A healthy liver should contain little or no fat, though the NHS estimates up to one in every three people in the UK has early stages of NAFLD, where there are small amounts of fat in their liver. The American liver foundation says that if more than five to 10 percent of the liver’s weight is fat, then it is called a fatty liver.
The Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM) site notes that fatty liver disease “is sometimes called a silent liver disease” because it can happen without causing any symptoms.
It suggests that most people with NAFLD live with fat in their liver without developing liver damage, though some go on to develop NASH or cirrhosis.
NASH is the form of NAFLD in which you have inflammation of the liver and liver damage, in addition to fat in your liver. If liver damage from NASH leads to permanent scarring and hardening of your liver, this is called cirrhosis.
JHM says that if you have NASH, you may have symptoms, though it “could take years for them to develop”.
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The health site suggests that several symptoms from NASH may show up on your skin.
This can include yellowing of the skin, spiderlike blood vessels on the skin, and long-lasting itching.
You may also find that you experience severe tiredness, weakness, and weight loss.
It adds: “NASH that turns into cirrhosis could cause symptoms like fluid retention, internal bleeding, muscle wasting, and confusion. People with cirrhosis over time may develop liver failure and need a liver transplant.”
People with a liver condition who develop dark black tarry faeces, or dark urine, should seek “urgent medical attention”, according to the British Liver Trust.
Other serious symptoms include vomiting blood, bruising easily, itching skin and swelling of the lower tummy area.
NAFLD tends to develop in people who are overweight or obese or have diabetes, high cholesterol or high triglycerides.
Nonetheless, some people get fatty liver disease without having any pre-existing conditions.
People are more likely to develop NAFLD as a result of a number of factors. For example, if you are insulin resistant, as people can be when they have polycystic ovary syndrome.
Things like losing weight, eating healthily and regular exercise can help. NAFLD is not caused by alcohol, but drinking may make it worse. Therefore, you may need to cut it out of your diet, or reduce your intake.
There’s not currently any medicine that can treat NAFLD, but various medicines can be useful in managing the problems associated with the condition.
If you develop severe cirrhosis, stage four fatty liver disease, and your liver stops working properly, you may need to be put on the waiting list for a liver transplant.