Fatty liver disease / NAFLD treatment

Fatty liver disease - or, more specifically, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) - is a condition that occurs when fat builds up in the liver. The most common form of liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease affects nearly 25% of the United States’ adult population. The liver is a crucial organ that aids in digestion, protein production, metabolism, and general health. When fat tissue takes up 5-10% of your liver’s weight, symptoms of fatty liver disease begin to appear.

While many individuals experience no symptoms caused by fatty liver disease, it has been shown to cause effects such as:

• Pain and swelling in the upper abdomen
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Nausea and loss of appetite
• Jaundiced skin and eyes
• Swollen legs (edema)

While there is no common cause of NAFLD, the condition has been linked to risk factors such as:

• Obesity
• High levels of cholesterol
• High levels of triglycerides (fat molecules) in the blood
• High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and diabetes
• Underactive thyroid glands (hypothyroidism)
• Insulin resistance

Even though nonalcoholic fatty liver disease may not cause noticeable symptoms (at first), the condition can progressively destroy tissue in the liver. This leads to complications such as cirrhosis; or, excessive scarring of liver tissue. Cirrhosis can severely impact liver function and can increase your risk of liver cancer and liver failure.

Because of this, if you are struggling with risk factors for NAFLD, or are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, talk to a health care provider right away. Early treatment can prevent NAFLD from becoming worse and leading to potentially life-threatening complications such as cirrhosis.