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What Are The Symptoms Of Fatty Liver Disease?
Posted on
Fri, 17 Mar 2017
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Fri, 17 Mar 2017
Answered on
Tue, 11 Apr 2017
Last reviewed on
Question : WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A FATTY LIVER
WHAT CAUSES THIS AND CAN IT BE REVERSED?
WHAT CAUSES THIS AND CAN IT BE REVERSED?
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Fatty liver is where fat is deposited in and replaces the normal contents of liver cells. It can be caused by a number of things, including excessive abdominal fat from high carbohydrate intake, genetics, alcohol, and diabetes is a risk factor also. Some medications put people at risk as well.
There is Non-alcoholic, and Alcohol-related Fatty Liver disease.
The extent of the amount of fat can be assessed with abdominal ultrasound and MRI with contrast.
Depending on the degree of fat, inflammation, and if there is no scarring, it can be reversed in many people, with decreased carbohydrate intake, steady weight loss (not yo-yo ing with weight loss and then gain repeatedly), and exercising 30 minutes/day. Limiting or discontinuing alcohol is important. Especially if it is related to alcohol use, alcohol should be eliminated entirely.
A person may feel no symptoms from fatty liver, unless it causes the liver to be enlarged such that bending causes pressure on it, which would feel like pain or pressure in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen under the right rib cage; or in severe cases, there can be symptoms of hepatitis (nausea, jaundice, etc).
Fatty liver initially can be suspected based on elevated liver function tests which are blood tests that show that there is inflammation happening in the liver.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further help.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Fatty liver is where fat is deposited in and replaces the normal contents of liver cells. It can be caused by a number of things, including excessive abdominal fat from high carbohydrate intake, genetics, alcohol, and diabetes is a risk factor also. Some medications put people at risk as well.
There is Non-alcoholic, and Alcohol-related Fatty Liver disease.
The extent of the amount of fat can be assessed with abdominal ultrasound and MRI with contrast.
Depending on the degree of fat, inflammation, and if there is no scarring, it can be reversed in many people, with decreased carbohydrate intake, steady weight loss (not yo-yo ing with weight loss and then gain repeatedly), and exercising 30 minutes/day. Limiting or discontinuing alcohol is important. Especially if it is related to alcohol use, alcohol should be eliminated entirely.
A person may feel no symptoms from fatty liver, unless it causes the liver to be enlarged such that bending causes pressure on it, which would feel like pain or pressure in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen under the right rib cage; or in severe cases, there can be symptoms of hepatitis (nausea, jaundice, etc).
Fatty liver initially can be suspected based on elevated liver function tests which are blood tests that show that there is inflammation happening in the liver.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further help.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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