Does fatty liver disease transmit?

Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 01, 2024
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Fatty liver is relatively common in clinical practice. It is not an infectious disease and is not contagious. Fatty liver is generally considered to be caused by various reasons leading to fat deposition in the liver. Usually, there are no specific symptoms. Some patients may experience pain, dull pain, or discomfort in the upper right abdomen, along with nausea, etc. Typically, patients discover they have fatty liver during a physical examination or incidental liver function tests and abdominal ultrasound that indicate changes due to fatty liver. The general principle of treatment is symptomatic management. If liver function is abnormal, hepatoprotective treatment can be considered. Of course, if liver function is normal and it's purely fatty liver, the main approach is adjusting dietary and lifestyle habits. It is advised that patients consume high-quality proteins and reduce intake of greasy, fatty, low-fat, and low-sugar foods. Maintaining a good mental state, appropriately reducing weight, and exercising can cure mild fatty liver. If there is severe fatty liver, it is recommended that patients visit a local hospital for treatment.

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Written by Wo Cheng
Hepatology
1min home-news-image

Can people with fatty liver smoke?

Patients with fatty liver disease should also appropriately quit smoking or reduce the frequency of smoking. The treatment for severe fatty liver disease mainly includes a reasonable diet, appropriate exercise, as well as choosing to quit smoking and drinking, controlling diet properly, increasing physical exercise, removing the cause of the disease, and actively treating the primary disease. Although smoking mainly causes damage to the lungs, nicotine in cigarettes can also damage liver cells. When people with fatty liver disease smoke excessively, it can exacerbate the condition. It also damages liver cells, so people with fatty liver disease also need to quit smoking or reduce the frequency of smoking. People with fatty liver disease should regularly monitor liver function and undergo imaging tests of the liver to timely monitor the condition and actively enhance physical exercise to control the cause of the disease.

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Written by Luo Juan
Endocrinology
1min 26sec home-news-image

How to deal with fatty liver with elevated transaminases?

First, it is necessary to determine whether the fatty liver is alcoholic or non-alcoholic. If it is non-alcoholic fatty liver with elevated transaminases, lifestyle interventions should be implemented first. Weight loss and exercise can treat fat-associated fatty liver. Generally, it is necessary to control the intake of calories and fats, especially saturated fatty acids, maintain an ideal weight, and exercise sufficiently and consistently. Similarly, if there is a significant increase in blood lipids, lipid-lowering drugs can also be used. Additionally, some liver-protective drugs can be incorporated into treatment. If it is alcoholic fatty liver, abstaining from alcohol is a key treatment, as well as appropriate nutritional support. For long-term alcoholics, since alcohol replaces the calories provided by food, there is generally an insufficient intake of protein and vitamins. Therefore, a diet high in protein and low in fat should be provided, along with appropriate vitamin supplementation, and liver-protective drugs can also be used. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
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What should be noted for mild fatty liver?

People with mild fatty liver also need to pay special attention to their diet. It is important to consume a light diet and avoid high-calorie and high-fat foods such as fatty meats, fried foods, and animal organs; these should be minimized in the diet and replaced with more fruits and vegetables. Additionally, it is recommended to increase physical activity, as exercise can metabolize fats and has a certain therapeutic effect on patients with fatty liver. Simultaneously, alcohol should be avoided, as it can damage liver cells. If a patient with fatty liver frequently consumes alcohol, it can exacerbate the condition and may also lead to elevated liver enzymes.

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Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
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What foods are good for fatty liver?

Fatty liver is primarily caused by nutritional excess or abnormal lipid metabolism, leading to excessive storage of fat in liver cells, resulting in fatty liver. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to the diet, which should be low in fat. Firstly, it is crucial to quit alcohol, as drinking with fatty liver can easily damage liver cells, leading to elevated transaminase levels. Additionally, it is important to reduce oil intake, especially fried foods which must be completely avoided, as well as high-fat foods such as fatty meats, which should be largely excluded from the diet. Foods rich in oils like seeds, peanuts, and walnuts, which are high in cholesterol and fats, should also be consumed less, as they can increase the severity of fatty liver. A light and easily digestible diet should be preferred, with an increased intake of vegetables and fruits. When consuming meat, lean meats should be chosen to help with the recovery of fatty liver.

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Written by Ye Xi Yong
Infectious Diseases
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How to treat hepatitis B coexisting with fatty liver?

The coexistence of hepatitis B and fatty liver can exacerbate liver damage and may also affect the treatment efficacy of hepatitis B virus. For patients with both hepatitis B and fatty liver, in addition to monitoring and treatment for hepatitis B, it is important to adjust their diet and lifestyle, limit fat intake, engage in physical exercise, and promptly eliminate fatty liver. For carriers of the hepatitis B virus, before initiating antiviral therapy, if liver function abnormalities occur, it is necessary to determine whether the liver damage is due to fatty liver or active hepatitis B virus. Treatments can include protecting the liver and eliminating fatty liver. If the response to treatment is unsatisfactory, antiviral treatment for hepatitis should be considered.