Steatotic Liver Disease
Source: MedlinePlus Health Topics, U.S. National Library of Medicine
What is steatotic liver disease? Your liver is the largest organ inside your body. It helps you digest food, store energy, and remove harmful substances (toxins). Steatotic liver disease, formerly called fatty liver disease, happens when too much fat builds up in your liver. It's typical to have some fat in your liver cells, but too much can be a problem. There are two main types of steatotic liver disease: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) What is metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)? MASLD is a type of steatotic liver disease that is not caused by heavy alcohol use. It used to be called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. There are two main forms: Simple fatty liver, in which you have fat in your liver but little or no inflammation or liver damage. This form usually does not get bad enough to cause liver damage or complications. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH (previously called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH), is when MASLD gets worse. In addition to fat in your liver, MASH may cause inflammation and liver damage. This can lead to fibrosis, or scarring, of the liver. This scarring sometimes leads to cirrhosis or liver cancer . What is alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD)? ALD is caused by heavy alcohol use. It used to be called alcoholic fatty liver disease, or alcoholic steatohepatitis. Your liver breaks down most of the alcohol you drink, so it can be removed from your body. But the process of breaking it down can create harmful substances. These substances can damage liver cells, cause inflammation, and weaken your body's natural defenses. The more alcohol that you drink, the more you damage your liver. ALD is the earliest stage of alcohol-related liver disease. The next stages are alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. Who is more likely to develop steatotic liver disease? The cause of MASLD is unknown, but it is more common in people