Fatty Liver

Question: Fatty Liver? What is meant by fatty Liver ? Is this a serious health condition ? Is this a reversible condition. ? Are there any good homeopathic remedies to cure this

Answer: Fatty liver Definition Fatty liver is the collection of excessive amounts of triglycerides and other fats inside liver cells. Description Also called steatosis, fatty liver can be a temporary or long-term condition, which is not harmful itself, but may indicate some other type of problem. Left untreated, it can contribute to other illnesses. It is usually reversible once the cause of the problem is diagnosed and corrected. The liver is the organ responsible for changing fats eaten in the diet to types of fat that can be stored and used by the body. Triglycerides are one of the forms of fat stored by the body and used for energy and new cell formation. The break down of fats in the liver can be disrupted by alcoholism, malnutrition, pregnancy, or poisoning. In fatty liver, large droplets of fat, containing mostly triglycerides, collect within cells of the liver. The condition is generally not painful and may go unnoticed for a long period of time. In severe cases, the liver can increase to over three times its normal size and may be painful and tender. Causes and symptoms The most common cause of fatty liver in the United States is alcoholism. In alcoholic fatty liver, over consumption of alcohol changes the way that the liver breaks down and stores fats. Often, people with chronic alcoholism also suffer from malnutrition by eating irregularly and not consuming a balanced diet. Conditions that can also cause fatty liver are other forms of malnutrition (especially when there is not enough protein in the diet), obesity, diabetes mellitus, and Reye's syndrome in children. Pregnancy can cause a rare, but serious form of fatty liver that starts late in pregnancy and may be associated with jaundice and liver failure. Some drug overdoses or toxic chemical poisonings, such as carbon tetrachloride, can also cause fatty liver. Often, there are no symptoms associated with fatty liver. If there are symptoms, they can include pain under the rib cage on the right side of the body, swelling of the abdomen, jaundice, and fever. Symptoms that occur less often in alcoholic fatty liver, but more often in pregnancy related fatty liver, are nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and abdominal pain. Diagnosis During a physical examination, a doctor might notice that the liver is enlarged and tender when the abdomen is palpated (examined with the tips of the fingers while the patient lies flat). Blood tests may be used to determine if the liver is functioning properly. A liver biopsy, where a small sample of liver tissue is removed with a long needle or though a very small incision, can be used to confirm fatty liver. In pregnant women, the fatty liver condition is usually associated with another serious complication, pre-eclampsia or eclampsia. In this condition, the mother has seriously high blood pressure, swelling, and possibly, seizures. Laboratory abnormalities include elevations of the SGOT (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase) and SGPT (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase). In many cases the alkaline phosphatase will be significantly elevated due to cholestasis produced by the fatty infiltration. Treatment Treatment involves correcting the condition that caused fatty liver and providing supportive care. In fatty liver caused by alcoholism, the treatment is to give up drinking alcohol and to eat a healthy, well balanced diet. In fatty liver associated with pregnancy, the recommended treatment is to deliver the baby, if the pregnancy is far enough along. Vitamin and mineral supplements along with nutritional support may be useful. Prognosis Fatty liver is usually reversible if recognized and treated. There may be some long-term tendency toward other types of liver problems depending on how long and how severe the fatty liver condition was. In pregnant women with the condition, the situation can be life threatening for both the mother and the infant. Left untreated, there is a high risk of death for both the mother and baby. Severe liver damage that may require a liver transplant can occur in the mother if the condition is not recognized early. Prevention Prevention consists of maintaining a well balanced diet and healthy lifestyle with moderate or no alcohol consumption. Pregnant women require good prenatal care so that symptoms can be recognized and treated as early as possible. To prevent Reye's syndrome, children should not be given aspirin to treat symptoms of the flu or other viruses.

Question: Is it dangerous to become pregnant if you have fatty liver disease? I have been told that I have fatty liver disease. Is it ok for me to try to get pregnant or would it be dangerous for me? If you have any experience with this, please let me know. I would love some advice. Thank you so much!

Answer: Since you don't know if people on here are knowledgeable or credible on here I highly suggest you talk to a doctor. That is the only person that would be qualified to tell you for sure. It may not be a black or white issue either. There may be degrees of this disease and it may depend more on your specific circumstances.

Question: What precaution can be taken to get rid of fatty liver and how long does it take to recover? What precaution can be taken to get rid of fatty liver and how long does it take to recover?

Answer: Hi vrd_quest Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a lifestyle condition related to The Metabolic Syndrome and type 2 diabetes. More movement and improved nutrition can help. Above all, stop consuming products containing high fructose corn syrup. HFCS has been connected to fatty liver and kidney disease. Increase the green leafy vegetables, eat moderate amounts of lean meats, eliminate sweeteners and start exercising. It's not only the amount of food you eat, but the type and quality as well. Fill up on salad greens and vegetables before you eat anything starchy. Drink only water to satisfy thirst and eat only when you're hungry. This plan helps improve what you eat without having to count calories or measure anything. A diet that's easier to follow is a diet you'll stay on longer. Besides diet and exercise, a multivitamin plus extra C, E, D and fish oil might help because of the association of fatty liver with inflammation and oxidation. A phospholipid called lecithin, or phosphatidylcholine, has been shown to improve fatty liver and prevent gallstones. Also, certain herbs, such as milkthistle, dandelion, and artichoke leaves, are known to have a protective effect on the liver. Fatty liver may also be aided by supplementing the diet with bile salts and pancreatic enzymes for help digesting fats. Finally, consider having your storage iron (ferritin) checked. There is some association between iron overload and NAFLD. Without treatment this can lead to organ failure. I hope this helps some!

Question: How much alcohol does it take to cause fatty liver disease? I'm wondering how long you have to use/abuse alcohol before putting yourself at risk for fatty liver. Would college binge drinking be enough to cause it? By college binge drinking, i mean 5-7 drinks each night, 2-3 nights per week, totaling around 15-20 drinks per week during the last 2 years and around half that amount during the first 2. I have been out of college for about 6 months now, and cut down my drinking to what it was during my first 2 years of college.

Answer: Fatty liver from alcohol consumption is called steatohepatitis, and involves an inflammatory process along with fat infiltration of the cells. It is not common to see it in one with your limited history of consumption, but can happen. It typically occurs after years of malnourishment and excessive alcohol consumption. It also occurs in some metabolic syndromes. Simple steatosis just involves fat accumulation in cells without inflammatory changes and can be present in anyone who is obese, and in most who drink heavily. It is completely reversible. It is not the same condition, but may preceed steatohepatitis. Fatty liver hepatitis (steatohepatitis) is considered serious and preceeds cirrhosis, which involves irreversible fibrosis of liver tissue. You would still be considered a moderate to heavy drinker at your current rate of consumption.

Question: I have a fatty liver, is it possible to cure it without taking medicines? I also have a high cholesterol and sgpt level but negative on my hepatitis test, is apple cider vinegar can cure fatty liver?

Answer: I would be very careful now that you have high elevated liver enzyme scores. People don't realize how fast cures and overdosing on anyone thing can actually harm the liver instead of helping it. Most liver patients are told never to take any medication without speaking with their doctor first about it, this includes herbs, over the counter and prescription drugs and street drugs. The liver can also be affected if you are in contact with certain chemicals, or develop a virus, etc. Anything taken as an overdose is especially harmful. There are two types of fatty livers, one that is because of alcohol intake and the other one that is not. This article has on here what you can do to reverse this problem before it turns into something more serious that can never be reversed. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nonalco… It is best to stick with good medical sites in order to find the information the doctor uses and the Mayo clinic is one of them. Here is another good site that will show you what will happen if the disease progresses and more information about what can be done. This is a government site: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases… This site contains the same information as those above, except it shows you what a normal liver looks like and what a fatty liver looks like and is written by a doctor. http://www.gihealth.com/newsletter/previ… I hope this is of some help to you.

Question: Is it possible to treat or cure a fatty liver? In the past I drank a little too much and now have completely given it up because I am afraid for my health. I recently was told that I have a fatty liver. I wonder what kinds of things I can do in addition to abstaining from alchohol and excercising more in order to make myself more healthy.

Answer: The liver is the organ of the human body with the best regenerative capacity. If you stop injuring it (with alcohol and other drugs) it is likely to fix itself. The rest of your health should be all encompassing, if possible. Stop smoking. Stay in the healthy weight range Lower cholesterol and control other risk factors for your heart - blood pressure, diabetes ... Choose an exercise and diet strategy that you can stick to long term, rather than one that gives you your result and then you give it up straight away.

Question: what is fatty liver and what are the remedies? i have been told that i have fatty liver. most of the time my mouth is bitter and dry,i feel tired , angry, impatient,sometimes i feel itching between my toes.i have a bad odor stool.

Answer: fatty liver is usually caused by excessive alcohol consumption, or use of other drugs. an extreme unhealthy diet may also cause fatty liver. it can be associated with starvation, obesity, and diabetes. so if you drink a lot, stop. if not, perhaps get tested for diabetes.

Question: Is fatty liver the same has having cirrhosis? My friend has fatty liver from being morbidly obese; he had gastri bypass surgery and lost about 250 pounds, now weighing about 275 pounds. He drank alot of alcohol continually, against doctor orders, before and after his surgery. Now he has severe liver problems and the doctor says it is cirrhosis. Q: Is fatty liver the same as cirrhosis?

Answer: Fatty liver disease can lead to cirrhosis. In your friend's case, it has, probably helped along by his drinking against doctor's orders. Not everyone with fatty liver disease gets cirrhosis, though. Sorry your friend was in the unlucky group, but in a way he did it to himself by drinking. If you can, help him follow his doctor's orders now, to the letter, or he may need a transplant.

Question: can you have cirrhosis of the liver and fatty liver disease at the same time? my father in law just got a "partial" result back on his liver count. they have said for right now all they know is he has fatty deposits in his liver. he has drank for over 45 years and i was wondering if you can have fatty deposits and cirrhosis at the same time?

Answer: Cirrhosis and a fatty liver can go hand in hand. A fatty liver is very common in drinkers and can lead to cirrhosis. This is very typical for alcoholics. That's a long time to be a drinker so there very well could be significant damage already done to his liver from scarring which is cirrhosis. Everything is going to depend on how much damage has already been done. The liver has the ability to regenerate, but it cannot do that once cirrhosis has occurred. Cirrhosis is permanent damage that does not go away. If the damage is severe, only a transplant will save their life. If caught in the early stages where the damage is not so bad, then if they quit drinking and take care of themselves, they can get well again. I don't know how much damage has been done to your father's liver, but one thing is for certain. If he does not stop drinking forever, it will lead to total liver failure and death. Getting a transplant will be very difficult for him since they don't give transplants to anyone that is an active drinker. He would have to quit and wait at least 6 months before they will even consider him for a transplant. Liver failure is not an easy way to die. I hope someone in your family can talk some sense into him before it kills him. Good luck.

Question: What is the best diet for a "fatty" liver? I have multiple lipomas (benign fatty bumps) that I understand are due to a "sluggish" liver. What diet will help get and keep my liver healthy?

Answer: The best (and easiest and cheapest!) thing you can do is to eat a diet of at least 75% raw foods. (Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fresh juices, lots of filtered water.) Keep the colon clean to facilitate toxin elimination from the liver: Eating plenty of raw fibrous vegetables, like carrots, celery and cauliflower, will sweep out your colon nicely. Foods high in Vitamin K (leafy greens, alfalfa sprouts) are especially beneficial. Eat plenty of raw almonds, Brazil nuts, coconut, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds. These contain arginine, an amino acid which helps to detoxify ammonia, a by-product of protein digestion. Best of luck.