Fatty liver is the unknown disease. The dangerous consequences of inflammation of the liver, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. The reasons: Not only alcohol, but also too many carbohydrates and too little exercise. The liver is extremely regeneration is capable of. What can you create, and the burden of overwhelmed you.
Several days in a row to celebrate and eat too much for the liver, it is undisputed that a challenge. The risk of this already liver damage, however, is relatively low. Requirement: The person Concerned is otherwise healthy and slim and has a robust Constitution.
“If someone is maybe already overweight, Diabetes, or already have a fatty liver, that can be different,” explains Markus Cornberg, Medical Director of the German liver Foundation and Chief physician of the MHH-Department of gastroenterology, Hepatology and endocrinology.
Fatty liver disease risk: the Case of alcohol, not to “good genes” to leave
In addition, it depends on the predisposition. Some people can drink every day a bottle of wine and has a healthy liver, the other enjoys every evening a glass of wine and gets cirrhosis of the liver, because he has certain genetic requirements for the development of a fatty liver.
On favorable genes should, however, leave none, “roughly 25 percent of the population in Germany have a fatty liver, as a study shows,” warns the expert. It is in the case of fatty liver in and of itself is not a disease. To have a fatty liver means that the liver has stored excess fat. However, the risk is high that it creates a fatty liver hepatitis(inflammation), followed by liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis and ultimately liver cell cancer.
Moderate, but regular drinking alcohol is particularly harmful
An underrated, but very frequent and massive strain on the liver is if a daily, two glasses of wine are consumed and the consumption increases over the years, slowly. Ultimately, it remains but a “glass” and it can quickly become a bottle per day of it. The victims themselves are often not convinced to drink too much, because they don’t even notice how much you drink.
The limits for low-risk alcohol consumption to be
- Men 24 grams of alcohol per day, equivalent to half a Liter of beer
- Women 12 grams, so half of
“Who drinks, so over the months and years to come, more’s the risk, that the fatty liver degeneration, cirrhosis of the liver and liver cell cancer consequences”, warns Markus Cornberg.
The liver can recover quickly
Complete abstinence from alcohol can bring even a inflammation of the liver, which originated from a so-called alcoholic fatty liver disease, to decay, if there is no advanced liver tag is present, such as the Professor from the clinic daily reported. Sometimes one to two weeks. However, such examples are rather the exception.
Fatty liver often due to alcohol, but by too little exercise
It comes to fatty liver and resulting liver diseases, and most people think that the cause of alcohol. But in addition to the alcoholic fatty liver (AFL) non alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) have an increasingly important role. The cause for this Form of fatty liver, about the lack of movement that affects more and more people, as well as carbohydrate-rich food and Obesity, “primary”, – said the expert. Carbohydrates such as Glucose and Fructose, the liver to fat. In the case of a Surplus, it is stored in the liver as a Depot.
Cheap industrial honey on the liver
Also fructose is a carbohydrate in a broader sense. So also high and concentrated in the consumption of fruits can lead to a fatty liver. “This is a risk, too, if someone is regularly excessively Smoothies and drinks,” explains the expert. Fructose from fruit is at first problematic.
In concentrated Form, and especially in the case of an isolated and highly concentrated Fructose, which is added to many foods (even Pizza and other ready-made dishes) and sweets, is, however, different. Recognize the risk can be Sweeteners on the ingredients list under the names of
- Isoglucose,
- Isofructose or
- High-Fructose Corn Syrup
Diabetes and fatty liver
A result of incorrect diet and lack of exercise is often Diabetes. Many diabetics have a fatty liver, which can then form very quickly from a fatty liver hepatitis or even liver cancer. Because in the case of Diabetes and even the precursors (pre-diabetes) are increased, some of the messengers such as Interleukins and tumor necrosis factors in the blood. Through the liver a lot of blood flows and thus the risk of inflammation increases, in this Organ.
However, is not observed in diabetics is often the condition of the liver, but only on the blood vessels, eyes and kidney function observed. “That’s why the Liver in diabetes cases is often already very far advanced to be diagnosed until it has formed may already have liver cancer,” reports the Professor.
Liver load Test to determine
What forgiving of the liver and what is not depends on different factors: the life-style, other disease and the individual’s Constitution. A rule of thumb, how much can each of his liver expect and when that happens, there isn’t.
However, as a disease of the liver can be identified? It is particularly tricky: There is little evidence, because the liver does not hurt, even if it is severely damaged. “There are patients who have cirrhosis of the liver, but none of them noticed, although 90 percent of the liver is already destroyed,” reported the expert. The only Symptom was “fatigue, the pain of the liver.”
The best way to detect the true state of the liver: a blood test at the doctor, of the liver values. However, this investigation is not part of the check to the General health, such as the Check-up 35. Therefore, patients on the Test of the liver to blood talk with your doctor. When signs of liver disease are present, does the health insurance the cost for this blood test.
In addition, a ultrasound examination helps to control the body. The “bright” liver, for example, is a note that fat deposits are present.
Life changing for the liver and helps even in case of cirrhosis of the liver
The sooner a fatty liver is discovered, the better. “Exercise, lose weight, no alcohol is an effective therapy,” advises Markus Cornberg. Studies show that even advanced liver fibrosis or incipient cirrhosis of the liver due to this change of Life forms. However, it is not possible for every Affected person on life, to eat healthy and move every day.
Currently, various drugs are being developed against strong, fatty liver and liver fibrosis, which are now being tested in trials and not yet on the market. Because we know that there are more and more overweight people and diabetics, the prevalence of fatty liver and the number of resulting diseases such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer is rising so significantly.