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The Invention of an Illness

Those with fatty liver disease won’t know for certain they have the disease without a scan, be it ultrasound or some other modality. Usually fatty liver disease causes no symptoms. Yet those who have it are more likely to suffer heart attacks and strokes, more likely to develop liver cirrhosis, more likely to have high blood pressure and diabetes. Their health is improved from lowering their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, from dieting and exercising, and even (if they’re particularly obese) from having a gastric bypass or similar surgery to help them lose weight. So why isn’t it necessarily a real disease?

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 Alcoholic & Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Fatty liver disease (FLD) is common hepatobiliary pathology and often occurs in the context of alcohol use and metabolic dysfunction. FLD initially manifests as steatosis, and can progress to steatohepatitis and eventually cirrhosis.

 Fatty liver was a disease of the old. Then kids started getting sick

The condition is now estimated to be as common as asthma in children. Our diet and lifestyle are the suspected culprits.

 From NAFLD to MAFLD: navigating the future of fatty liver treatment

Liver diseases are a growing global health problem, especially fatty liver diseases driven by excessive alcohol consumption, a diet high in fat and sugar, and a sedentary lifestyle. Fatty liver diseases come in two major forms: alcoholic liver disease, which is caused by excessive alcohol consumption defined as >30 g/day and affects around 1–2% of the global population; and the more common NAFLD, which affects roughly 25% of the global population, with the incidence being higher in Western countries and lower in Asian countries.

Articles of Interest

Are you at risk for fatty liver disease?

Fatty liver disease, or steatotic liver disease, is the term for a range of conditions in which excess fat is stored in the liver cells of people who drink little to no alcohol. Alcohol also causes fat to accumulate in the liver, and even lesser amounts can compound the risk of liver damage in someone with steatotic liver disease.

Fatty Liver Disease and Liver Fibrosis

Fatty Liver Disease (FLD) is a condition where normal liver tissue is replaced by more than 5-6 percent fat. In FLD, the accumulation of fat can cause inflammation, cell death, and scarring – a condition called steatohepatitis. Left untreated, steatohepatitis can lead to liver fibrosis which causes diminished blood flow throughout the liver and a buildup of scar tissue. Without treatment, liver fibrosis may lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.

Pathogenesis and Prevention of Hepatic Steatosis

Hepatic steatosis is defined as intrahepatic fat of at least 5% of liver weight. Simple accumulation of triacylglycerols in the liver could be hepatoprotective; however, prolonged hepatic lipid storage may lead to liver metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, and advanced forms of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis is associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Several mechanisms are involved in the accumulation of intrahepatic fat, including increased flux of fatty acids to the liver, increased de novo lipogenesis, and/or reduced clearance through β-oxidation or very-low-density lipoprotein secretion.

Should I Be Worried About Fatty Liver Disease?

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is serious but preventable. Learn if you’re at risk.

Steatotic-What? Changes in Fatty Liver Nomenclature

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) refers to the presence of hepatic steatosis when no other causes for secondary hepatic fat accumulation are present, and patients have one or more cardiometabolic risk factors. Patients with MASLD may have steatosis with or without inflammation and fibrosis.

Uncovering the genetic causes of fatty liver disease — a growing health concern

Like other societal chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease can be prevented to some degree. Daily activity, cooking a good variety of foods, improving sleep and limiting screen time, the consumption of ultra-processed products and exposure to stress, can prevent or delay the development of such diseases.

Resources

How Fatty Liver Disease Helps Cancer Thrive in the Liver

Colorectal cancer often spreads to the liver, and once it does, it becomes incredibly difficult to treat. Cancer is even more likely to set up camp in the liver when patients have fatty liver disease, but scientists don’t know why. Now, a new study has shown that fatty liver disease appears to create the perfect environment for metastatic colorectal cancer to thrive in the liver.

Liver.ca

Fat in the liver typically develops when a person consumes more fat and sugars than his or her body can handle. This is more common in people who are overweight or obese but can also occur in adults with healthy body weights. If fat builds up to more than 5% of the liver, then the liver is considered to be a fatty liver. Although having this condition may not cause any immediate harm, there is a concern that extra fat in the liver might make the liver vulnerable to further injury such as inflammation and scarring.