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Treatment For Fatty Liver

27th May, 2009 - Posted by health news - No Comments

Surprisingly, a fatty liver doesn’t necessarily come from eating a fatty diet. Fatty liver disease is indeed the build-up of fat in the liver cells, but it can be a condition that is a result of excessive alcohol intake. Fatty liver may be associated with or may lead to liver inflammation. This can cause scarring and hardening of the liver. In this article, we’ll look at the causes of alcoholic fatty liver disease and how it can be prevented and treated.

Simply put, a fatty liver occurs when the liver becomes clogged with fat. People who are most at-risk for this condition are the obese and those who drink too much alcohol. Sometimes fatty liver occurs as a complication of pregnancy. There are usually no symptoms that are noticeable to the patient. In fact, fatty liver disease is frequently uncovered during a routine physical examination.

To be certain of a diagnosis of fatty liver, the physician may recommend a liver biopsy. Under local anesthesia, a slender needle is inserted through the right lower chest. A small piece of liver tissue is taken out with the needle and examined under a microscope.

The most common cause of this liver disease is obesity. It is estimated that 75% of obese individuals are at risk of developing a simple fatty liver. Up to 23% of obese individuals are at risk of developing an inflamed fatty liver. Besides obesity, nutritional causes are starvation and protein malnutrition, intestinal bypass surgery for obesity, and rapid weight loss. Certain conditions often accompany and may contribute to this disease, including diabetes mellitus, elevated lipids in the blood, insulin resistance and high blood pressure. Other causes can include genetic factors, drugs and chemicals, such as alcohol, corticosteroids, tetracycline and carbon tetrachloride.

In most instances, treatment of fatty liver disease requires control of the underlying conditions. This may include reduction of high blood triglycerides, good control of diabetes, or alcohol control. Since being overweight is by far the most critical factor, weight loss is the key to ridding the liver of fat. This is especially necessary if damage to the liver is occurring, and early signs of scarring are discovered through liver function tests and a biopsy. With the help of a doctor, the patient undergoes lifestyle changes that include regular exercise and a healthy diet.

Most patients with fatty liver disease are middle-aged and overweight. The best way to reduce your risk of developing fatty liver is to maintain a healthy weight and normal triglyceride levels. You should also avoid excess alcohol and other substances that could harm your liver. However, the changes can be made after diagnosis. Working closely with your doctor and making the necessary changes to your lifestyle can help to make your liver healthy again.