Find out why fat accumulation in the liver occurs and how to deal with this problem with drugs and proper nutrition. The process of formation of adipose tissues in the liver is called fatty hepatosis. The disease manifests itself at the moment when the organ begins to actively accumulate simple fats, which then turn into adipose tissues. To effectively fight the disease, it is necessary to know the reasons for the accumulation of fat in the liver of athletes.
Fatty hepatosis: what is it?
This ailment is a process of degeneration of the cellular structures of the liver into adipose ones. the reasons for the accumulation of fat in the liver of athletes can be different and are most often associated with the effect on the body of all kinds of substances. With fatty hepatosis, toxins, after entering the liver, are transformed into fat. If at the same time a person consumes a large amount of fatty foods, then the situation is aggravated.
Due to the long-term accumulation of simple fats in the liver, the cellular structures of the organ begin to degenerate. As a result, the liver's performance decreases. Quite often, the consequence of fatty hepatosis is fibrosis, flowing into cirrhosis. Scientists distinguish three degrees of development of this ailment:
- 1st degree - cells appear in the liver. High in simple fats. If several such foci are created, and they are removed from each other at a decent distance, diffuse hepatosis manifests itself.
- 2nd stage - the number of cells of the organ containing fats increases, and the processes of proliferation of connective tissue are activated.
- 3rd degree - First, there are clearly visible strips of connective tissue, and then fibroblasts are formed.
Reasons for the accumulation of fat in the liver of athletes
It should be said right away that fatty hepatosis can be cured with the help of drug therapy or folk remedies. However, the first step is to understand the reasons for the accumulation of fat in the liver of athletes. Although there are quite a few of them, doctors primarily talk about a few:
- Lipid metabolism disorder - first of all, the conversation is about such ailments as obesity, diabetes (type II) and hypertriglyceridemia. To avoid their development, special attention should be paid to the diet.
- Toxic liver damage - everyone knows. That this organ is the main filter of our body and its main task is to utilize harmful substances. The liver copes well with natural toxins, but chemicals can cause serious damage to the organ. These substances include alcohol.
- Radiation - the likelihood of developing fatty hepatosis in places with high radiation levels is high.
- Errors in the preparation of the diet - the main cause of lipid metabolism disorders is malnutrition. Moreover, it is not only a large amount of fatty foods, but also a deficiency of protein compounds, frequent starvation and irregular nutrition.
- Digestive problems - the liver in the body is not only a filter, but also takes an active part in the digestion process. If the processes of bile secretion and lipid assimilation are impaired, fatty hepatosis may appear.
- Long-term use of antibiotic drugs - the development of the disease is possible with the uncontrolled use of these drugs. Probiotics, which restore the microflora of the intestinal tract, can improve the situation.
- Endocrine system ailments - first of all, the conversation is about problems with the work of the adrenal glands, which synthesize hormonal substances. Also, the reason for the development of fatty hepatosis may be associated with thyroxine deficiency.
Symptoms of fatty hepatosis
It is important to diagnose any disease on time, and for this one should remember about its symptoms. With fatty hepatosis, they are most pronounced during the third stage, when the disease becomes no longer curable. The only way to deal with the disease in this case is only an organ transplant. Let's note the main symptoms of fatty hepatosis:
- The appearance of a feeling of heaviness in the upper right part of the abdomen, where the liver is located.
- Development of dysbiosis.
- Decreased visual acuity.
- The skin becomes dull.
- Nausea and vomiting appear.
The most severe symptoms are observed during the acute form of the disease. Often, a person does not even suspect that he has fatty hepatosis, since the symptoms do not appear or are mild.
It should also be said about the possibility of developing the disease during pregnancy. This is due to a natural change in the functioning of the endocrine system. Fatty hepatosis during pregnancy can develop if a large amount of food is consumed. Moreover, in most cases, the disease is acute and can cause various complications, up to and including death.
Scientists say that the most likely development of the disease may be at 30-38 weeks of pregnancy. One of the most common symptoms in this case is jaundice. However, others may also appear, for example, the appearance of a feeling of lethargy, nausea. Pain or discomfort in the liver, constant heartburn, etc. if they begin to appear around the thirtieth week, then you should consult a doctor and be examined.
How can fatty hepatosis be diagnosed?
If you find yourself with the symptoms that we talked about above, immediately visit a doctor and diagnose. The following methods are used to detect hepatosis:
- Ultrasound - is able to show echo signs of the development of the disease.
- CT and MRI - show areas of the liver that are already affected.
- Organ tissue biopsy - if the cellular structures of the liver contain fats, then the presence of the disease should be recognized.
Most often, ultrasound is used as a means of diagnosing an ailment. Any increase in organ size should be considered suspicious and should cause concern.
How to eat with fatty hepatosis?
The disease can be healed by changing your lifestyle. The main step towards recovery should be a special dietary nutrition program in which the amount of fat is minimized. This will reduce the flow of simple fats into the cellular structures of the organ, and the liver will begin to get rid of lipids.
However, the diet is most effective only at an early stage of the development of the disease, while the cells of the organ have not yet been reborn. If fatty hepatosis has been diagnosed, then the nutrition program should help to heal, and not aggravate the situation. To achieve this goal, you must eat steamed and boiled food.
It is necessary to exclude meat broths, legumes, fresh garlic and onions, fatty meats and fish, canned, smoked and salted foods, radishes, tomatoes, and mushrooms from the diet. Instead of coffee and cocoa, you should drink tea without sugar. Let's find out what foods are allowed for fatty hepatosis:
- Fresh or boiled vegetables.
- Soups and borscht without meat.
- Mild and low-fat cheeses.
- No more than one egg per day.
- Steamed omelet.
- Porridge - buckwheat, rice, oatmeal and semolina.
- Non-fatty dairy products.
Remember that the fight against an illness primarily comes down to changing the nutrition program. Otherwise, you will not be able to heal even with drug therapy. Control the amount of lipids entering the body.
Methods for the treatment of fatty hepatosis
Drug therapy
After you have changed your diet, you should start using other treatments for the disease. When choosing medications, you should first consult with a specialist. Most often, drug therapy includes micronutrient complexes and hepatoprotectors. Among the drugs of the second group, we recommend paying attention to those that contain herbal ingredients:
- Essentiale Forte.
- Phosphogliv.
- Hepabene.
- Heptral.
- Corsil.
Folk remedies
Recall that an ailment can be treated only after the exact reasons for its development have been established. The drug therapy that we talked about above can only bring excellent results when combined with a proper nutritional program. Even doctors are sure that it is folk remedies that are the most effective treatment for this ailment.
All the recipes that we will talk about today are simple and accessible to all people. They involve the use of various decoctions and products with fat burning properties:
- To strengthen the cellular structures of the liver, consume one teaspoon of pine nuts daily.
- Add mint or lemon balm to your tea.
- 20 grams of mint leaves must be poured with 0.12 milliliters of boiling water and left to infuse overnight. In the morning, divide the broth into three parts and drink throughout the day.
- Eat fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, lettuce, etc. to improve the performance of liver cell structures and accelerate lipid utilization.
- 50 grams of rose hips, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water and leave in a thermos for about 12 hours. Drink three to four glasses of the broth throughout the day.
- In a similar way, you can make a decoction of corn silk.
- Green tea is high in antioxidants that help the liver to utilize fat. It is enough to drink 3 or 4 cups of tea throughout the day to get good results.
As we have already said, fatty hepatosis can cause the development of other serious diseases. If the size of the liver has increased, then a decoction of lemons can help you. You will need three citrus fruits, which must be washed first. Using a blender, grind the fruit to a fine gruel and pour 0.5 liters of boiling water over the mass. Remember that this infusion can only be consumed for three days in a row.
Vitamin B15. Also known as pangamic acid, it is able to quickly reduce the concentration of lipids in the cellular structures of the liver. To all people. Those suffering from fatty hepatosis need to introduce food sources of this substance into the diet - brewer's yeast, watermelon, rice sprouts, pumpkin, brown rice, apricot pits, rice bran and pumpkin.
Therapy should begin immediately after the disease has been diagnosed. It is advisable to combine drug therapy with folk remedies, a special dietary nutrition program and sports. However, first consult with a specialist. When treating any ailment, it is extremely important to take into account the individual characteristics of the body and the current condition of the patient.
More on the accumulation of fat in the liver in the video below: