What is fatty liver?

Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
Updated on January 03, 2025
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Fatty liver is a pathological condition caused by excessive accumulation of fat in liver cells due to various reasons, which impairs the liver's normal functions. This is a relatively common liver pathology. Patients may experience symptoms like fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and discomfort in the upper right abdomen, primarily treated in the departments of gastroenterology and hepatology. The population at higher risk includes patients with diabetes, alcohol abuse, obesity, and those who have undergone excessive weight loss. Fatty liver can also occur during pregnancy. Patients may experience impaired liver function, and in severe cases, they may develop fatty liver hepatitis or fatty liver cirrhosis.

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What foods should people with fatty liver avoid?

People with fatty liver should avoid overly greasy foods such as fatty meat, pig trotters, braised chicken, and braised duck. It is also important not to consume too much meat or foods high in sugar. Excessive intake of meat and sugar can be converted into fat and stored in the body, leading to high levels of fat. Therefore, control is also needed over the consumption of meat and fruits or foods that are high in sugar.

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Complete Recipe Collection for Fatty Liver Diet

Fatty liver disease currently has a high incidence rate in our country. If dietary habits are not modified, it can further damage the liver. To prevent the progression of fatty liver disease, it is necessary to pay attention to the following aspects of diet. Firstly, reduce the intake of sucrose and honey. For foods high in sugar, such as vegetables and fruits, consume them in smaller quantities. Additionally, you can eat appropriate amounts of grains and increase the intake of vegetables and fruits that are low in sugar, which is beneficial for the recovery from fatty liver. Secondly, it is advisable to increase the intake of fish, dairy products, and eggs, as patients with fatty liver need to repair and regenerate liver cells, and consuming high-protein foods is beneficial for liver recovery. Thirdly, the intake of fatty meats and animal liver, which are high in cholesterol, should be controlled to prevent further damage to the liver. For example, animal liver contains a lot of cholesterol and should be consumed less frequently. Fourthly, it is necessary to supplement vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Moreover, regular physical exercise should be performed.

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Symptoms of fatty liver pain

Patients with severe fatty liver, if the condition is serious and there is excessive accumulation of fat in the liver, the liver capsule may be overly distended. This stretching of the liver ligaments can cause pain in the liver area. At this time, patients may feel intense pain or tenderness in the upper right abdomen, and sometimes rebound pain may also occur. When pain in the liver area appears in patients with fatty liver, it indicates that the condition has become very severe and requires active treatment. If the condition progresses further, it can lead to fatty liver, hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and even severe hepatitis or liver failure, which can greatly affect the patient's quality of life and life expectancy.

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How long does it take to recover from fatty liver with exercise?

Fatty liver is a reversible disease that can gradually improve with proactive treatment, dietary adjustments, and appropriate exercise, although the duration of exercise varies from person to person. For mild fatty liver, the treatment period is short. In cases of severe fatty liver, exercise therapy must be complemented with medications, which extends the time required. Currently, there are no specific drugs that completely cure fatty liver. The main treatments involve protecting liver cells, reducing lipid levels, and using antioxidants. It is important to adjust the diet promptly, reduce the intake of greasy food, especially animal fats, and increase outdoor activities such as jogging and playing badminton. Maintaining a positive mindset also helps in recovery. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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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.