The liver is one of our vital organs that performs hundreds of important functions for the body. These include converting food into energy and removing toxins from the blood.
Therefore, any damage to the liver can have a devastating impact. In the UK, fatty liver disease is the most common type of liver disease, with a third of adults thought to be in the early stages.
As the name suggests this condition is caused by a build-up of fat in the liver. Although this might not initially cause any problem, over time it can lead to lasting damage of the liver.
And if untreated it can result in cirrhosis, liver failure, cancer and even death.
So catching the condition as soon as possible could be life-saving.
However, one expert warned that this might be tricky to do.
Gastroenterologist Doctor Saurabh Sethi, from the US, revealed that most people with fatty liver disease will experience “absolutely nothing”.
Speaking on social media platform TikTok, he said: “No one told you this before but the number one most common symptom in people with fatty liver disease, whether it is alcoholic fatty liver disease or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is absolutely nothing.
“In fact, most people who suffer from fatty liver disease have no signs and no symptoms.”
He explained the disease is typically detected by medical testing.
“It is usually discovered when somebody undergoes a blood test or any imaging scan like an ultrasound or C scan, which shows either abnormal liver test or shows fat deposition on the liver.”
But this still might not pick up on all cases of the disease, he warned.
Dr Sethi said: “Fatty liver is a very tricky disease because 50 percent of the people may actually have normal liver enzymes.
“So talk to your doctor about whether screening for fat liver disease is right for you.”
He recommended asking your doctor for a screening if you are high risk for the disease.
Dr Sethi added: “That includes people with a family history of fatty liver disease, if you have used alcohol for a long period of time, if you suffer from metabolic syndrome including obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol.”
According to the NHS, there are “not usually” any symptoms of fatty liver disease in the early stages.
“You probably will not know you have it unless it’s diagnosed during tests carried out for another reason,” the health body says.
However, some people with later stage fatty liver disease might experience:
- A dull or aching pain in the top right of the tummy (over the lower right side of the ribs)
- Extreme tiredness
- Unexplained weight loss
- Weakness.
If you experience any unexplained symptoms or are high risk for liver disease you should speak to your GP.