The liver is one of the largest internal organs in our body and performs more than 500 important functions. Normally, a small amount of fat is present in the liver. However, a condition in which more than 5 percent of the total weight of the liver is accumulated is called fatty liver. Although there are no symptoms initially, if not treated on time, it can lead to fatal conditions such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Here are the 5 main scientific reasons behind fatty liver:
Excessive alcohol consumption (Alcohol-Induced Fatty Liver): The most common cause of fatty liver is excessive alcohol consumption. The liver detoxifies the alcohol (ethanol) we consume. But when more alcohol enters the liver than the liver can handle, the liver cells are damaged and fat production increases rapidly.
Insulin Resistance and Diabetes (Metabolic Factors): Fatty liver is also found in large numbers in non-alcoholics today. This is called NAFLD (Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease). The main reason for this is insulin resistance. In diabetics and obese people, when the body does not use insulin properly, the liver converts excess glucose in the blood into fatty acids and stores it in the liver.
Poor diet and fructose (High Carbohydrate & Fructose Diet): Eating too much rice, flour, gourd, and bakery sweets every day increases the risk of fatty liver. Even more dangerous is the high-fructose corn syrup found in soft drinks, packet juices, and sweets available in the market. Only the cells in the liver can digest fructose. When fructose is in excess, the liver converts it directly into fat (Lipogenesis).
Obesity: People with a high body mass index (BMI), especially those with visceral fat, are at higher risk of developing fatty liver. This is because free fatty acids from fat cells around the abdomen are constantly flowing into the liver.
Rapid weight loss and certain medications: Losing a significant amount of weight in a matter of weeks, either through crash dieting or through improper dieting, can lead to fatty liver. This is because when you lose weight quickly, your body fat is rapidly broken down and concentrated in the liver. It can also occur in people who take steroids and certain types of thyroid medications for a long time.
