do not take medicine, do not have hepatitis, and eat very little, very light, and have also found fatty liver. Why is this?
The liver not only synthesizes and decomposes fat, it is also a transit point for fat storage. The lack of protein in people with chronic malnutrition affects the synthesis of lipoprotein by the liver. Because the liver cannot [transport] excess fat outward, the fat accumulates in the liver itself, resulting in fatty liver.
Therefore, people who suffer from long-term malnutrition and excessive diet may also suffer from fatty liver. Therefore, the method of weight loss should be scientific and reasonable, and the necessary energy intake should not be abandoned just because of weight loss, regardless of dietary balance.
How to Treat Fatty Liver Correctly
Simple fatty liver itself is not a serious disease, but because it has a lot to do with other health problems, it is found that fatty liver cannot be passed by simply by eating light food, and the causes should be further investigated.
Most of the cases are still related to people’s unhealthy living habits, including unbalanced diet, overeating, excessive drinking and lack of exercise. Therefore, in addition to eliminating the related causes, the best treatment strategy is to control diet, abstain from alcohol and exercise properly.
Fatty liver is not necessarily caused by obesity and diet, but it must not be used as an excuse to eat and drink.