As the largest internal organ, the liver is crucial in processing nutrients, filtering toxins, and producing essential proteins. As it is responsible for fat metabolism, fat accumulation in organs most commonly occurs in the liver. If this fat accumulation exceeds 5 percent of the liver’s weight, the liver is considered a fatty liver, also known as hepatic steatosis.
About one-quarter of Americans have fatty liver, and about 5 percent have fatty liver disease associated with alcohol use. While most cases of fatty liver don’t pose significant issues or disrupt liver function, the condition can make the organ more susceptible to inflammation and scarring, and it can progress over time to cirrhosis, liver cancer, or liver failure.
