Being obese and insulin resistant pose a far bigger risk for developing symptoms of fatty liver disease in comparison to moderate alcohol intake. An unexpected finding from a recent study saw that drinking moderate quantities of red wine brought no greater risk of fatty liver disease.
Fatty liver disease, associated with high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes can, in time, bring on life threatening cirrhosis of the liver. Best Gastroenterologist In Jaipur
Here's how the study worked. The Swedish team told 44 adults to either not drink alcohol at all, or to have one drink (for women) or two drinks (for men) a day for the next three months. At both the start and finish of the work, the investigators collected samples of subjects' blood and conducted MRI scans to measure the fat content of the liver.
Turns out, the level of fat found in the liver had nothing to do with alcohol consumption at all, and a whole lot to do with obesity and resistance to insulin.
At the end of 3 months, not one of the group asked to drink wine showed signs of fatty liver disease or increased liver transaminases according to the researchers.
Not only that, but the research saw a 16% drop in bad cholesterol among the red wine drinking subjects. There is a lot of data supporting moderate consumption of alcohol and lower risk of heart disease, this research appears to explain the mechanism. Since the bad cholesterol was brought down so dramatically, the team is confident that something in the wine provides the benefit.
Fatty liver disease can cause inflammation that ends up permanently scarring the liver tissue, though the condition often has no symptoms and might even be missed on initial examination.
Today estimates suggest as many as 20% of adults (6% of children) have this condition. Obesity is considered the most common cause.
In fact, there are experts who believe that as many as two thirds of obese adults (half of obese children) may have fatty liver disease, known to medicine as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
The first hint many get that they have the condition is the return of blood work from a physical that shows mild elevations in liver enzymes. NAFLD can also be present even when lab tests are normal. Imaging studies are the way to confirm a diagnosis, most often an ultrasound of the liver itself, where the accumulation of fat can be seen most readily. Gastroenterologist In Jaipur
Extra fat in the liver can also be caused by too much alcohol, some drugs, as well as conditions like viral hepatitis, autoimmune disease, metabolic or an inherited disease of the liver. Your doctor will want to rule these out before giving you an official diagnosis of NAFLD.
With too much alcohol as a factor in life threatening liver disease, it is comforting to see that moderate drinking might actually provide some benefit to the body. What experts also know is that while there is no medical treatment that can reverse the symptoms of fatty liver disease, with prevention being the best approach, losing weight can certainly help, especially if you are overweight or obese.
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