Fatty liver disease symptoms in the bathroom that mean the condition has progressed, according to a doctor

An endocrinologist has warned that fatty liver disease symptoms tend to emerge once scarring is already underway

Fatty liver disease is currently one of the most common liver ailments treated in clinical practice, and it’s driven primarily by rising rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

The condition typically develops silently, as endocrinologist Dr Ayushi Dixit tells GB News it “usually starts out as symptoms and may not even show up on labs until it has progressed.

It is caused by a build-up of fat in the liver cells, often linked to excess alcohol intake, but it can also occur alongside metabolic syndrome, obesity and insulin resistance, as seen in type 2 diabetes.

Crucially, the vital organ continues functioning normally even as damage builds, which is why it is so often overlooked or underdiagnosed, according to Dr Dixit.

But over time, excess fat deposition slowly causes healthy tissue to scar, in a process clinically known as fibrosis, making it progressively harder for the liver to do its job.

The greatest risk factors for the condition are type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, insulin resistance and high cholesterol or triglycerides.

But Dr Dixit notes the disease can also affect individuals with a normal body weight who have a genetic predisposition, as well as those with hepatitis or HIV.

Imaging scans often detect the condition before blood tests or symptoms do, she added, and anyone concerned about their risk should ask their GP about screening via blood work, ultrasound, or a FibroScan.

The warning signs

Early-stage fatty liver disease rarely produces symptoms - and when they do appear, they tend ot be non-specific.

The main ones to keep an eye on, according to Dr Dixit, are fatigue, low energy, or discomfort in the upper right abdomen.

In cases of more severe fatty liver disease, patients may experience jaundice, abdominal swelling, easy bruising, confusion, severe fatigue, vomiting blood or passing black stools - all of which can signal significant scarring and warrant urgent medical attention.

Despite the condition’s prevalence, the endocrinologist maintains that fatty liver disease is preventable and in some cases reversible if identified early.

Regular exercise, cutting back on processed and sugary foods, and managing diabetes can all improve liver function.

Losing just five to 10 per cent of body weight has also been shown to reduce the accumulation of fat inside the liver, while several weight loss medications have demonstrated benefits in clinical studies.