In general, fatty liver is considered synonymous with alcoholic liver disease. However, in reality it is not so. Fatty liver just indicates the presence of fat in the liver. It may or may not be harmful for the patient. Fatty liver is harmful only when it starts to damage the liver cells. Simple fatty liver does not cause inflammation, but when it starts doing so, it does not remain a simple fatty liver anymore.

Types of Fatty Liver Disease

There are two types of Fatty liver disease: Alcohol Related Fatty Liver Disease and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Alcohol Related Fatty Liver Disease

Fatty liver does not always beget symptoms, although the liver may be enlarged. One may also feel discomfort or pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen. However, one can prevent alcoholic liver disease, since fatty liver owing to alcohol consumption usually gets better after stopping alcohol abuse. However, if a person doesn t do that, ALD can progress to more serious stages, like alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis.

Alcoholic Cirrhosis
Alcoholic Cirrhosis occurs when there is formation of scar tissue in the liver. It can cause symptoms like bleeding, confusion, changes in mood and enlargement of spleen. Scar tissue formation can even lead to fatal liver failure.

Alcoholic Hepatitis
Alcoholic Hepatitis occurs when there is a swelling of the liver. It can precipitate nausea, fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, jaundice etc.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

This is of two types: Simple Fatty Liver and Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis.

Simple fatty liver just indicates the presence of fat in the liver without inflammation. On the other hand, Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is a much worse form of fatty liver. This indicates that there is fat as well as inflammation in the liver. Even some of the liver cells may have become damaged. It can cause the following problems:

Formation of scar tissue in the liver, called fibrosis.

Severe fibrosis can lead to cirrhosis in advanced stages. Cirrhosis can lead to liver failure

Liver cancer

Causes of Fatty Liver

In alcoholic fatty liver disease, the prime cause is consuming too much alcohol. Alcohol may precipitate fatty liver by promoting obesity, malnourishment and even chronic hepatitis.

For non-alcoholic fatty liver disease there may be a number of factors:

Obesity

Insulin resistance

High levels of LDL cholesterol or low levels of HDL cholesterol

Diabetes

Conditions that may precipitate Type 2 diabetes 

High blood pressure

High blood sugar

Symptoms of Fatty Liver

There is hardly any symptom of fatty liver disease. At most, one can feel pain or tiredness in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. However, if fatty liver has advanced to cirrhosis, fibrosis or hepatitis, there can be a number of symptoms. Some of these symptoms are:

Swollen abdomen

Enlarged blood vessels under the skin

Abnormal breast size in men

Redness in palms

Yellowing of skin and eyes.

Treatment

For alcoholic fatty liver disease, the best treatment is cessation of drinking when the fatty liver has still not progressed to more serious forms. For non-alcoholic fatty diseases, weight loss is an effective treatment. If there is Cirrhosis or Liver Failure, liver transplant is the only option.

As the treatment may vary from patient to patient, it is important that one should always consult a doctor before going for any option.

Fatty Liver - Types & Treatment Of It!

The human body s ability to manage the fats consumed and the way the liver functions to handle this in the overall metabolism setting are dependent on choline. Choline, which is present mostly in the form of Vitamin B12, is available in plenty in most of the foods consumed by people regularly. The issue arises when the body system fails to absorb choline nutrient from the food consumed. There are also cases where the dietary intake does not possess adequate choline in it.

Natural Difficulty in Absorbing Choline
There are certain conditions in which the system finds it difficult to absorb choline though the diet may contain the nutrient. People who have just undergone a by-pass surgery or those who have had a kidney transplant done or if there is already a liver problem like cirrhosis face this issue. There are other reasons also which can lead to choline deficiency, such as the prolonged intake of anti-convulsant drugs and so on.

How to Detect or What are the Symptoms?
Some apparent symptoms can lead the GP to ask for more tests to establish that the person does have choline deficiency. In normal person, even high blood pressure could be caused due to choline deficiency. Then in many cases, a blood test for any other condition might reveal very low levels of VLDL (Very Low-Density Lipoprotein). This substance in the blood is used by the liver to transport fats and naturally, if VLDL is below a certain threshold the person is bound to be suffering from choline deficiency. High level of cholesterol is another symptom. It has to be understood that choline is also essential for the human brain to be functioning at its active best. Deficiency of choline can lead to an early setting in of dementia. Of course, any patient with liver and kidney related condition reaching the doctor will be checked for choline deficiency since these are closely related.

Where to Get Choline from?
The next obvious question is which foods can get you choline easily and you won t suffer from a deficiency. As mentioned there are plenty of food items of daily consumption which have choline in them. The most frequently recommended are the yolk of the egg. Pastured eggs are recommended and though even one egg can give some 115mgms of choline, you can make a couple of eggs a part of your daily breakfast menu. The other suggestion is raw liver as in beef liver which is quite rich in choline. Those who consume only vegetarian foods can always eat a lot of green vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage and also nuts and legumes (soaked) and milk and yoghurt are all good for choline intake.

Choline is an essential nutrient in the human body and is critical to the growth and development of cognitive functions and its deficiency can lead to many serious conditions, including liver impairment and brain disorders. There are plenty of foods rich in choline and should be consumed regularly.


Choline Deficiency - Signs You Are Suffering From It + Sources Of Choline!! 

In healthy individuals, the liver contains little or no fat. In overweight or obese people, gradual fat accumulation leads to significant liver disease. Interestingly, these individuals may be consuming minimal to no alcohol. So, alcohol, which is the main cause for liver damage, does not have a significant role to play.

The non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has 4 significant stages as outlined below. It is a chronically progressive disease and may take years to reach the final stages of cirrhosis and fibrosis.

1. Simple fatty liver (steatosis): This is usually identified when diagnostic tests are done for some other suspected conditions. There are usually no symptoms obvious in this stage, other than the buildup of fat in the liver.

2. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): The second stage where the liver is inflamed to a greater extent due to fat accumulation.

3. Fibrosis: The next degree of inflammation where blood vessels may be narrowed leading to scarring in the liver with impaired liver functions.

4. Cirrhosis: This is the most severe stage that occurs due to years of cumulative inflammation. The liver shrinks in size, is scarred, and liver functions are markedly impaired and can also result in liver cancer.

Risk factors for NAFLD: The exact reason why a person develops NAFLD is not established, but some of the risk factors include

1. Obesity, with more weight concentrated around the abdomen

2. Type 2 diabetes

3. High blood pressure

4. High cholesterol levels

5. Age greater than 50

6. Smoking

Symptoms: This will depend on the stage in which it is identified. While there are no symptoms in the early stages, in some people there could be a dull, aching below the ribs, unexplained weight loss, weakness, and extreme tiredness. As it progresses to cirrhosis, there could be jaundice, fluid accumulation in the abdomen and feet, and itching of the skin.

Management: While there is no treatment aimed at curing the disease per se, there are ways to manage the symptoms, as noted below.

1. Weight loss: Reducing excess accumulated fat will help reverse symptoms and prevent further progression of the disease. A BMI of 18 to 26 is considered optimal.

2. Dietary changes: Modify your diet to a carbohydrates and protein rich and reduced fats and sugars. Increasing fiber through fruits and vegetables is highly recommended.

3. Exercise: Whatever your choice of workout, it will do wonders for NAFLD. Keep a target of an hour or two of moderate to intense exercise per day to reduce weight.

4. Smoking: This is another risk factor and can also help prevent other effects of NAFLD such as diabetes and heart disease.

NAFLD is highly controllable with these changes and other damages can be reversed too.

What is Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)?

The liver is a vital organ within the body, which functions as a filter for the blood that comes from the digestive system. One of the conditions that afflict this organ is fatty liver, which occurs due to the accumulation of triglycerides within it. There could be multiple reasons behind this, such as alcoholism, obesity, pregnancy, hepatitis among many others. Homeopathy has some great treatments for fatty liver disease, depending on the cause.

1. Nux vomica: one of the major reason of developing a fatty liver is alcoholism. While drinking moderate amounts of alcohol isn't harmful, the tendency to drink very regularly will lead to fatty liver disease. In such cases you may feel pain in the abdomen, especially a few hours after eating. You may also suffer from constipation with cravings for fatty and spicy food. Nux vomica is thus prescribed in these conditions.

2. Phosphorus: fatty liver has many symptoms, which may manifest differently in different people. Many people complain about indigestion and sour belching. Your liver area may be painful and you may also vomit. You may constantly crave for foods such as ice-creams, juices and cold drinks. In such case, s you may feel weak after passing stool. Phosphorus is a great remedy in such cases.

3. Chelidonium: this is one of the best overall remedies for fatty liver. Some of the symptoms where chelidonium may work are as follows:
A) pain in upper right abdomen
B) enlargement of liver
C) constipation
D) jaundice along with fatty liver
E) feeling excessively weak
F) craving for hot drinks and hot foods

4. Calcarea carb: if you are obese or fairly overweight and suffer from fatty liver, calcarea carbonica can be very effective in treating the symptoms. Some of the symptoms exhibited by the patients where this medication is effective would be a yearning for eggs, profuse sweating and sensitivity to air if it's cold.

5. Lycopodium: this medication is very effective in treating fatty liver disease, especially if you suffer from gastric issues and acidity. You may have symptoms like, bloating of the stomach, burning of the esophagus when belching or burping and pain in the upper right abdomen. You may also exhibit cravings for hot drinks and sweets.

5 Homeopathic Remedies for Fatty Liver

The largest internal organ in the body, the liver, is also one of the silent heroes, which performs close to 500 functions. It produces energy, fights infections, gets rid of wastes, and is a metabolic factory.

There are four major types of liver diseases out of which alcoholic liver disease accounts for about 40% of them. Other types include non-alcoholic liver disease, viral hepatitis and autoimmune (chronic) hepatitis.

Risk factors: The severity of drinking habit is directly proportional to the chances of developing alcoholic liver disease. People who consume more amount of alcohol are more likely to develop the disease. However, it is also not necessary that every person who consumes alcohol develops liver disease.

Following are obvious risk factors for developing alcoholic liver disease.

1. Alcohol dependency: While enjoying a drink is not barred, getting the body dependent on alcohol for regular functioning is definitely a no-no. The rate of developing the disease in people dependent on alcohol is as high as 70%.

2. Females: The way alcohol is metabolized in females could have an effect on the higher risk they face in developing alcoholic liver disease.

3. Obesity: Excessive weight puts additional stress on the metabolic effects of the liver and therefore has a higher tendency to develop alcoholic liver disease.

4. Family history: Strong familial history increases the risk of developing alcoholic liver disease.

Symptoms: The difficulty in diagnosing the disease lies in the fact that there are no clear-cut symptoms that can indicate the diagnosis. Initial general symptoms include fatigue, poor appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, weight loss, loss of energy, and red spider nevi (spider-like blood vessels) on the skin.

As the liver function continues to worsen, there are additional symptoms like swelling of the legs due to fluid accumulation, swelling of the abdomen, jaundice (yellow mucous membranes and skin), redness of palms, impotence, breast swelling, easy bruising, cognitive problems and clay-colored stools. This stage will see liver scarring and subsequent cirrhosis. The second set of symptoms is more diagnostic. An experienced practitioner will be able to suspect and diagnose the alcoholic disease with a detailed history and some liver function tests.

Treatment: If identified early and alcohol habits are reversed, the damages of the liver can be completely reversed. In addition, the following lifestyle changes are suggested:

1. Low-salt diet

2. Hepatitis vaccines (A and B)

3. Medications to manage fluid retention, spontaneous bleeding and infections as the case may be

4. Excessive fluid accumulation in the abdomen may require removal

5. Shunt in the liver to repair blood flow

6. If cirrhosis stage is reached, a liver transplant may be required

While there are many ways to manage alcoholic liver disease, prevention is the best way. Limiting alcohol consumption can definitely help in the prevention of the disease.

All About Alcoholic Liver Disease

The liver is a key organ in metabolism and will have some amount of fat. However, excessive fat accumulation in the liver can be abnormal and is referred to as fatty liver. If the fat content exceeds anything more than 5% to 10% of the liver s weight, it would be referred to as fatty liver.

Types - There are mainly two types based on causes:

Alcoholic fatty liver: This is very common in people who consume excessive amounts of alcohol. Even a one-off instance of binge drinking can cause increased fat accumulation in the liver, but it would not produce any symptoms though. Preexisting hepatitis, pregnancy, obesity, and genetic predisposition may also lead to alcoholic liver disease.
Non-alcoholic liver disease: This is the less common type of fatty liver, and there would be no alcoholic abuse history here. However, there could be genetic predisposition, obesity, autoimmune liver disease, malnutrition, which can lead to this condition.
Symptoms

Fatty liver disease is a chronic condition with insidious onset (meaning to say, the exact time of onset cannot be pinpointed). However, as the disease condition progresses, symptoms will become evident, which can trigger a medical evaluation to identify the fatty liver. Some of the symptoms include:

Excessive fatigue and weakness
Unexplained weight loss
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Trouble focusing and concentrating
Impaired judgment
Constant, slow enlargement of the liver can cause pain in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen (where the liver is)
There could be jaundice, where the skin and the white of the eyes turn pale yellow
Symptoms of liver failure, including increased levels of proteins in the chemical tests.
Diagnosis

As noted earlier, it is not easy to identify liver disease, as there are no specific symptoms. However, the above symptoms could point to a potential fatty liver.

Blood tests, especially for liver enzymes
Ultrasound, where the liver is imaged to look for any structural changes
Biopsy, where liver tissue is extracted to confirm the diagnosis of fatty liver
Treatment

There is no specific treatment for fatty liver. It can be managed through the following, where symptoms reduce in severity, and overall prognosis improves.

Diabetes control: There is a relation between how well diabetes is controlled and severity of fatty liver. Improving diabetes control ensures fatty liver does not progress.
Alcohol: Cutting down or even better quitting alcohol, definitely helps improve symptoms. If it is alcohol induced fatty liver, alcohol should be stopped.
Weight management: Obesity and fatty liver are related, so weight management is essential.
Healthy diet: Eating a healthy diet and regular exercise regimen also helps improve symptoms of fatty liver.

Fatty Liver - Signs You Are Suffering From It!

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