Are you aware that your liver, blood sugar, and heart are more interconnected than you might realise? A lot of people are aware of conditions like fatty liver, diabetes, and heart disease, but what they don’t know is that these three health problems often show up together and can make each other worse.
What is a fatty liver?
Fatty liver is also known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. It happens when extra fat builds up in your liver. Your liver is supposed to help clean your blood and process the nutrients, but when it becomes fatty, it starts to struggle. Simple fatty liver is where the fat is present, but there is no damage yet, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is where fat causes inflammation and damage to your cells. If you do not treat it in time, it can lead to scarring, liver failure, or even cancer.
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What is diabetes?
Diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, happens when your body cannot use insulin properly, causing high blood sugar levels. With time, high blood sugar can damage your blood vessels and organs, including your heart, kidneys, eyes, and, yes, your liver. A key thing to know is that insulin resistance is a major cause of both type 2 diabetes and fatty liver. In insulin resistance, your body makes insulin, but your cells ignore it.
What is heart disease?
Heart disease refers to a condition that affects your heart and blood vessels. The most common type is coronary artery disease, where fatty deposits clog your arteries and reduce blood flow. It is one of the leading causes of death globally and is also closely linked to both diabetes and fatty liver.
How are fatty liver, diabetes, and heart disease connected?
If you have fatty liver, you often have insulin resistance, which makes it challenging for your body to manage blood sugar. With time, this can develop into type 2 diabetes. If you already have diabetes, then high blood sugar can make fat build up even more in your liver, leading to inflammation and scarring. That means having diabetes puts your liver at risk.
Fatty liver and diabetes both increase your chances of heart disease. They raise levels of bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol, and also increase inflammation, which damages your blood vessels. People with both fatty liver and diabetes have a higher risk of heart attack or even stroke as compared to those with either condition alone.
Also Read | Millions living with advanced fatty liver disease are unaware: Research
So, above all, you need to know that your liver, blood sugar, and heart work together more than you might realise. When one gets out of balance, the others follow too. The link between fatty liver, diabetes, and heart disease shows you how connected your body really is and why taking care of your whole health is so important. With small daily choices like eating better, moving more, and managing stress, you can protect all three. A healthy liver balances blood sugar and makes your heart strong. It all starts with simple steps taken every day towards a healthy body.
