Can Fatty Liver Be a Cause of Unintentional Weight Loss?

Fatty liver is the fastest-growing health disorder today. A myth about fatty liver is that it is connected to unhealthy dietary habits and obesity. But who knows? It also leads to unintentional, sudden weight loss. Remember that losing weight intentionally is normal. If you experience sudden, unexplained weight loss, then it is a red flag that needs immediate medical attention.

In the case of fatty liver, unintentional weight loss is a warning that your liver is not working properly. Awareness about the symptoms of fatty liver is essential because finding it early can help get fatty liver treatment in Coimbatore at the right time and prevent long-term damage to your liver.

What is a Fatty Liver?

When the cells in your liver are loaded with excess fat, it is called a fatty liver. The indication that a liver is healthy is that it has a lesser amount of fat. Doctors call it a fatty liver when its weight comes from around 5 to 10% fat. Fatty liver disease has two types. They are:

• Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: 

AFLD occurs because of regular or heavy alcohol consumption.

• Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: 

NAFLD occurs because of obesity, high cholesterol, poor eating habits, and diabetes.

The liver is an organ that works hard. This organ helps store nutrients, filter toxins, digest fats, and produce proteins. When the liver is filled with too much fat, every important function will be disrupted. If this issue persists for many years, then it could result in liver failure, scarring, cirrhosis, or even liver cancer.

According to the World Health Organization, Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) has become a significant cause of liver cancer.

What Are the Fatty Liver Symptoms You Should Never Ignore?

The trickiest thing about this fatty liver is that it shows no signs in the beginning. Until it progresses, no one notices this condition in its early stages. But some of the signs are never to be ignored. They are:

1. Loss of appetite
2. Unintentional weight loss
3. Swelling in the legs and stomach
4. Discomfort or pain in the upper right side of the abdomen
5. Yellowness in the eyes and the skin, or jaundice in advanced cases.
6. Nausea and digestive problems
7. Constant weakness and tiredness
   

Being aware of these signs and visiting a doctor at the Best Gastro Hospital in Coimbatore makes a huge impact on treating the disease earlier.

Does Fatty Liver Cause Unexplained Weight Loss?

In advanced cases, fatty liver disease causes sudden, unintentional weight loss. Keep reading to learn how it happens:

1) Loss of Appetite: When your liver becomes stressed, it impacts your digestive system and affects hunger.

2) Nausea or Fullness: People with fatty liver always feel unwell or bloated after eating, making them eat less.

3) Muscle Loss: In serious liver disease cases, instead of fat, the body breaks down muscles, resulting in sudden weight loss.

4) Chronic Inflammation: The liver utilizes more energy to deal with inflammation, resulting in burning more calories.

In its early stages, gaining weight due to fatty liver is common. But when that weight loss is not intentional, it could be a serious symptom of liver disease. In most cases, rapid weight loss fatty liver signs might show that it is already worse and requires medical assistance immediately.

How Is Fatty Liver Diagnosed?

Fatty liver does not often show proper symptoms. This condition is discovered only during regular checkups. It can be diagnosed using several methods. Understanding the various fatty liver stages also helps decide the right diagnostic approach.

• CT Scan or Ultrasound: Helps in finding fat deposits in the liver.

• Blood Tests: Helps in detecting increased liver enzyme levels.

• Liver Biopsy: Helps in testing comprehensively in some cases.

• Fibroscan: Helps in measuring the fat content and liver stiffness.

How Can Fatty Liver Be Reversed?

Luckily, a few lifestyle modifications help reverse fatty liver in most stages.

• Eat Healthy Fats – Add seeds, nuts, omega-3-rich fish like sardines or salmon, and olive oil.

• Choose Whole Foods – Include more fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes.

• Control Refined Carbs and Sugar – Do not eat white bread, sweets, and sugary drinks.

• Focus on Lean Proteins – Eat turkey, chicken, fish, or tofu instead of processed or red meat.

• Stay Hydrated – Consuming the right amount of water helps the liver to flush out toxins.

• Avoid Packaged and Fried Foods – These foods usually add unnecessary chemicals and fat to the liver.

Many experts recommend the above ways to reverse fatty liver. These are the effective ways that help reduce fat deposits and support overall body health.

What Makes Fatty Liver Worse?

Some regular habits and conditions can make fatty liver worse. Eating too much processed food or sugar, drinking alcohol, and living an unhealthy lifestyle can strain the liver. Having diabetes, high cholesterol, being overweight, and ignoring regular checkups speed up fatty liver progression. Avoiding these habits can prevent fatty liver from developing into severe liver disease.

How Long Does a Fatty Liver Take to Turn into Cirrhosis?

The time it takes for fatty liver to turn into cirrhosis differs. People live with it for many years without major signs or issues. Some other people who have poor lifestyle habits can make this condition much worse, much faster. Fatty liver takes around 10 years or more to turn into cirrhosis on average. But once you have cirrhosis, the damage could be much worse, and the risk of developing liver cancer is also high.

What is the Best Fatty Liver Diet?

The best fatty liver diet focuses more on vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats such as fish and olive oil. Cutting down on fried foods, sugar, and processed snacks is also a recommended diet.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this blog helps you understand how serious fatty liver can be. Most people connect this disease with obesity, but it can also cause unintentional weight loss when it gets worse. Muscle wasting, digestive issues, and loss of appetite are the notable fatty liver symptoms.

But there is one piece of good news, which is that fatty liver disease can be controlled and reversed with exercise, diet, and lifestyle changes. Maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding alcohol, and keeping cholesterol and diabetes under control are the key steps. In case you feel tired often or notice unexplained loss of weight, then it means your body is signalling you that something is wrong. Getting regular assessments and taking necessary actions can protect your liver and overall health for a long time.