Hidden dangers for people with weight problem

Overweight and obese individuals have another serious health problem to deal with, aside from having aching joints, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and high blood sugar: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD.

Just as the name suggests, NAFLD refers to the accumulation of excess fats in the liver, despite drinking little or no alcohol at all. And just like their alcohol-loving counterparts, these individuals also suffer from a liver that is inflamed (swollen) or already damaged.

“NAFLD is more common than we think. One global estimate suggests that 10 to 30 percent of the general population in the Asia-Pacific region has this condition. Those who are at high risk of developing serious complications include those who are overweight and obese,” informed Dr. Asa’d Izziddin Dajani, a renowned gastroenterologist and hepatologist who recently visited the Philippines to talk with the country’s top gastroenterologists and medical professionals.

No signs

Until recently, fatty liver was considered rare, relatively harmless and was not thought to progress to long-term or serious liver disease. But this is no longer true, as Dajani said the condition could lead to serious liver diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Studies show that the natural history of NAFLD begins with the development of simple fatty liver or steatosis which could soon progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH (5 to 10 percent of patients with fatty liver) wherein scarring and fibrosis occurs in the liver. As high as 50 percent of NASH patients may progress to cirrhosis of the liver where irreversible damage occurs which can lead to liver cancer and eventually death.

Despite its known seriousness, NAFLD shows no early signs and symptoms. In most cases, people find out they have fatty liver only during their annual physical exams, where the so-called ALT (SGPT) levels in the blood may show elevation. Definitive laboratory work may entail scanning of the liver with imaging equipment such as ultrasound, computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging and even liver biopsy to clinch the diagnosis of NAFLD.

“NAFLD is fast becoming one of the top concerns for doctors due to the obesity epidemic and its potential to progress to advanced liver disease, which significantly impacts on overall liver-related mortality. We should not wait for these serious liver complications to develop and just like most diseases, it could be avoided if dealt with early,” Dajani pleaded.

In his studies and research, he found that the phosphatidylcholine (PC), an essential phospolipid, plays an important role in helping liver cells regenerate from the toxic effects of excessive fats in the liver.

“If one drinks excessive amounts of alcohol, takes many medications, or is exposed to too much pollutants and viruses, then taking PC could help improve the damaged liver’s function in the body,” Dajani said.

Availability

He lauded the availability of over-the-counter capsules containing essential phospholipids (Essentiale Forte P) that an individual may take to aid a stressed liver in restoring its cellular structure thus, normalizing its ability to metabolize lipids and proteins, and improves its ability to detoxify.

He informed that it is common for the Essentiale Forte P to be indicated for the treatment of fatty degeneration of the liver, hepatitis (including toxic hepatitis, liver damage caused by medicines or alcohol abuse), cirrhosis of the liver and disturbances in liver function associated with different illnesses.

During the forum held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Ortigas, it was found that a minimum of six months is the most ideal length of time for one to benefit from Essentiale Forte P and the EPL it contains.

“Indeed, the liver plays a vital role in the individual’s daily struggle of clearing away toxins from the body, processing food nutrients and in regulating body metabolism. Make the liver healthy so that an individual has an effective ally in dealing with obesity, insulin resistance associated with diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol,” the doctor said.