The liver is the most important organ that helps in eliminating toxins from the body and facilitating the digestive process. Fatty liver is a condition in which excess fat accumulates naturally in the liver cells. Usually, more than 5 percent of the total weight of the liver is dangerous. Although there are no symptoms initially, if it is not treated in time, it can lead to a fatal condition like liver cirrhosis. Here are the 5 main scientific reasons behind fatty liver:
Excessive alcohol consumption (Alcohol-Induced Fatty Liver): This is the most prominent scientific reason for fatty liver. The liver is the one that dissolves the alcohol we consume. But when we drink too much alcohol, the liver’s ability to digest fat is damaged and a large amount of fat accumulates in the liver cells due to the toxins produced by alcohol.
Insulin Resistance & Diabetes: Fatty liver in non-alcoholics is called NAFLD (Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease). The main scientific cause of this is insulin resistance. When the body’s cells do not respond to insulin, fatty acids in the blood flow to the liver in large quantities. This condition is more common in people with diabetes and pre-diabetes.
Changed diet and high fructose diet: In addition to fast food, flour dishes, fried and fried foods, high-fructose corn syrup, which is found in soft drinks and packaged snacks, is the main culprit of fatty liver. Only liver cells can digest fructose, a sweet substance. When there is too much sugar, the liver converts it directly into fat (triglycerides) and stores it there.
Obesity & Visceral Fat: Weight gain, especially visceral fat around the abdomen, doubles the risk of fatty liver. A sedentary lifestyle with little exercise slows down the body’s ability to convert fat into energy, leading to fat accumulation in the liver.
High cholesterol and genetic factors (Dyslipidemia): Increased levels of LDL and triglycerides, the bad cholesterol, in the blood can increase the amount of fat in the liver. In some people, fatty liver can occur due to hereditary metabolic disorders and crash dieting, which cause sudden, massive weight loss.