In modern times, our livers are constantly being stressed. Due to our overeating along with the processed food we take in on a regular basis, our livers are getting overwhelmed. Pollution and toxic chemicals from the air, water, food, and medications add to the liver’s burden.
A healthy liver is intricately involved in metabolizing and breaking down fat so that it can be used as energy.
If your liver isn’t working properly, fat can actually accumulate in liver tissue. Traditionally, alcoholics accumulate fat in their livers because of the damage they've caused by drinking.
But contemporarily, millions of people in developed nations have developed fatty liver disease by damaging their livers in ways other than alcohol consumption.
Diabetes is the main cause of non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD). And since so many people have diabetes in the west, it may not be such a surprise that an estimated 20-30% of people in the west have NAFLD [1]! That’s a ton of people!
Symptoms of Fatty Liver Disease
So how do you know if you are one of the millions that has fatty liver disease?
You can pay attention to the symptoms of this commonplace sign of ill health.
Here are the symptoms:
1. Obesity
If you’re fat, there’s a pretty good chance that your liver is not in tip-top shape. Research shows clearly that your chance of having fatty liver disease is much higher if you are overweight 2.
Also, there’s a higher chance you have liver-damaging diabetes if you’re overweight. Obesity and type II diabetes usually go hand-in-hand because high glucose and insulin levels lead to weight gain.
2. Fatigue
Chances are, you’ll be very tired if you have NAFLD. Research shows that fatigue is “significant” in fatty liver disease 4. It's a vicious cycle. Fatigue makes you more unlikely to exercise, which might result in more weight gain and decreased ability of your liver to process fat and sugar.
Three pints of blood pass through your liver per minute and if you're liver is overworked, you’ll feel the drain on your body’s resources. Your struggling liver will soak up your body’s energy.
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3. Jaundice
Do you have a yellow tint to your skin or in the whites of your eyes?
This is called jaundice. It’s caused by a buildup of bilirubin in your blood because your liver cannot properly do its job. Bilirubin is an orange-yellow pigment formed in the liver by the breakdown of hemoglobin.
The bile flow out of your liver may also be blocked if your liver is overwhelmed with waste products.
4. Depression
Fatty liver disease is tied to depression 5. This may be due to the inflammation that fatty liver disease generates. If this inflammation is occurring throughout your body, it could also be in your brain. And brain inflammation can be responsible for low mood since the inflammation damages neurons and interferes with neurotransmitter signaling.
NAFLD even has been shown to reduce brain activity in humans 6. So if your liver is fatty, your brain might be sluggish and dull, adding to mental fatigue and low mood.
5. Abdominal Pain
It makes sense that if your liver were suffering, you’d feel some pain in that area. And indeed, it is common for NAFLD patients to feel pain in the upper right side of their abdomen 7. If you feel it, your liver could be crying for help!
6. No Symptoms
This is perhaps the most concerning “symptom” of all. There can be no symptoms for fatty liver disease in some cases. You’ve probably heard of the term “silent killer.” That term can be applied to fatty liver disease in the event that it has no symptoms.
This is perhaps the most concerning “symptom” of all. There can be no symptoms for fatty liver disease in some cases.
It’s best to be sure that you’re practicing healthy lifestyle habits so that liver disease doesn’t silently creep up on you. Eat whole natural foods, don’t overeat, and get moderate exercise. Don’t let your weight get out of control, too.
Key Cause of a Fatty Liver
If you eat a lot of the foods that are linked with fatty liver disease like processed carbs, high-sugar foods, or high-fat foods, then you’ll be more at risk of having a bad liver.
The high fructose corn syrup in soft drinks can cause liver damage by fat accumulation in your liver 3.
To illustrate the damage that unhealthy foods cause to the liver, let's look at soft drinks. The high fructose corn syrup in soft drinks can cause liver damage by fat accumulation in your liver 3. When you consume this processed high-sugar junk, it puts an unnatural amount of stress on your liver because your organ is solely responsible for processing the fructose in corn syrup.
Does your liver need a detox?
Poor diet and lifestyle choices, as well as everyday pollutants and toxins can have a harmful effect on your liver.
After all, its job is to act like one big detox factory. But sometimes it can get overloaded and could use a little help.
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