Fatty liver: silent killer of our body
Fatty liver is a disease of modern times and a result of an unhealthy lifestyle. We talk about fatty liver when the fat exceeds 5% of the weight of the liver. Fats are accumulated in the liver cells or hepatocytes, and interfere the cell’s normal functioning. If the excessive accumulation of fat in the liver cells is accompanied by inflammation, we are talking about steatohepatitis, which can lead to fibrosis and liver cirrhosis, which further leads to the collapse of this organ, that at the beginning of the disease onset manifests as jaundice.
Fatty liver does not show any symptoms that would alert the patient or the doctor, but it may progress to liver cirrhosis and complications, such as swelling in the abdomen and legs, gastrointestinal bleeding, severe immunosuppression, repeated infections, kidney and lung failure, and even liver cancer! Fatigue, lack of appetite and decreased concentration commonly occur in many diseases, but they may be signs of liver disease as well!