Fatty liver damage is a common case of the accumulation of excess fat in the liver. Most people live without symptoms, and it is not associated with serious damage for them. In some situations, however, it can damage the liver. In most cases, fatty liver disease doesn’t cause any serious problems or prevent your liver from normal functioning.
It progresses through three stages:
- Steatohepatitis: The liver becomes inflamed or swollen.
- Fibrosis: Scar tissues start forming where your liver is damaged.
- Extensive scar tissue replaces healthy tissues. This develops Cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis can lead to liver failure and liver cancer.
What are the forms of fatty liver disease?
- Alcohol-induced fatty liver disease: This type of liver disease is caused mostly due to heavy drinking.
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
NAFLD can affect anyone, it doesn’t require you to be an alcoholic. Risk factors you should know about NAFLD are:
- Being obese or overweight
- Type 2 diabetes
- Metabolic syndrome i.e. high blood pressure, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, and high triglyceride.