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Common myths about fatty liver disease

Fatty liver disease is caused by the accumulation of fats and inflammation of the liver. Obesity and alcoholism are high risk factors for the disease and this has led to the growth and propagation of several myths. Many secondary myths too have been built upon the primary myths and fatty liver disease is often misunderstood. This misunderstanding has lead people to get dejected and depressed about their life once they come to know that they suffer from it. Here is a myth busting attempt to clear the air and inject hope and courage into the patients.

Only alcoholics suffer from fatty liver disease

It is a fact that people who consume alcohol stand a greater risk of suffering from fatty liver disease. Heavy drinking, almost invariably, leads to it. However, it is very wrong to conclude that the converse is true! The disease appears in more than 100 forms. The form caused by alcoholism is only one among them. However, since it is the most common one, it has led to this myth that if anyone is suffering from fatty liver disease, he/she must be an alcoholic. There are many other factors that cause this condition. Studies done in Canada have shown that there is a high correlation between obesity and fatty liver disease.

Being fit and not drinking alcohol saves one from fatty liver disease

Once again, the most common causes of fatty liver disease have been mistaken as the only causes. Though being fit via exercising and abstaining from alcohol reduces the chances of fatty liver disease, it does not completely eliminate it. Of course, obesity increases the chances of fatty liver disease by 75 percent and in 25 percent of the cases, the disease occurs along with inflammation. However, rapid weight loss too has been known to spike up the risk towards a fatty liver. Again, several anti-obesity procedures like the intestinal bypass surgery also causes fatty liver disease. Thus, it is clear that not only obesity but even rapid anti-obesity measures trigger this disease.

Alcohol damages the liver only when taken in excessive quantities

This is a very popular myth that has been propagated by both, alcohol drinkers and alcohol producing companies alike! It is a convenient philosophy that allows the former to drink and the latter to market their products. The truth of the matter is that alcohol is harmful for the liver even in small quantities. The NIAAA (National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) recommends about 5-12 ounces of alcohol as moderate drinking. This recommendation however, only decreases the chances of fatty liver disease when compared to a heavy drinker. But, it definitely makes one more prone to the disease compared to a person who never drinks alcohol.

It is of no use to give up alcohol when one is in the advanced stages of fatty liver disease

The popular saying that it is better late than never is most appropriate in this situation. Alcohol is like a poison. It is harmful, however small the quantity taken for drinking. It is a different story when it is taken in minimal quantities as medicine for certain conditions. Statistics show that people who have cirrhosis or advanced liver disease, increased their chances of a 5-year survival by about 65 percent by abstaining from any further alcohol compared to 35 percent of those that continue to drink alcohol in moderate amounts.

Fatty liver disease is not hereditary

This myth originates from the belief in previous myths that fatty liver disease happens because of alcoholism or obesity, both of which are lifestyle related. However, there is bad news. A family history of fatty liver disease increases your risk to it. This is all the more reason to stay disease-free because it can be passed down to our children for no fault of theirs! Apart from being passed on genetically, certain conditions like hyperlipidemia ( higher levels of lipids in the body) and diabetes mellitus lead to fatty liver disease. It also occurs due to viral infections or drugs/chemicals like corticosteroids, carbon tetrachloride and tetracycline.

A liver transplant is the only solution for fatty liver disease

The liver is the only organ in the human body that has the capacity to regenerate itself. In spite of that, it can be hit real hard by the fatty liver disease and often gets debilitated. However, it is also one of the few organs that can be successfully transplanted. The combination of these two facts makes people believe that the ultimate solution for the disease is to go in for a transplant. However, there are many other effective ways of combating it. Abstinence from alcohol and regular exercise go a long way in bettering one’s condition.

A liver transplant means a big goodbye to fatty liver disease

The human body is not exactly a motor car where one part can be replaced with a new one and everything will be fine. People imagine that getting a new liver means starting afresh and thus, the fatty liver disease that plagued them before is totally gone. One could not be more wrong than this. A liver transplant, first of all, needs to be accepted by the body. Rejects could lead to complications and the surgery will have to be re-done. If the old liver had been damaged because of a virus, then, the virus might be still circulating the blood stream and re-infect the new liver. No wonder then that a liver transplant is chosen as a last resort treatment.

Only adults suffer from a fatty liver

This myth has been propagated based on the previous myth about the disease being linked to alcohol consumption. It is very rare to see children who are alcoholics. Thus, they are considered to be safe from this disease. However, there have been cases of even infants suffering from the disease! This happens because of starvation and long-term protein malnutrition. The fatty liver disease is a double edged sword. Infants nourished via total parenteral nutrition, a procedure wherein nutrients are infused directly into the blood stream, have also been found to develop this condition! Thus, not only is it important that the infants be nourished, it is necessary that they be nourished the way nature intended them to!

If one does not have any symptoms, one need not worry about fatty liver disease

This myth is not only wrong but positively dangerous too! Generally, those suffering from fatty liver disease are largely asymptomatic. However, this does not mean that they do not have it. Even in those patients in which the symptoms exhibit, they are vague and can easily be mistaken for something else. The common symptoms are a feeling of weakness, discomfort in the abdominal region, a general discomfort and a feeling of being unwell. These could be the symptoms of conditions as diverse as a pregnancy or appendicitis. Thus, being free of symptoms does not mean being free of fatty liver disease. It has to be determined via chemical analysis.

Medication helps in treating the disease

There are drugs that promise to burn fat. There are drugs to better nourish the body. In fact, there are drugs for everything. That has led to the myth that drugs and medicines help to treat fatty liver disease. The truth, however, is that there is no actual medicine for this disease! There are more than 100 kinds of fatty liver disease and no medication to effectively treat it. However, since the condition is fast becoming common the world over, it has raised a lot of effort and interest in the scientific community. Several clinical trials are on towards the treatment of fatty liver disease.

Once fat accumulates in the liver, fatty liver disease results

When the fat in one’s diet is metabolized, it invariably lands in the liver. Fat even gets transferred from other parts of the body to the liver. So, everyone has fat in the liver. But this is a benign condition. It does no harm. It is only excessive accumulation that causes disease and problems. The severe end of the disease spectrum is called NASH or NonAlcoholic Steatohepatitis. But this is prevalent only in about 2-6 percent of the population.

Fatty liver disease cannot be prevented

So diverse are the causes for fatty liver disease that it may make one feel that if fate chooses to deal a blow, nothing can be done about it. For most cases, leading a healthy lifestyle by abstaining from alcohol and committing to regular exercise helps to keep one disease-free. In case one is overweight, efforts must be made for a gradual and sustained weight-loss. Even genetic pre-disposition to the disease can be overcome by making lifestyle and dietary changes.

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