Fatty liver occurs when excess fat accumulates inside liver cells. This means normal, healthy liver tissue becomes partly replaced with fatty tissue. The fat starts to invade the liver, gradually infiltrating the healthy liver areas, so that less and less healthy liver tissue remains. The fatty liver has a yellow greasy appearance and is often enlarged and swollen with fat. This fatty infiltration slows down the metabolism of body fat stores, which means that the liver burns fat less efficiently, resulting in weight gain and inability to lose weight. However some people can have a fatty liver without being overweight.
Four syndromes of fatty liver categorized in TCM diagnosis
Syndrome of Accumulation of Phlegm-damp
Syndrome of Stagnation of Qi and Blood
Syndrome of Liver Qi Stagnation
Syndrome of Kideny and Liver Yang Deficiency