Male Health Warnings Regarding the Risk and Prevention of Fatty Liver

Who is prone to fatty liver?

In healthy adults, the fat content in the liver should not exceed 5% of the total liver weight.

Once the fat content in the liver exceeds 5% of the liver's weight (wet weight), it is called fatty liver. In recent years, its incidence has been on the rise. So, who is prone to fatty liver?

People who drink alcohol excessively. Alcohol has a strong direct toxic effect on liver cells, increasing the amount of fat transported to the liver from fat stores and reducing the amount transported out of the liver. This impairs the liver's ability to break down and metabolize fat, leading to the accumulation of fatty acids in the liver and causing alcoholic fatty liver. The severity of the condition is positively correlated with the total amount of alcohol consumed (especially strong liquor).

Obese people. Approximately 50% of obese patients also have fatty liver. The main reason is that obese individuals have a large amount of free fatty acids in their blood, which are continuously transported to the liver, far exceeding the liver's transport and metabolic capacity, causing fat accumulation in the liver and resulting in obesity-related fatty liver.

Malnourished people. Excessive dieting, prolonged starvation, anorexia nervosa, malabsorption due to intestinal diseases, insufficient energy supply, and low protein intake can all lead to increased fat mobilization. Large amounts of fatty acids are released from adipose tissue into the liver, causing fat accumulation and resulting in malnutrition-related fatty liver.

Middle-aged and elderly people with insufficient physical activity. As people age, physiological functions decline, visceral functions degenerate, and metabolic functions decrease. If activity and physical exercise decrease, the conversion of body fat into energy decreases, and excess fat easily accumulates in the liver, leading to fatty liver.

◎Others. Hepatitis, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, drug poisoning, chemical poisoning, and certain familial metabolic diseases can all increase the incidence of fatty liver.

How to Avoid Fatty Liver

Fatty liver can gradually progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer, posing a significant threat to human health. Fortunately, early-stage fatty liver is a reversible condition. Most people with fatty liver experience varying degrees of improvement after eliminating the underlying cause; the speed of relief is related to the original condition.

How can fatty liver be prevented?

Strict dietary control is essential. For fatty liver caused by overnutrition, focus on restricting food intake and controlling total calorie consumption. Choose foods rich in high-quality protein, reduce high-sugar and high-fat foods, drink plenty of water, and limit rich broths like meat and chicken soup. Cooking methods should prioritize steaming, boiling, and stewing, while avoiding stir-frying and deep-frying. For fatty liver caused by malnutrition, a high-protein diet is recommended, along with vegetable oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids. It's important to note that those with long-term malnutrition often experience poor digestion; therefore, increasing nutritional intake should be gradual.

Increase physical activity to balance energy intake and expenditure. For those with obese, overnutrition, or diabetic fatty liver, exercise is an excellent treatment option. Choose aerobic exercises such as jogging, swimming, and rope skipping, keeping the intensity around 50% of your maximum exercise intensity. Exercise time and frequency can be adjusted according to individual circumstances. Generally, each exercise session should last 10-30 minutes, at least 3 times a week.

Limit alcohol consumption, and absolutely avoid binge drinking. For alcoholic fatty liver disease, the key is to resolutely abstain from alcohol.

Avoid using medications that are toxic to the liver, and especially avoid taking folk remedies without proper guidance, as these can adversely affect the liver.

Actively treat the underlying disease and eliminate the cause.

Regularly have your liver health checked at a professional medical institution.