4 Risk Factors of Alcohol-Related Fatty Liver Disease (ALD)

What is Fatty Liver (Steatosis)

A fatty liver, commonly known as steatosis, affects about one out of every five Americans. In reality, fatty liver affects up to 9 out of 10 diabetics and obese adults.

Fat accumulates in the cells of the liver in steatosis, pronounced stee-ah-toe-sis. The disease worsens with time, and the cytoplasm of the liver becomes deformed as more fat is deposited to the cells. The nucleus may become deformed quickly, and the cell may even rupture in some situations. Because all of this additional fat isn't supposed to be in the cell to begin with, it's easy to see how it might wreak havoc on liver function.

Alcohol-related fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are the two kinds of fatty liver disease. You can get a fatty liver even if you don't consume a drop of alcohol - and many people do!

The following are the specifics for each of these disorders:

Fatty Liver Disease Caused by Alcohol (Steatosis) is caused by alcohol, and many individuals wonder how much alcohol it takes to develop alcohol-related fatty liver disease. The amount of alcohol consumed by men and women is different. If you drink more than two drinks each day as a woman, you may develop alcohol-related steatosis.

Fatty Liver Disease in Non-Alcoholics If you don't consume alcohol yet still develop steatosis, there are a variety of causes for this. For example, you could have experienced rapid weight loss, protein malnutrition (also known as protein deficit), or even famine, as a prisoner of war might. Those who have had intestinal bypass surgery, as well as those who are tube fed for long periods of time, are more likely to develop steatosis.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease can be caused by medicines like corticosteroids and tetracycline. Diabetes or insulin resistance, as well as high blood pressure, could be the cause.

4 Risk Factors of Alcohol-Related Fatty Liver Disease (ALD)

• Three or more drinks a day, if you're a man, is just too much for your liver to handle. One serving is equal to 12 ounces of 5% alcoholic beer, cooler, or cider. When it comes to wine, one serving is 5 ounces of 12% alcoholic wine. A serving of 40 percent spirits is merely 1.5 ounces. The use of alcohol is the primary risk factor for developing alcohol-related fatty liver disease (ALD).
• So, who is the most prone to have an alcoholic drinking problem? According to psychological studies, persons who are alcohol dependent can't say no to an extra drink, or even the first drink. The following is a list of those who are most prone to become addicted to it:
• Young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 are referred to as "young adults." The percentage of people in this age group who binge drink - a dangerous practise that can lead to fatty liver disease - is as high as 41%.
• People who are influenced by their peers When peer pressure is applied, those who are affected by friends are less likely to stand up for what they believe.
• Those whose parents drank while watching their children's behaviour A child does not want to see his or her parent drink and mistreat family members. A child may vow never to be like the offending parent, only to discover himself or herself following in their footsteps later in life. Counseling can be extremely beneficial in these situations.
• Those who have a history of substance misuse and are going through a difficult period in their lives Stress brings out the worst in us. When situations grow tough, a person's previous experience of abusing drugs or alcohol can be'relived,' causing them to turn to alcohol.
• Those who were praised for consuming big amounts of alcohol It's a good feeling to be praised by one's friends and talked about as if "you're the man." When that feeling is linked to alcohol, however, it triggers a neuronal pathway in the brain that connects happiness and drinking. If you want to stop drinking alcohol, which is necessary to reverse fatty liver, you must break this association. To stop harmful habits, psychologists and hypnotherapists use an old tactic of replacing enjoyment with a disgusting feeling (such as visualising maggots in alcoholic drinks).

If you believe you may be at risk for fatty liver disease as a result of your personal drinking habits, a psychologist is the ideal health professional to consult.