Toggle Location Modal

Fatty Liver & Cholesterol - Stop Liver from Producing High Cholesterol

WhatsApp
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Aman Priya Khanna
Written by Dr Sania Datta, last updated on 19 May 2023| min read
Fatty Liver & Cholesterol - Stop Liver from Producing High Cholesterol

Quick Summary

  • Fatty liver disease is a hepatic abnormality that curbs the liver's ability to process the ingested material and generate unwanted waste for excretion. In this condition, there is an excess accumulation of fat in the liver.
  • Numerous factors such as unhealthy lifestyle or habits play a major role and are responsible for loading the liver with destructive fats. If explained with an example, eating too much fat, particularly food with high cholesterol can harm the liver along with affecting the heart health.
  • It is equally important to acknowledge the relationship between fatty liver and cholesterol. This is because high cholesterol levels not only affect cardiac activities but also damage the liver greatly, i.e. a condition known as fatty liver.

The liver is the primary organ responsible for disposing of the body's waste; hence, it should be maintained in the best state. Continual and efficient toxin removal is one of the body's most critical functions. Any disorientation related to its structure or function can initiate a series of troubles in the body. 

  1. Fatty liver disease is a hepatic abnormality that curbs the liver's ability to process the ingested material and generate unwanted waste for excretion. In this condition, there is an excess accumulation of fat in the liver.
  2. Numerous factors such as unhealthy lifestyle or habits play a major role and are responsible for loading the liver with destructive fats. If explained with an example, eating too much fat, particularly food with high cholesterol can harm the liver along with affecting the heart health. 
  3. However, it is equally important to acknowledge the relationship between fatty liver and cholesterol. This is because high cholesterol levels not only affect cardiac activities but also damage the liver greatly, i.e. a condition known as fatty liver. Read below to know more about it. 

Relation between Liver & Cholesterol

Cholesterol is basically a fatty substance that is used by the body to carry out its optimal functioning. It is produced by the liver and distributed to other body parts where it is required. Also, the liver is responsible for making lipoproteins that assist the cholesterol, and other lipids travel in the bloodstream.

  1. Cholesterol levels are produced as well as regulated by the liver with the help of two mechanisms. 
  2. For example, when the levels are low, the liver produces cholesterol and delivers it to other body parts. And when the levels are higher than the acceptable limit, the liver attempts to eliminate it by converting excess cholesterol into bile salts. The body then excretes the bile salts in excreta and bile.    
  3. High cholesterol levels in the blood can be a potential indicator of abnormal liver functioning, indicating the presence of fatty liver. This is because bile production is hampered in fatty liver, and cholesterol levels are raised at the same time.
  4. If this condition prevails for longer, there are higher chances of an individual suffering from end-stage liver problems, such as Liver Cirrhosis
get the appget the app

Adversities of High Cholesterol

Excess cholesterol in the bloodstream signals that the body is soon or is already in the process of undergoing devastation. High cholesterol level, though is not a disease but is found to exaggerate the symptoms of the underlying disease potentially. Below are some diseases that can get worse if the cholesterol levels are on the higher side.

  1. Hyperlipidemia is a condition in which the blood cholesterol profile is raised. During Chronic Cholestatic Liver Disease, hyperlipidemia comes into the picture. This liver disease is marked by high HDL and comparatively low LDL levels.
  2. Coronary Heart Disease is another health complication caused by high cholesterol levels in the blood. Here, the Low-Density Lipoproteins, or LDL, exceed HDL levels. The LDL increasingly settles in the walls of arteries, leading to the formation of plaques (hardening of arteries due to fat accumulation). 
  3. This eventually results in the condition known as arteriosclerosis. Due to this, the arteries become narrow, and the flow of blood through them decreases, concluding in partial or total blockages in the arteries.  
  4. Cholesterol ingested in the form of food undoubtedly goes to the liver. When dietary cholesterol levels are higher than the permissible limit, the liver loses its ability to process fat and convert it into bile acids. 
  5. As a result, the excess fat or cholesterol begins to deposit in the liver, resulting in the condition known as fatty liver disease. When not detected or diagnosed on time, the condition could turn fatal, developing into a severe disease called nonalcoholic fatty steatohepatitis. 
  6. Also, fatty liver cholesterol levels can make the liver face terrible episodes such as cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), hepatic cancer, or even liver failure at the end stage.

Stages of the fatty liver affected by cholesterol

Changes in the structure and functions mark fatty liver cholesterol levels. High levels of fat accumulation in the liver cause damage over time, disturbing the entire functioning of the body. Also, liver damage does not happen overnight; instead, it takes several years for the damage to become prevalent. 

Given below is a series of fatty liver progression: 

  1. The first stage, called simple steatosis, is normal, where the damage level is the least. Here, the fat accumulated in the liver cells is harmless and thus does not exhibit any sign of abnormality. Also, if not bothered, it can go unnoticed, provided an individual gets tested for it due to other noticeable complications in the body. 
  2. The second stage is known as steatohepatitis. This can be considered a more severe one as it is the marked grade of fatty liver progression. The liver undergoes structural change here, showing inflammation due to more fat accumulation. 
  3. In the third stage, liver fibrosis is usually seen. The presence of inflammation accompanied by fibrosis contributes to the scarring or damaging of tissues on the surface of the liver. Along with the tissues, blood vessels in proximity suffer similar damage. However, the liver still functions at this stage and does not exhibit abnormality. 
  4. The last or most severe stage occurs after years of liver suffering from inflammation and fibrosis. Cirrhosis is the end stage of fatty liver, where the liver has scars with a lumpy appearance. 

The damage carried to this stage is irreversible, and the liver loses its ability to function. Also, cirrhosis can even give rise to even more severe conditions such as liver failure or carcinoma. 

It is found that if the fatty liver condition is not detected on time, there are chances that the evolving damage can be life-threatening too. Moreover, taking preventive actions in the first stage is important to save the liver from facing the worst. 

Ways of stopping cholesterol from liver damage

Fatty liver and cholesterol are linked to one another. Thus, it becomes essential to bring cholesterol to the body's optimal range for ideal liver functioning. 

Also, it takes years for the liver to undergo extreme destruction, i.e. Cirrhosis. Hence, with a few simple steps or fundamental lifestyle changes, an individual can reach the ideal cholesterol levels and eventually combat fatty liver. 

Read below to learn how to stop the liver from producing cholesterol. 

Weight Loss

  1. Making attempts at weight loss can help lower the cholesterol levels in the body. It's better to have more focus on reducing HDL cholesterol as it's the one that tends to accumulate in the liver cells. 
  2. Physical activities such as cardiovascular exercises, namely cycling, jogging, swimming, etc., can help reduce overall body fat. 

Follow a good diet

  1. Healthy food or a balanced diet can help reduce cholesterol levels. 
  2. Eating more fibre and good carbohydrates, i.e. replacing regular bread with multigrain slices or switching to natural fruits rather than consuming processed sugary drinks. 
  3. Also, it is crucial to limit the consumption of cholesterol, i.e. avoiding cheese, red meat, or any other product which consists of high quantities of saturated fatty acids. 

Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle 

  1. Ending to all the bad habits can also stop the liver from producing cholesterol. 
  2. Smoking and drinking are the two enemies that contribute to disturbing most functions of the body and can equally affect the body's lipid mechanism too. Hence, limiting alcohol intake and distancing oneself from smoking can sufficiently manage cholesterol levels. 

Summary

Most of the time, fatty liver disease does not exhibit more symptoms until the severity level is high; however, a routine check-up is always an ideal backup plan to avoid such undesired health crises. When cholesterol levels are high, at this stage, it becomes mandatory to seek professional help before it gets too late to treat. Thus, finding reliable and efficient medical help at the right time can reverse the adverse effects. 

Joining hands with HexaHealth can prove to be valuable in diagnosing or treating the abnormalities associated with the liver. Visit HexaHealth’s official website and explore the health assistance offered by the team of experts. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, lowering cholesterol, especially HDL or High-Density Cholesterol, can help improve fatty liver disease as there will be less load of fat on the liver. As a result, the liver would be able to function efficiently.  

There are several ways to stop the liver from producing cholesterol. They are weight loss, a healthy diet, low alcohol intake, improving the underlying disease,  avoiding harmful medicines and so on. 

The functions of cholesterol in the body involve vitamin D synthesis, sex hormone synthesis, preserving the integrity of cell membranes, etc. 

Fatty liver and cholesterol are closely related, as high blood cholesterol levels could suggest a condition known as nonalcoholic fatty liver which is marked by the high accumulation of fat in the liver cells. 

In the presence of an injury or damage to the liver, or in a diseased condition such as Alcoholic or Nonalcoholic fatty liver, the bile synthesis gets hampered; as a result, there is too much cholesterol in the liver cells. 

The liver is the organ responsible for removing cholesterol from the body. The bile acids help in the conversion of cholesterol into a form that can be readily excreted. 

The liver is responsible for producing all the cholesterol required for the body which is later transported via the bloodstream in different forms to the different organs where it is required. 

Too much vitamin D is found to increase LDL or Low-Density Lipoprotein levels which is a type of cholesterol.  

The liver is the primary organ that eliminates cholesterol from the body by converting it into bile acids, which then get excreted as bile or faeces. 

The human body produces cholesterol during the night when the body is in a relaxed state, however it is equally important to have a balanced diet which has adequate fats along with other constituents required by the body. 

Vitamin D supplements are found to increase LDL levels in the body. However, there is no evidence found as yet that relates vitamin D to high cholesterol. Regardlessly, it's always better to consult a medical practitioner before commencing any supplement or medicinal drug. 

Vitamin B12 is found to play a role in adipocyte metabolism. Thus its deficiency could increase the levels of homocysteine along with raising the total cholesterol levels in the body. 

Niacin, or Vitamin B, is found to fight high cholesterol as it eliminates the bad cholesterol and increases the levels of good cholesterol in the body. 

Yes, to some extent, physical activities such as walking, jogging, swimming, etc., can potentially help lower the cholesterol in the body. 

Last Updated on: 19 May 2023

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational and learning purposes only. It doesn't cover every medical condition and might not be relevant to your personal situation. This information isn't medical advice, isn't meant for diagnosing any condition, and shouldn't replace talking to a certified medical or healthcare professional.

Reviewer

Dr. Aman Priya Khanna

Dr. Aman Priya Khanna

MBBS, DNB General Surgery, Fellowship in Minimal Access Surgery, FIAGES

12 Years Experience

Dr Aman Priya Khanna is a well-known General Surgeon, Proctologist and Bariatric Surgeon currently associated with HealthFort Clinic, Health First Multispecialty Clinic in Delhi. He has 12 years of experience in General Surgery and worke...View More

Author

Dr Sania Datta

Dr Sania Datta

BDS (Panjab University) I MBA Hospital & Health Management (IIHMR Jaipur)

8 Years Experience

She is a high-impact healthcare management and medical content professional with enriching work experience in Parexel, HexaHealth Technologies, Apollo Munich, Credihealth and Fortis Hospital. Armed with deep and c...View More

get the appget the app
aiChatIcon