What Causes Fatty Liver Disease?
Although alcohol and an unhealthy diet are the usual culprits in fatty liver disease, it is inaccurate to place them as the only causes. Several other factors can contribute to or cause the disease including:
- Genetics: Not all people are equally susceptible to fatty liver disease, and some individuals are more likely to develop it due to their defective processing of fats. People with some metabolic syndromes and diseases are also more likely to develop the disease including galactosemia and glycogen storage diseases.
- A previously diseased liver: A liver that had been scarred by viruses or other diseases is more likely to develop fatty liver disease than a healthy one.
- Medications: Some medications are more likely to cause fatty liver disease including hormone replacement therapy and medications used in some cancers such as breast cancer. Estrogen, amiodarone, methotrexate, and diltiazem are the most common drugs to cause the disease.
- Metabolic syndrome: Metabolic syndrome is a general condition that includes diabetes, obesity, and increased levels of fats in the blood.
