Moderate weight loss can make a difference in prevention and the treatment of fatty liveran increasingly common disorder linked to metabolic syndrome and poor lifestyle habits.
Medical experts maintain that decrease between 5% and 10% of the body weight It is key to improving liver health and preventing the progression of this disease. condition.
He fatty liver It occurs when fat accumulates in the liver cells. This condition, medically called hepatic steatosis, can be due to multiple causes. Among the most frequent are the obesityinsulin resistance (diabetes), high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, excessive alcohol consumption and the use of certain medications.
According to the doctor’s information Danielle Tholey, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson Universityand the doctor Minhhuyen Nguyen, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple UniversityIn many cases, fatty liver does not manifest itself with clear symptoms. Some people may feel tiredness or discomfort in the abdomen, but most do not notice any alterations, which complicates early diagnosis.
The main medical recommendation for those who have fatty liver or are at risk of developing it is control or eliminate the underlying cause. Weight loss has shown a notable impact, even with modest reductions:
- Losing at least 5% of total body weight decreases the amount of fat in the liver.
- Achieving a loss of 7% helps reduce inflammation and progression towards more serious forms such as steatohepatitis..
- Losing weight by 10% can reverse liver damage, including scarring and fibrosis.
Experts point out that, in most cases, a weight loss of only five kilos In a person who weighs 100 kilos, for example, it can have visible and measurable benefits in medical examinations.
Along with weight loss, doctors often recommend other strategies to control fatty liver:
- Stop drinking alcohol
- Control diabetes and lower blood triglycerides
- Give up medications that can affect the liver
In some cases, drugs such as vitamin E or certain medications used for diabetes are used, but specialists warn that they can cause side effects and do not always ensure permanent improvement. For this reason, the main focus remains lifestyle change.
For advanced diagnoses, and if there are doubts about the status of the liver, the doctor may order imaging studies (ultrasound, tomography, MRI) or even a liver biopsy. This procedure allows us to know if the disease has progressed and if there are scars or cirrhosis.
The most common causes are excessive alcohol consumption, overweight, metabolic disorders and medications. The call metabolic syndrome —characterized by insulin resistance, excess weight, and high levels of blood fats—is responsible for most cases.
Fatty liver can be divided into different stages, from initial fat accumulation to inflammation, fibrosis and, in severe cases, cirrhosis. This sequence can develop even in people who do not drink alcohol, which is called Steatotic liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction (HDDM).
Detection of fatty liver can be done by blood test to assess liver function and the presence of inflammation. Imaging methods such as ultrasound or elastography can detect fat accumulation and scarring, although in certain cases a biopsy is necessary.
To prevent this disorder or prevent it from getting worse, specialists insist on lose between 5% and 10% of body weightmaintain adequate control of sugar, blood pressure and lipids, as well as avoid excessive alcohol consumption.
Control of risk factors and early intervention can prevent progression to severe liver diseases and their complications.
