Every year when each unit organizes a physical examination for its employees, The number of outpatient visits in the Department of Digestive Internal Medicine often increases a lot. Most of the patients are holding an ultrasound report in their hands. The conclusion reads: Fatty liver. Look at these [fatty liver patients] again. Some are paunchy, some are oily, some are alcoholic, and some do not look like patients. So, is what fatty liver? How to treat, how to prevent? There is fat in the liver? The word fatty liver, Like coronary heart disease and hypertension, widely known, But it is not as simple as having fat in the liver. In a broad sense [fatty liver], Including [alcoholic fatty liver disease] and [non-alcoholic fatty liver disease]. What we usually call fatty liver, which is also what this article calls fatty liver, It refers to [nonalcoholic simple fatty liver], It belongs to the latter, It is a metabolic stress liver injury. [1] The name emphasizes [non-alcoholic], Because it is similar to the type of liver injury caused by alcoholic fatty liver disease. People often say [drinking hurts the liver], Ignoring the danger of fatty liver. At present, There are 20 to 30 fatty liver patients in 100 ordinary adults worldwide, In obese patients, This proportion is as high as 60% ~ 90%. [2] With the development of economy and the change of lifestyle, The incidence of fatty liver in China is increasing rapidly, But also shows a trend of younger age, Today, the prevalence rate of fatty liver in coastal areas has reached 15%. [3] Liver is the nutrition transfer station of human body. After the food is digested and absorbed, it reaches the liver along the blood vessels. After hepatocyte treatment, It is converted into substances that can be used by other organs and then transported to the whole body. If the absorbed fat exceeds the liver’s processing capacity, it will deposit in hepatocytes. In addition to affecting the liver’s own function, hepatocytes will also attract attacks from the immune system, causing inflammation, causing liver fibrosis, and eventually taking the irreversible path of liver cirrhosis. [4] Is it desirable to lose weight? Patients often say: Fatty liver is too much fat, Then losing weight can cure it. You can’t say it too absolutely. However, for most patients with mild, moderate and a few patients with severe fatty liver, Weight loss is the best strategy to reverse fatty liver. The weight loss mentioned here is not just a diet. Excessive diet will reduce the production of protein transporting lipid, but will aggravate the accumulation of lipid in the liver. People often say, [shut up and keep your legs open]. In terms of diet, it is suggested to have a balanced diet with low sugar and low fat, and the daily calorie intake should be reduced by 500-1,000 kilocalories compared with normal times. In terms of exercise, we should ensure moderate intensity aerobic exercise more than 4 times a week. Accumulate at least 150 minutes of exercise. [5] The effectiveness of weight loss depends on the data. [People with lofty ideals] who are determined to eliminate fatty liver by losing weight should always pay attention to their body mass index (BMI = weight/height 2). Generally speaking, the body mass index must be reduced by at least 5% in order to play a role in controlling fatty liver. [5] Outbreak has miraculous effects? In 2009, [Outbreak Mother] Chen Yurong moved China by cutting his liver to save his son. The story of Outbreak defeating severe fatty liver in July moved China. [6] The news headline looked very attractive. After reading it, everyone couldn’t help thinking: Originally Outbreak can cure fatty liver. Why hasn’t doctors mentioned it before? [Outbreak], It is a moderate form of exercise, The amount of exercise is between walking and jogging. [Outbreak Mother] Lost 8 kg in July, In addition to walking 10 kilometers a day, He also insisted on controlling oil intake, Live a day with coarse tea and light food. Without amazing willpower, This is difficult to do. Therefore, outbreak is not a miracle prescription for fatty liver, it is just a way to make the body move. In addition to outbreak, you can also choose jogging, riding, swimming and other exercise methods. In fact, what people lack is not the means or ways of exercise, but the determination to persevere. To cure or not to cure? Most patients with fatty liver [quiet like virgins, eat fixed flow of oil]. For them, it is difficult to get to the sky if they eat less and move more. It is easier to take medicine than to take medicine. 1. Can liver-protecting drugs treat fatty liver? Clinically, patients often require to prescribe liver-protecting drugs. They mistakenly think that such drugs can cure all kinds of liver diseases. Usually, liver-protecting drugs are only used for abnormal liver function indexes, and their role in the prevention and treatment of fatty liver is still controversial. At present, patients are not recommended to use such drugs routinely. [7] 2. Is health care products useful? If the doctor does not prescribe medicine, some patients will also buy health care products and proprietary Chinese medicines to eat. Little imagine, no matter how good the medicine is, it cannot drive fat out of liver cells. Besides, these health care products with unknown formula may cause damage to liver function and aggravate the progress of liver diseases. 3. What is the best way? It is necessary to tie the bell when the bell is untied. Most fatty liver stems from unhealthy living habits. The best treatment strategy is to control diet, abstain from alcohol and exercise. In [eat a few spoonfuls of oil, Take a walk after a meal] This word-of-mouth [secret of fatty liver] requires some more intensive exercise to achieve the goal of reducing body mass index and waist circumference. For patients with moderate to severe fatty liver, doctors may prescribe some drugs to prevent glycolipid metabolic disorders and arteriosclerosis according to specific conditions. [7, 8] Hurt the liver and hurt the body? Mild fatty liver is generally not manifested, Many people did not feel unwell after finding out, Still eat and drink as you like. When it develops to moderate or severe fatty liver, People will suffer from fatigue, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and other symptoms. As mentioned earlier, Simple fatty liver is only the first step of fatty liver disease, Although fatty liver progresses slowly, But if it is not controlled, it will turn into steatohepatitis. According to current statistics, The incidence of liver cirrhosis in patients with steatohepatitis within 15 years is as high as 15% ~ 25%. [1, 2) Fatty liver not only damages the liver, It is also often accompanied by abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism, which will affect tissues and organs of the whole body. Among patients with fatty liver, the incidence of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease is significantly increased. [2] Some studies have shown that the life expectancy of patients with fatty liver is shorter than that of healthy people, and the main causes of death are malignant tumors, cardiovascular diseases and liver cirrhosis. [8] Why do you suffer from this disease? To put it simply, Lipid deposition in hepatocytes is the basis of this disease. There may be three reasons for lipid deposition: Excessive intake of lipids and reduction of lipid transport to hepatocytes due to metabolic dysfunction of hepatocytes and deficiency of very low density lipoprotein. Obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, alcohol abuse, malnutrition, drugs, industrial toxicants, gastrointestinal surgery, etc. may all cause problems in liver lipid metabolism pathways. Causing fatty liver. [5] Of course, genes are also a factor that cannot be ignored. Even if genes are good, they cannot fool around. It is not good to hurt the liver.
