What causes fatty liver?

The article is professionally consulted by the Master. Doctor II Phan Thi Minh Huong - Gastroenterologist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

Fatty liver is a fairly common disease in Vietnam and around the world. This disease leaves many complications, can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer can lead to death if not treated promptly. Let's find out the causes and ways to prevent fatty liver disease.

Fatty liver is a condition in which there is too much fat in the liver, affecting the function of the liver. Fat accumulation in the liver > 5% of liver weight. The liver may be larger than normal, due to the accumulation of fat in the liver.
In the early stages, fatty liver is considered a benign disease. However, if not treated early and effectively, fatty liver will turn into cirrhosis or even liver cancer, which is life-threatening.

Uncontrolled weight gain, obesity Overweight and obesity is a risk factor for fatty liver. When the body regularly supplies triglycerides in excess of the body's ability to absorb, there will be accumulation and not fully metabolized, creating a risk of fatty liver. In addition, too many calories also prevent the body from converting all into energy to use and store in the form of triglycerides.
Alcoholism or regular drinking For patients with alcoholism, ethanol in alcohol causes an increase in NADH in hepatocytes, stimulates fat synthesis, and increases the synthesis of triglycerides in the liver. Alcoholism is the most common cause in most patients with fatty liver.
Diabetes In patients with diabetes, free fatty acids in the blood will increase the mobilization of patients with hypoglycemia. Increasing the use of free fatty acids from adipose tissue into the blood, the liver converts free fatty acids into triglycerides.
Diet rich in cholesterol High cholesterol, the risk of cardiovascular disease and blood fat is quite large.

With fatty liver disease, most patients will not realize they have the disease, because it has no typical physical symptoms. It can only be discovered by accident after accidentally going to the doctor and taking a blood test.

Here are some signs to watch out for:
Yellow, dark urine, white stools Some cases may be due to drinking less water, taking medicine, so there will be dark urine. But when the urine is dark and the stools are white, you should see a doctor. Maybe you have a problem with your liver function.
Enlarged abdomen, enlarged liver, abdominal pain The liver can be palpated under the right lower quadrant. It is possible that a high amount of fat accumulates in the liver, causing the liver to increase in size. In case the abdomen is enlarged, the disease may have progressed to cirrhosis. Causing the abdomen to enlarge, accumulating fluid, compressing other organs, causing abdominal pain.
Nausea, vomiting May be a state of loss of appetite, loss of appetite, indigestion, bloating, nausea and feeling tired often. This symptom can be caused by some other disease but can also be caused by a problem with the secretion of bile. Digestion of food is also not as stable as before.
Jaundice It is possible that your liver function has been impaired, making it difficult to clear bilirubin, and accumulate in the blood. Causes pathological jaundice.
Itching, urticaria, allergies, fatigue The impaired liver function affects the elimination of toxins in the body, leading to the phenomenon of urticaria. At the same time, this will make the body more tired, because the liver does not remove toxins from the blood well.

Exercise and sports To prevent fatty liver disease in the best way, you should increase exercise and sports. Exercise will help burn calories in the body to better use the stored fat in the body. In addition, exercise will also help improve circulation, avoid many diseases, and improve health.
Weight loss, good weight control This is really necessary for patients with fatty liver. To control the amount of calories as well as the amount of fat in the body. Should diet, increase plant-based foods, exercise,...
Quit alcohol Live a smarter way, remove alcohol from your life. If you can't quit right away, try giving it up little by little.
Good control of diabetes Diabetes is one of the causes leading to fatty liver and many other diseases. Try to closely monitor your blood sugar, use medicine as directed by your doctor, follow a diet that limits starch and sugar, increase exercise, ..., make sure to control it. blood sugar is kept stable.
Healthy diet To limit the amount of fat in the blood, you need to have a reasonable and balanced diet. Increase vegetables and fruits, especially high-fiber plants and cereals. Control blood sugar, blood fat, better energy.
Some fruits/seeds are quite good for the liver such as: Walnuts, avocados, sunflower seeds,... Some vegetables help limit fat accumulation in the liver: Spinach, kale, garlic,...
Avoid eating foods high in fat, salt, sugar, and starch. You can replace the daily frying oil with olive oil, which is very good for the liver. Eating less fat, reducing calories helps you control your weight better.
Diet with more fish such as: Salmon, tuna, ... are rich in omega-3, which is good for the liver.
A recent study showed that tofu has substances that help reduce blood fat in the liver. Tofu is low in fat, so it's good for the liver.

In order to meet the needs of people for examination and treatment, Vinmec has established a hepatobiliary center specializing in examination and treatment of hepatobiliary diseases. Provide a number of hepatobiliary examination packages for many subjects. Specifically, there are 3 current screening packages: Hepatobiliary screening package - standard, advanced and comprehensive.
Screening is the most effective measure to detect fatty liver
Hepatobiliary screening package - standard: This care package will assess the working ability of the liver and bile; screening for hepatitis B, C. Subclinical will include liver and kidney function tests and some other tests, ultrasound. Will be examined with a hepatobiliary specialist to get the most accurate diagnosis for the client.
Hepatobiliary screening package - advanced: This package will also evaluate liver and biliary function; Hepatitis B and C screening and ultrasound. In addition, the vascular nutrition is assessed, some other tests are performed, and early liver cancer screening is performed. Assess and check for more severe liver diseases.
Hepatobiliary screening package - comprehensive: This package will assess liver and biliary function; screening for hepatitis B, C; ultrasound, assessment of intravascular nutrition and early liver cancer screening. In addition, more tests will be done to screen for cancer markers, screening for more difficult diseases of the liver and biliary tract.
The target audience of the screening package is customers with risk factors such as:
Frequent staying up late. Use alcohol regularly. Or exposed to chemicals, dust pollution. Use long-term, regular medication. Unscientific diet, using a lot of preservatives. Subjects at risk of hepatitis B and C infection; having sex without using a condom,... People who transfuse or receive blood are not safe. Customers who do not eat well, anorexia, or full stomach, nausea, jaundice, yellow eyes, right lower quadrant abdominal pain, digestive disorders, or nosebleeds, bleeding gums, decreased libido, ... Fatty liver is a disease that can lead to cirrhosis and death. However, this disease is preventable. Give yourself a scientific lifestyle, eat right and quit the most harmful habits, which is drinking. Go for a health check-up every 6 months for early detection of medical conditions.