Fatty Liver Disease

WHAT IS NAFLD?

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the build up of extra fat in liver cells that is not caused by alcohol. It is normal for the liver to contain some fat. However, if more than 5% - 10% percent of the liver's weight is fat, then it is called a fatty liver (steatosis).

---

WHO IS LIKELY TO HAVE NAFLD?

NAFLD tends to develop in people who are overweight or obese or have diabetes, high cholesterol or high triglycerides. Rapid weight loss and poor eating habits also may lead to NAFLD.

Causes: 

A wide range of diseases and conditions can increase your risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, including:

• Certain medications
• Gastric bypass surgery
• High cholesterol
• High levels of triglycerides in the blood
• Malnutrition
• Metabolic syndrome
• Obesity
• Rapid weight loss
• Toxins and chemicals, such as pesticides
• Type 2 diabetes
• Wilson's disease

Treatments and drugs

By Mayo Clinic staff

No standard treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease exists. Instead, doctors typically work to treat the risk factors that contribute to your liver disease. For instance, if you're obese, your doctor can help you to lose weigh through diet, exercise and, in some cases, medications and surgery. If a drug is causing your fatty liver disease, your doctor may try to switch you to a different medication.

This is what I've been told about this disease although mine isn't so serious yet but mine has been brought on by all the intensive drugs I've had to take to put my RA in remission! In the previous blog you saw what my drugs does to my body! So this disease is just another in the long list of things I have wrong with me internally!