Liver Disease Treatment, Stages & Symptoms: Causes Include Over-Eating, Not Alcohol

An increasing number of Britons are diagnosed with liver disease due to overeating, according to health experts.

A third of the Briton population is affected with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. According to UK Daily Mail, liver transplants in 2020 will possibly due to overeating but not alcohol abuse.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is when excess fat is accumulated in the liver. According to WebMD, NAFLD causes are diverse and could lead to liver inflammation leading to severe liver tissue scarring that could develop to cirrhosis then subsequently to liver failure, liver cancer, and even death.

Although liver disease is widely known to be linked with alcoholism, some experts warn that over-eating is just as bad as drinking.

"Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the major and growing challenges facing the UK," said Dr. Quentin Anstee, hepatologist from Newcastle University and Freeman hospital.

"With such a large proportion of the population at risk, the challenge is identifying which individuals we need to home in on," he said. "There has been a shift in the entire population. The truth is that the man in the street is carrying a few more pounds than a decade ago. The rate of liver disease has increased 400% since the 1970s."

"It's predicted that by the end of this decade, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease will be the most common underlying reason why people are required to have liver transplants, overtaking alcohol," Dr. Anstee said via The Guardian.  A Europe-wide research program for liver disease will be based at New Castle University.

It is unusual for the liver to have fat and this typically does not cause any harm. According to NHS, the early form of this disease is called steatosis or simple fatty liver. Over time, as fats continue to build up, it could cause non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or liver inflammation and scarring. An individual with NASH may feel pain in their abdomen.

As the disease progresses, it will develop to fibrosis. It is the accumulation of fibrous scar tissue in response to the liver's injury.

The most severe stage is cirrhosis, a condition where the liver shrinks as its tissue is replaced with scar tissue which then prevents proper liver function. Cirrhosis damage is gradual, permanent, and cannot be reversed. It can gradually lead to liver cancer or liver failure. Symptoms of liver cirrhosis include bruises, jaundice, edema, fever, blood in stool, fatigue, and sudden weight change.

NALD treatment is on a case-to-case basis in accordance with a doctor's treatment plan. According to MedicineNet.com, treatment options may include exercise, weight loss, healthier diet, medications, and supplements. For advanced cases of the disease, options may be surgery and liver transplant.