Description
Fatty liver identifies a condition, where there is an excessive fat buildup in the liver cells. This condition is also referred to as Steatosis. A probable explanation of the fatty liver disease could be fat transfer from other body parts or a rise in the fat extraction from the intestines to the liver. Another explanation for the fatty liver disease is a reduction in the rate at which the liver breaks down and rids the body of fat. It is normal for the liver to have some fat levels, but if the fat contained in the liver is over 10% of the liver weight, then one is diagnosed with fatty liver disease and one is prone to serious complications. The excessive fat causes liver inflammation.
Causes of Fatty Liver
Fatty liver disease is caused by a number of factors such as starvation, diabetes mellitus, obesity, Crushing’s Syndrome, obesity, hyperlipidemia and yellow phosphorus or carbon tetrachloride poison. Microvesicular fatty liver is caused by a high dose of tetracycline when pregnant or from toxicity caused by valproic acid. Sometimes, an inflamed fatty liver is caused by alcohol abuse; this condition is referred to as alcoholic steatohepatitis. An inflamed liver can get hardened and scarred with time, a condition referred to as cirrhosis that may cause liver failure. Diabetics suffer from fatty liver as fat levels in their body increase due to high sugar levels.
Fatty liver can also be caused excessive intake of calories causing a fat buildup in the liver. Whenever the liver fails to generate and breakdown fats as it is required to, there is an accumulation of fats. Patients develop the fatty liver condition if they have other conditions such as diabetes or obesity. Alcohol abuse, malnutrition and swift weight loss also cause the fatty liver condition. However, it is important to note that a number of people develop the fatty liver condition even though they lack any of the mentioned conditions.
Alcoholism is the common cause of the fatty liver disease. Over consumption of alcohol changes the manner in which fats in the liver are broken down and stored. In most cases, people suffering chronic alcoholism suffer from malnutrition as they do not maintain a balanced diet and eat irregularly. A form of malnutrition in which the body lacks enough proteins causes the fatty liver condition. Pregnancy may cause a serious fatty liver condition though it is rare. It begins in late pregnancy and is sometimes linked with liver failure and jaundice.