Wine Lover Or Wine Liver?

If this organ is fatty, it’s a serious issue

We all know that carrying excess fat anywhere is not good for us. But did you know that unhealthy amounts of fat in your liver can have particularly serious repercussions? Here’s what you need to know about having a fatty liver. How much you drink may play a part – but not always.

There are two types of fatty liver disease. One is called alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) and as the name suggests, is found in people who drink a lot of booze.

However, there is also another type – non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which affects people who don’t overdo the drink. It’s not entirely clear why people develop this type, although it’s thought it occurs because their bodies either produce too much fat or don’t metabolise it properly. The fat builds up in the cells of the liver, making it hard for it to do its job.

FATTY LIVER DISEASE SEEMS TO BE MORE PREVALENT IN THOSE WHO

• Are obese

• Have high blood sugar

• Suffer from insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes

• Have high levels of fat, particularly triglycerides, in their blood

• Take certain medications, including breast cancer drug tamoxifen

• Have had hepatitis C