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Hepatic steatosis

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What is hepatic steatosis?

Hepatic steatosis is a liver disease characterized by violation of metabolism in the cells of the body, with the result that comes of their fatty degeneration. In this regard, the disease is also known as fatty hepatosis.

In General, the causes of liver problems are various, but the most common are:

  • The abuse of alcohol;
  • the use of narcotic substances;
  • drug and other intoxication;
  • an unbalanced diet or starvation;
  • diabetes mellitus;
  • gastrointestinal disorders;
  • myxedema;
  • a surplus in the blood of adrenal hormones (Cushing's syndrome).
In liver cells excess fat inclusions formed due to different processes.

So, in the intestine formed a large number of fatty acids, and then enters the liver. However, in hepatocytes (so-called hepatic cells) violations of the oxidative processes in fats, which causes difficulties in the removal of liver fat inclusions.

As a result, fats accumulate in the liver cells, causing fatty infiltration. In addition, in the liver from cholesterol metabolism because it changes the function of certain enzymes.


Types of steatosis:

Diffuse hepatic steatosis

If the inclusion of fat represent 10% or more of the volume of the liver, then you can put the diagnosis of steatosis. Most of the fat accumulates in the second and third hepatic lobes, and in more severe form of the disease, they are distributed diffusely.

Thus, the main feature of steatosis is that it can be either diffuse or focal. If focal steatosis manifested in the fact that fats are grouped together, organizing solid adipose blur, diffuse steatosis include placing the fat splashes on the entire surface of the body.

Fatty liver steatosis

As a result of progressive fatty infiltration of the liver not only increases, but also changes color to a yellowish or red-brown. The liver cells accumulate fats as triglycerides. The result of such pathological accumulation becomesthat fat drop fat moves in the hepatocytes to the periphery of the cell organelles.

The swift fatty infiltration may die of hepatic cells. Fat droplets are combined into a fatty cyst, and around the latter continues to grow connective tissue.

Fatty liver is often asymptomatic. In many cases the disease is detected accidentally during ultrasound of the patient.

Sometimes, patients with fatty liver there is heaviness in the right side, reinforcing in the process of moving. Patients may complain of nausea, weakness, fatigue.

Mainly steatosis flows steadily, progressing very rarely. The combination of fatty infiltration with inflammation (steatohepatitis), one-third of patients may develop fibrosis, and 10% - cirrhosis.

Alcoholic liver steatosis

The primary phase changes in the structure of the liver caused by chronic alcoholic intoxication process is called alcoholic steatosis also called fatty degeneration of the liver.

There are many causes of this illness. For example, toxic effects on the body. The most common reason is the use of alcoholic beverages. And the higher the dose of alcohol, the higher the speed and the level of development of destructive changes in the liver cells.

Manifestations of this type of steatosis in the majority reversible. They are reduced after 4 weeks of abstinence. However, alcoholic steatosis is able to progress to serious liver damage. Clinical studies indicate that with the severity of steatosis correlated the risk of developing chronic liver disease.

Main forms of steatosis:

  1. macrovesicular (one large fat vacuole, contained in the hepatocytes);

  2. microvasculara.

In the liver often show mixed micro - and macro-forms, in connection with which you can make the assumption that they represent a certain stage in the development of the disease. Thus, microvesicular form acts as an acute manifestation of steatosis and macrovesicular — chronic.

Mainly steatosis develops due to metabolic disorders of lipids in hepatocytes, which is caused by changes in the hepatocellular redox potential. But for chronic intoxication (alcohol) return to normal values of redox potential, regardless of steatosis development,so, other factors are also involved in alcoholic liver disease.

Nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis

In turn, non-alcoholic steatosis has many names (infiltration or fatty degeneration, non-alcoholic fatty disease). All names of initial phase liver disease, or syndrome, which is formed in connection with excess fat inclusions (mainly triglycerides) in the body.

You should pay attention to the fact that in the non-intervention in the course of the disease in the future 14% of patients, it tends to develop into steatohepatitis, 10% — to the development of fibrosis and sometimes cirrhosis of the liver.

Such statistics to date makes it clear why this problem takes public interest. After all, if you clarify the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease, it will become clear how you can effectively fight and get rid of this quite widespread disease. It is worth considering that some patients may be the disease, and some are only a symptom.

The main factors that represent a risk for the occurrence of non-alcoholic steatosis are:

  1. overweight;

  2. diabetes of the 2nd type;

  3. the presence of ileocecal anastomosis;

  4. a sharp decrease of body weight (about 1.5 kg for several days);

  5. parenteral nutrition;

  6. an increased amount of bacteria in the intestine;

  7. the majority of drugs (antiarrhythmic drugs, corticosteroids, anticancer, etc.)

As mentioned above, unfortunately, by using laboratory tests to identify fatty infiltration is almost not possible. As a rule, bilirubin, prothrombin and albumin is normal, as is observed slightly exceeded the activity of serum transaminases.

In addition, the echogenicity of the liver tissue, even when the ultrasonic diagnosis may be without any deviations, or slightly higher than normal, which is not conducive to the production of reliable and correct diagnosis. Therefore, in some situations, the detection of the disease is only possible thanks to magnetic resonance imaging.

However, even however, making a definitive diagnosis should be based on histological examination of liver tissue taken at biopsy.

Focal hepatic steatosis

Typically, laboratory tests of deviations in the framework of General clinical blood test are not available. Sometimes it is possible to determine minorover-activity of enzymes of cholestasis and cytolysis.

Diagnosis benign hepatic tumours conducted during the instrumental analysis. Scintigraphy in this case does not provide the necessary information, as it can help to detect focal formations in the liver, with a diameter of just over 4 cm, it will be better after physical examination guide the patient for an ultrasound.

About the formation of benign tumors demonstrate focal hyperechoic education with smooth and clear contours with different diameter in the parenchyma of the liver. The number of such entities may vary from 1 to 45, with it not only in one but in two parts.

The diet for hepatic steatosis

One of 15 the main therapeutic diets (sometimes also referred to as tables) is a diet №5, which is assigned when liver disease, and problems with the gall bladder and biliary tract penitent. Its purpose is to provide the complete nutrition of the patient which contributes to the stabilization of liver functions, improve secretion of bile, given gentle treatment directly to the liver.

Products permitted and recommended for use:

  • Bakery products: products of nesdobnoe test (you can use the stuffing from boiled meat), rye bread, crackers or cookies.
  • Soups: milk with pasta, soup with broth, vegetables, cereals, vegetarian borscht, beetroot soup.
  • Poultry and meat: beef, Turkey, chicken, rice with boiled meat, rabbit meat, lean lamb.
  • Lean fish: the best boiled fish balls, you can vary the roasting fish after boiling.
  • Fats as vegetable refined oil and butter.
  • Dairy products: low fat and bold cheese, puddings, yogurt, not too fat (not too spicy) cheese, low-fat milk, sour cream, cottage cheese dumplings.
  • Eggs: an egg white omelet, cooked over easy, but no more than one yolk a day.
  • Cereals - especially useful are oat and buckwheat, all kinds of krupniki, rice with carrots, pasta.

  • Vegetables: different vegetables dishes made from boiled, stewed or raw foods. You can eat them not only as garnishes, but also in the formsalads and separate dishes. Permitted sauerkraut (not too sour!), green peas in mashed, onions, but not raw, and only in boiled form.

  • Snacks: fruit salad, low-fat herring (soaked), vinaigrettes, seafood salads and boiled meat, canned mushrooms, milk pudding, various salads, vegetables.
  • Fruits and berries, compotes, dried fruits, jam, honey, sugar.
  • Beverages: black, green tea, juices, coffee, milk, different teas (for example, from wheat bran or hips).

Thus, it is possible to prepare a suitable diet options and paint them.

The first day

Breakfast: fruit salad, beef meatballs steamed coffee.

Afternoon snack: a glass of sour milk.

Lunch: vegetarian soup, baked hake with braised cabbage, berry jelly.

Dinner: spaghetti with butter and cheese, mineral water.

Before bed: a banana.

Day two

For Breakfast: an egg-white omelette for a couple of rye toast with berry jam, fruit juice.

Afternoon snack: pear.

Lunch: vegetable cream soup, braised carrots with boiled chicken, compote, raisins and dried apricots.

Dinner: mashed potatoes with roasted vegetables and tea. Before bed: Borjomi.

Day three

Breakfast: Penne with braised rabbit, tea.

Afternoon: juice from fruits and berries.

Lunch: potato soup, carrot cakes, jelly.

Dinner: baked omelet, cheese, tea.

Before bed: a glass of sour milk.

Day four

For Breakfast: rice, cheese casserole with sour cream.

Afternoon snack: carrot-Apple salad.

Lunch: chicken meatballs with buckwheat, fruit compote.

Dinner: zrazy potato and cabbage, baked carp, mineral water.

Before bed: baked Apple.

The above diet together with medication and physiotherapy treatment. To start it independently is not necessary, it is mandatory to consult your doctor.

This power system is capable of soon enough to achieve remission of the disease, to get rid of exacerbations, normalize the imbalance of the digestive organs. In addition, the diet has another positive side – thanks to her significantly reduced weight, better overall health and there is power lifting.

Patients who are concerned with the diseasebile and liver, it is important to refrain from eating forbidden foods not only during the diet, but also after its completion. First of all it concerns smoked, spicy and rich in fat meals, and alcohol. Otherwise the effect will be minimized and perhaps the course of treatment have to spend again.


On topic: the list of the best hepatoprotectors to restore the liver

Treatment of steatosis folk remedies

  • Special attention is recommended to pay the apricot seeds, as they are very rich in essential vitamin ("B15"). For fast normalization of liver function suggest that each day there are approximately 7 cores.

  • Be used decoctions of herbs. For example, from the seeds of milk Thistle and chopped dandelion roots. To prepare the broth is necessary to combine the above ingredients in equal proportion and add to them 1 tablespoon of goldenrod, the dried birch leaves and nettle leaves. The mixture is poured into a thermos, and then pour boiling water. Insist she at least 15-20 minutes, and after tea a good brew, it should be filtered and drink twice a day a glass (morning and evening).

  • Regular consumption of bran, a good tool to combat the fat deposits in the liver. They should pour boiling water and leave to state, then strain. Then three times a day to eat two tablespoons of bran obtained in this way.

  • Cut off the tip of a ripe pumpkin and clean out its seeds. In the resulting hole, pour the honey and cover with a tip on top. After that, the pumpkin should be stored in a cool place for 2-3 weeks. Then the honey is drained into a jar and used three times a day for 1 tbsp.

  • Helps in this disease and corn silk. They must be pre-crushed, and 2 tbsp. of the received material to pour 1/2 liter of boiling water. Pretome on low heat for about 5 minutes, the stigmas can be cool. Next, the broth can be strained and then by 50 ml to be taken several times a day.

  • Very useful interesting cocktail of warm milk and carrot juice. These two components mixed in equal parts of 100 ml. to Drink best in the morning on an empty stomach, small SIPS for half an hour beforeBreakfast.

  • Another recipe is to cook in may the honey from dandelion and treated them during the year. To do this, in dry weather, you need to collect 350 heads yellow dandelion growing outside the city limits, far from highways and factories. The flowers must be crushed with a blender and pour the resulting slurry of 1 kg may honey. This honey can be added to tea or 1 tbsp before meals. Delicious and good for the liver and body as a whole tool.

  • Like other human organs, the liver needs care and attention, so it must be protected from various harmful influences – alcohol, nicotine, toxic substances and medicines. Be healthy and take care of your liver out of trouble!