Fatty Liver

Fatty Liver - Or is it Belly Fat?

Fatty liver, also known as steatosis, is a common clinical finding consisting of accumulated triglycerides and other fats in liver cells. In severe fatty liver, fat comprises as much as 40% of the liver's weight (as opposed to 5% in a normal liver), and the weight of the liver may increase from 3.31 lb (1.5 kg) to as much as 11 lb (4.9 kg). Minimal fatty changes are temporary and asymptomatic; severe or persistent changes may cause liver dysfunction. Fatty liver is a serious disorder that can cause recurrent infection and sudden death due to fat emboli in the lungs. It is often difficult to decipher between belly fat and fatty liver. Belly fat and fatty liver can look exactly the same from the outside of the body. In a thin person, you may notice the belly slightly larger on the right side, but not in all cases. In order to correct belly fat and fatty liver you would start out with the same approach by defattening the liver. After the liver has been defatted the next steps will include working on hormones and cortisol production to reduce further belly and hip fat. We recommend Lipotrope to address the first stages of hormone regulation.

Fatty Liver Causes

Chronic alcoholism is the most common cause of fatty liver in the United States and in Europe, with the severity of hepatic disease directly related to the amount of alcohol consumed. (Fatty liver can occur in people who consume as little as 10 oz of alcohol per week.) Other causes include malnutrition (especially protein deficiency), obesity, diabetes mellitus, jejunoileal bypass surgery, Cushing's syndrome, Reye's syndrome, pregnancy, large doses of hepatotoxins such as I.V. tetracycline, carbon tetrachloride intoxication, prolonged parenteral nutrition, and DDT poisoning. Whatever the cause, fatty infiltration of the liver probably results from mobilization of fatty acids from adipose tissues or altered fat metabolism.

Signs and Symptoms

Clinical features of fatty liver vary with the degree of lipid infiltration, and many patients are asymptomatic. The most typical sign is a large, tender liver - hepatomegaly. Common signs and symptoms include right upper quadrant pain - with massive or rapid infiltration, ascites, edema, jaundice, and fever (all with hepatic necrosis or biliary stasis). Nausea, vomiting, and anorexia are less common. Splenomegaly usually accompanies cirrhosis. Rarer changes are spider angiomas, varices, transient gynecomastia, and menstrual disorders.

Diagnosis

Typical clinical features - especially in patients with chronic alcoholism, malnutrition, poorly controlled diabetes mellitus or obesity - suggest fatty liver.

A liver biopsy will confirm excessive fat in the liver. However, it is best to avoid the biopsy, if possible, and use blood test or diet history of patient first. Blood tests will provide readings of your liver status. These results may indicate liver damage or fatty liver.

• Albumin: somewhat low
• Globulin: usually elevated
• Cholesterol: usually elevated
• Total bilirubin: elevated
• Alkaline phosphatase: elevated
• Transaminase: usually low (less than 300 U)
• Prothrombin time: possibly prolonged.

Other findings may include anemia, leukocytosis, elevated white blood cell count, albuminuria, hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, and iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 deficiencies.

Treatment

Decreasing carbohydrate intake will help to correct the disease. In alcoholic fatty liver, abstinence from alcohol and a proper diet can begin to correct liver changes within 4 to 8 weeks. Supplementation with natural liver cleansing products is also recommended. The products we have listed at the bottom of the page are highly recommended for enhancing liver health. Supplementation with these products is likely to enhance weightloss - up to 2 pounds a week. The daily recommendation for these products is as follows:

Hepata*Trope: 2 capsules 3 times a day between meals.

Pan 5X or 10X: 2 or 3 capsules 3 times a day betwen meals.