Over 50% Indians rejected as donors due to fatty liver

According to top surgeons of India, about 50% of livers get rejected to be used for a transplant due to the accumulation of fat in them. And with rising obesity levels and diabetes, the rate is likely to go up further.

A 20% fatty liver can be accepted for a transplant. If it is about 30%, a strict diet needs to be followed to reduce it. But if it is more than that, it is rejected. Transplanting a fatty liver can put the recipient’s life at risk. Our genetic predisposition makes Indians likely to accumulate fat in the liver.

A healthy liver does not have fat in it but in this disease, the liver accumulates fat from the body that reduces its ability to function properly. Fatty liver disease could be alcohol-related and there is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease as well.

Consuming more than 14 and 21 units of pure alcohol per week for women and men respectively can cause alcoholic fatty liver disease. But people who do not consume alcohol and are obese, diabetic, etc. can have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

In order to prevent or control the damage, it is important to exercise, lose body fat and eat a healthy diet that is low in fats and carbs. Herbal remedies such as ginger, triphala and kutki are also useful in dealing with a fatty liver. Read more…