The rhythm of life of a modern person dictates its conditions. The average resident of a large city does not have the opportunity to devote several hours a day to a meal: our contemporary is too busy. In order to somehow satisfy the need for food, a person resorts to the help of fast food, small snacks, etc. As you know, "tidying" never brings to good. Lack of rational and thoughtful nutrition will certainly lead to various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The less you can get rid of is gastritis, but there are more serious illnesses. One of them is fatty liver hepatosis.
Fatty liver hepatosis is a degenerative organ disease with the gradual destruction of hepatocyte cells. Instead of hepatocytes in the liver, fat cells - lipocytes - take their place. Over time, lipocytes are destroyed, liver fibrosis begins, and this is a direct path to cirrhosis and death.
What you need to know about fatty liver hepatosis, so as not to miss the trouble?
Fatty liver hepatosis: causes
In the vast majority of cases, the causes of hepatic fatty liver disease lie in the nutritional factor. This means that the disease itself develops for reasons of malnutrition. However, not always. Among the factors entailing the disease, there are:
• Abuse of alcohol. Approximately 80% of all patients with hepatosis are people who do not know the measures for alcohol consumption. Especially often the problem of alcoholism occurs in men, so they are the main patients of the gastroenterologist. In women, hepatosis develops more rapidly and has a worse prognosis, especially against the background of alcoholism.
• Use of narcotic and psychoactive substances. This includes not only drugs, but also the notorious energy drinks, caffeine in general, and even tea, due to the content of tannins in it (tea can be drunk without fear, we are talking about isolated cases).
• Another risk group is people with poor nutrition. In this case, it is a question of a deficiency of normal food. This includes vegetarians, people with anorexia. The body is not adapted for such extreme loads. With prolonged malnutrition, the body begins to think that the "hungry year" has come and it is time to stock up on fat. This is extremely harmful not only to the liver, but also to the heart.
• Disorders of the lungs and heart can lead to hepatosis.
• Diseases associated with impaired lipid metabolism in the body. The main culprit of hepatosis, among the diseases is diabetes mellitus (especially the second type). It causes both external and internal obesity, affecting the organs.
• Exposure to toxins on the body.
There are many causes of fatty liver hepatosis. Almost always, the person himself is to blame for violations of her work.
Fatty liver hepatosis: the first symptoms
Hepatosis of the liver - the disease is silent. Often, until the process starts, a person develops cirrhosis of the liver, nothing is noticeable. However, this is only an appearance. If you carefully listen to your own body, you will notice something that was not previously observed. The first symptoms of fatty liver hepatosis include:
• Light pains in the right side under the ribs. It is here that the liver is located. In the initial stages of the lesion, hepatocytes die. This is accompanied by inflammation and the manifestation of pain. The pains are dull aching and almost invisible if hepatitis or cholecystitis is not added to the hepatosis.
• Peptic phenomena. Common signs of fatty liver hepatosis. Since the liver ceases to function normally, there is a high risk of developing problems from the remaining organs of the gastrointestinal tract: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, heartburn, belching. Pain can be observed in the side on the left, in the center of the abdomen in the epigastric region.
• Phenomena of dysbiosis. Usually manifested in the form of constipation, diarrhea or their alternation. The chair acquires a greenish tint.
• Dry skin. The skin with hepatosis becomes dry, hot and sagging. If we are talking about the late stages of the disease, then it completely turns yellow from the release of bile into the bloodstream.
• Violations of the sensory organs, in particular decreased vision.
All these are non-specific signs of fatty liver hepatosis. You can put an end only after passing a complete diagnosis.
Diagnosis of fatty liver hepatosis
At the first suspicion of developing hepatosis, you must urgently consult a doctor. Gastrointestinal tract organs are handled by gastroenterologists. At the initial appointment, the doctor interviews the patient for complaints, their nature and prescription. So the specialist draws up a diagnostic strategy.
The list of necessary measures for making an accurate diagnosis includes:
• Ultrasound of the liver. Traditionally, an ultrasound scan of the liver helps to detect an increase in the liver, and this almost always indicates organ problems.
• Tomographic examination. MRI allows you to evaluate the structure of the liver. If fat is deposited in the organ, this will be visible on an MRI.
• Blood chemistry. The indicators ALT and AST are estimated. With their increase, we are talking about liver disease.
• Biopsy. It is not carried out so often. Allows you to find out if fat is present in the structure of the organ.
In most cases, doctors are faced not with hepatosis, but with hepatitis or cholecystitis. However, you cannot make a diagnosis on your own. The doctor will do this. The patient's task is to clearly and consistently talk about their complaints.
Treatment of fatty liver hepatosis
Treatment of fatty liver hepatosis is a lot of difficulties. To solve a problem once and for all, an integrated approach is required. Treatment includes a number of important aspects:
• Elimination of the root cause of fat deposition in the liver. The most important step without which treatment will not have any effect. The first thing to do is to identify the root cause. It can be alcoholism, then you can’t do without a complete rejection of alcohol, at least for the period of treatment, there may be improper nutrition, then you should abandon fatty, fried and excessively salty. At this stage, the willpower and discipline of the patient play a major role.
• Compliance with diet, diet and physical activity. If the fat is broken down, it will not be deposited in the liver. But for fat to break down, you need to make an effort to do this. First, you need to abandon fatty foods and foods rich in "bad" cholesterol. This includes fatty meats, sausages, pastries, etc. Secondly, it is necessary that the reserves that penetrate the body are split. Therefore, inactivity should be avoided.
• Taking medications. The main group of drugs used to treat hepatosis is the so-called hepatoprotectors.
Among them, silymarin-based preparations (milk thistle flavonoid) are highly trusted. For example, Legalon, the original German drug containing milk thistle flavonoids (silymarin), which underwent a special purification and standardization procedure. In comparison with analogues, Legalon has a high content of the active component. It helps the liver cope with the load, strengthens its structure and prevents destruction due to stabilization of cell membranes and additional synthesis of phospholipids. Legalon actively fights toxic substances, preventing their excessive amounts from harming the liver and the entire body.
In addition to the protective effect, the hepatoprotector Legalon has a restorative effect and helps to reduce inflammation factors. Also, Legalon is suitable for the prevention of impaired liver function, since it significantly reduces the burden on the body when taking medications, fatty foods and alcohol. In addition, the drug helps prevent the occurrence of fibrosis and other degenerative changes in the liver.
These drugs stop destructive processes in the liver and help restore already dead cells. Also, antioxidant drugs have proven themselves that do not allow liver cells to die and be replaced by scar or adipose tissue.
Contrary to popular belief on the Internet, hepatosis must be treated with herbs with great care. Only milk thistle is suitable. The reason lies in the fact that often this disease is accompanied by cholecystitis: choleretic drugs can provoke a rupture of the gallbladder.
Prevention of fatty liver hepatosis
Prevention of fatty liver hepatosis is not difficult. It is enough to carry out the following recommendations:
• Eat often and fractionally, in small portions. So the liver will not overexert.
• Reduce to the minimum consumption of animal fats. A complete rejection of them is also unacceptable.
• Use alcohol with caution, in no case abuse it.
• Maintain at least a minimum level of physical activity: physical inactivity adversely affects the functioning of the liver.
All of these tips will help you avoid liver trouble in the future.
Fatty liver hepatosis is characterized by a high risk due to the risk of degeneration into cirrhosis. To prevent problems, you should rationalize your diet and physical activity. And if the trouble nevertheless occurred, it is urgent to consult a doctor for advice. It is much easier to treat hepatosis in the initial stages. So the patient will help yourself and the doctor.
