It’s no secret a modern life and lifestyle in general is stressful for our minds and bodies.
Grief and loss put all that on a whole new level. With habits that worsen, and high cortisol levels, it’s no wonder doctors claim we have more and more fatty liver diseases worldwide, and they aren’t connected with drinking alcohol.
Why young people also develop fatty liver disease and is it connected with stress? Let’s find out.
First things first – it’s now clear that scientific studies suggest how chronic stress and elevated cortisol levels may play an important role in the development and worsening of fatty liver disease.
We already know that prolonged stress, especially when paired with grief, can cause different health problems. Stress changes the way the body stores fat, controls blood sugar, and manages inflammation. Over time, these effects can damage liver health.
You can find if out if you have a fatty liver by an abdominal ultrasound, or blood test parameters – or for the best diagnosis, your doctor will combine both.
Fatty liver disease happens when excess fat builds up inside liver cells. Small amounts of fat are normal, but too much can cause inflammation and liver damage.
Not all fatty livers have the same cause. Some are known as non-alcoholic fatty livers, while others can come up from alcohol.
Today, NAFLD – non alcoholic type is the most common one, appearing even in healthy very young people.
It can be linked to obesity, diabetes, and poor diet, but as said – can come from prolonged stress and negative emotions.
And while many don’t have symptoms related to this health issue and just find out about it while doing their regular check ups, others have symptoms such as:
Fatigue
Mild pain in the upper right abdomen
Weight gain
Brain fog
Weakness
GERD – acid reflux that can actually also cause fatty liver.
When talking about cortisol, our stress hormone, when know that it is produced by the adrenal glands and helps the body respond to danger or pressure.
Ocasionally, cortisol can help us escape or prepare for the danger, but if it lasts, high cortisol levels may cause:
Weight gain
Sleep problems
Anxiety
High blood pressure
Increased belly fat
Insulin resistance,
all which causes our liver to become ”fatty”.
Visceral fat around your abdomen releases fatty acids into the bloodstream, which then travel to the liver.
The liver becomes overloaded with fat and starts storing it. Stress increases oxidative stress and inflammation in liver tissue, making liver damage worse.
Insulin resistance is another major link between stress and fatty liver disease, and today we also know that it is very much connected with a stressful lifestyle.
Cortisol raises blood glucose to provide quick energy during stressful situations. However, chronic stress keeps blood sugar elevated too often.
Over time, cells stop responding properly to insulin. This condition is called insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance causes:
Increased fat storage
Higher triglycerides
Type 2 diabetes risk
Fat buildup in the liver
Metabolic Syndrome and Liver Disease.
Another important thing to mention is how our lifestyle changes with stress and grief. We tend to have a poor sleep hygiene, bad diet habits, and start drinking alcohol to calm ourselves down. All the mentioned increases chances of developing a fatty liver condition.
