In China, the incidence of fatty liver is on a continuous rise. The main cause of fatty liver in the past was heavy alcohol consumption.
In recent years, the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has been increasing due to changes in lifestyle and diet structure, and the age of onset is also showing a lower age, which has become the second most important liver disease threatening the health of the nation.
How does fatty liver occur?
Liver cells synthesize various food components absorbed from the digestive tract into fat, which is then sent to various parts of the body; and when a person feels hungry, the fat is sent back into the liver, where the liver cells break it down again to provide energy for the body.
When there is too much fat in food, hyperlipidemia, excessive alcohol consumption, drugs, viruses, etc., the process of synthesizing, breaking down, or transporting fat by liver cells goes awry, causing fat to accumulate in the liver cells. When fat buildup reaches a certain level, it can cause a fatty liver.
Can fatty liver develop into liver cancer?
Fatty liver does have the potential to develop into liver cancer.
Simple fatty liver is not a serious disease and can be reversed with timely interventions such as lifestyle correction and healthy diet. However, when the accumulation of fat in the liver cells causes varying degrees of damage to the liver cells, steatohepatitis and fibrosis, and even progression to cirrhosis, liver cancer can occur on top of this.
The incidence of fatty liver-related liver cancer is lower compared to liver cancer caused by chronic viral hepatitis B/cirrhosis, although it still needs to be taken seriously.
Early fatty liver is usually asymptomatic and difficult to detect. When symptoms such as fatigue, poor appetite, and right upper abdominal distension appear, the condition is often difficult to control. The most important thing is to make sure that you have a good understanding of the disease.
What should I do if I have a fatty liver?
What should you do if you have fatty liver?
Absolute abstinence from alcohol, controlled diet, healthy weight loss, and proper exercise, with consistency, can often lead to good results. If necessary, seek guidance from a relevant specialist and supplement with certain medications.
Let’s work together to take good care of our liver.