Thin people will not have fatty liver? Will taking liver-protecting supplements prevent fatty liver? Doctors debunk 4 myths

According to the latest list of the top ten causes of cancer death in Taiwan in 2023 released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, liver cancer has ranked second for 44 consecutive years. Although most of the causes come from hepatitis B and hepatitis C patients, "fatty liver" is also an unexploded bomb. Fatty liver may cause cirrhosis and even liver cancer. Currently, the proportion of fatty liver in men in Taiwan is twice that of women. Almost one in three men has fatty liver. The longer fatty liver exists, the higher the cancer rate.

Fatty liver can cause liver inflammation, increased liver index, and lead to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer, but it is often ignored by the public. Therefore, according to epidemiological prevalence estimates, the number of fatty liver patients in the future may reach 6 million.

There are also many myths about fatty liver, such as, thin people will not have fatty liver, eating more liver-protecting products will not have fatty liver, vegetarians have a lower incidence of fatty liver, and as long as the blood test indicators are normal, you will not have fatty liver. Weight loss specialist and family medicine physician Wei Shihang specifically addresses the above four myths.

Dr. Wei Shihang said that in the past, there was a 30-year-old female patient in his clinic with a BMI of 19. She looked thin, but the ultrasound test results surprised him because she had mild fatty liver. Wei Shihang said that this patient was light in weight only because she had insufficient muscle mass and had long preferred starch and high-sugar fruits. However, carbohydrates and fructose in fruits are the culprits that activate the regeneration of liver lipids. In particular, fructose will produce uric acid during metabolism, which will accelerate lipid production and form a vicious circle. Therefore, even if the BMI is normal, improper eating habits will not only make her a puffy person with thin limbs but a big belly, but also the key to the increased risk of fatty liver.

In addition, many office workers regard liver protection products as emergency panaceas, always thinking that taking them will "protect" the liver. However, in Dr. Wei Shihang's clinic, there was a 40-year-old Hsinchu Science Park engineer who, although he had the habit of taking liver protection products, he always had high-sugar refined starch and beverages for his three meals a day plus snacks and midnight snacks. After a check-up in the clinic, it was discovered that he not only had severe fatty liver, but his glycosylated hemoglobin level was as high as 7.9, and he was diagnosed with diabetes.

Fortunately, I cooperated with the doctor's medication, diet and lifestyle habits, and started to exercise again. I successfully lost 16 kilograms in half a year, from 104 kilograms to 88 kilograms, and my glycated hemoglobin also dropped to 5.7. My symptoms were significantly relieved.

In addition, regarding the vegetarian trend that has been blowing up in recent years, Dr. Wei Shihang also specifically reminded that "the chance of developing fatty liver disease among vegetarians is probably higher than that among meat eaters!" Since most vegetarians consume more carbohydrates and fructose, such as rice, pasta, sweet potatoes, yams and fruits, an unbalanced diet coupled with insufficient protein intake will significantly increase the risk of fatty liver disease. It is recommended that vegetarians can refer to the 211 plate to reduce the risk.

As for the blood test that the general public relies on, it can actually only determine the degree of liver inflammation, not the degree of fat accumulation. Asking a doctor to do an ultrasound test is a more effective method. He stressed that people often neglect fatty liver disease because its early symptoms are not obvious. However, once it deteriorates into liver cancer, it is usually already in the advanced stages when discovered, with only 3-6 months left to live. Even if the liver does not protest, poor metabolism will increase the risk of breast cancer, endometrial cancer, colorectal cancer and rectal cancer.