Your liver performs many important roles in the body, such as helping to remove harmful substances. However, sometimes harmful substances can overwhelm the vital organ’s ability to flush them out. When this takes the form of a fatty build-up in the liver, it is called fatty liver disease.
There are two types of fatty liver disease:
- Alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) – develops in someone who drinks an excessive amount of alcohol
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) – develops in someone who does not drink an excessive amount of alcohol.
Some people with fatty liver disease have no symptoms, particularly in the early stages, while advanced cases – closer to developing cirrhosis – are more likely to see and feel signs.
“Cirrhosis – scarring of the liver is widespread, possibly irreversible and life-threatening,” warns healthcare body UPMC Western Maryland.
According to the health body, nosebleeds and yellow eyes indicate the presence of cirrhosis.
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“Choose a healthy plant-based diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats,” advises the Mayo Clinic.
What causes it?
Experts don’t know exactly why some people accumulate fat in the liver while others do not.
Similarly, there is limited understanding of why some fatty livers develop inflammation that progresses to cirrhosis.
However, NAFLD has been linked to the following:
- Overweight or obesity
- Insulin resistance, in which your cells don’t take up sugar in response to the hormone insulin
- High blood sugar (hyperglycaemia), indicating prediabetes or type 2 diabetes
- High levels of fats, particularly triglycerides, in the blood.
