Fatty Liver

Fatty Liver services offered in Denton, TX

Many people are surprised to learn that a fatty liver can develop in people who don't drink alcohol. And fatty liver is more common than you may think, affecting 30% of adults and even 10% of children. At Denton Digestive Institute PLLC, board-certified gastroenterologist Abhinandan Raj, MD, has extensive experience assessing your risk, diagnosing fatty liver, and providing treatment that prevents the condition or stops it from causing progressive liver disease. To schedule an appointment, call the office in Denton, Texas, or book online today.

Fatty Liver Q & A

What is fatty liver disease?

Fatty liver disease occurs when too much fat builds up in your liver. This type of fatty liver is also called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) because it's not caused by heavy drinking or alcoholism.

You can get fatty liver disease without having an underlying health condition. However, the problem most often occurs in people who:

Are overweight or obese
Carry excess abdominal fat
Have insulin resistance
Have Type 2 diabetes
Have metabolic syndrome
Have high cholesterol or triglycerides
Have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Take certain medications

You're more likely to develop fatty liver as you age, but it can occur at any age.

Does fatty liver get progressively worse?

Many people with fatty liver won’t develop a health problem. For others, the disease progresses in the same way as if you have alcoholic liver disease.

NAFLD can cause liver inflammation, a condition called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Ongoing inflammation scars the liver (cirrhosis), affecting its ability to function.

Without treatment, the liver suffers more scarring, and cirrhosis progresses to cause end-stage liver disease. At this stage, your liver is so damaged that it can't work, and you need a liver transplant.

What symptoms occur due to fatty liver?

Chances are you won't have symptoms until fatty liver progresses to NASH and the liver sustains significant damage. When symptoms appear, you may experience:

Abdominal pain
Feeling of fullness in the upper right abdomen
Nausea
Loss of appetite
Unintentional weight loss
Yellowish skin and eyes (jaundice)
Swollen abdomen and legs

In the advanced stage, when a significant portion of the liver doesn't function normally, you may become confused and extremely tired or weak.

How is fatty liver treated?

When diagnosed at an early stage, Dr. Raj can develop a treatment plan that slows down, stops, or reverses the fat accumulation. However, once fatty liver progresses to cirrhosis, the ongoing liver damage is permanent.

Your treatment begins with dietary recommendations and weight-loss management. Losing at least 3-5% of your body weight can reduce the fat in your liver, but you may need to lose more to diminish liver inflammation.

There currently aren't any medications to treat fatty liver, but Dr. Raj may prescribe medications to treat underlying conditions that contribute to fatty liver disease. For example, you may need medications to control cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar.

If you're at risk for developing a fatty liver or need ongoing management for the condition, call Denton Digestive Institute PLLC, or book an appointment online today.