Your liver plays hugely important roles in your health and wellness. When blood leaves your stomach and intestines, it passes through your liver, where the organ breaks down, balances, and creates nutrients. If you’re one of the 36.5% of American adults who are obese, there’s a fair chance that your liver isn’t functioning at its best. Unfortunately, you’re also at risk for potentially serious liver-related diseases. On the positive side, there is hope to be had. By healthfully losing excess pounds, you can improve the function of your liver.

At Delta Medical Weight Management Center in Southaven, Mississippi, Dr. Ulric Duncan and his team provide medical weight-loss programs to help you reach and maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk for related conditions.

Take a few moments to learn how obesity can impact your liver and ways we can help.

Liver conditions linked with obesity

When you carry large amounts of excess weight, fat can accumulate in your liver. This can lead to chronic inflammation, which is associated with a broad range of medical issues, and cirrhosis, or scarring of your liver. Obesity is also a significant risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), or the buildup of fat in the liver.

Fatty liver disease can cause or worsen cirrhosis. If that carries on without treatment, you can develop confusion, fluid buildup, swollen veins, liver cancer, and even end-stage liver failure. One scary thing about that is the fact that NAFLD often develops without causing noticeable symptoms. Many people are diagnosed with the condition once a complication occurs.

In addition to all of that, many of these liver conditions are linked with other obesity-related conditions, too, such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and hyperthyroidism. So if you’re obese and have sleep apnea, for example, your risk for liver problems is even higher.

Turning obesity-related liver issues around

While it can feel overwhelming to think about liver problems related to obesity, it’s important to know that you can turn it all around. With proper support, you can healthfully lose excess weight and improve your overall wellness, your liver health included.

At Delta Medical Weight Management Center, we provide customized, physician-guided weight- loss programs that can help you reach your weight goals and enjoy better health. Depending on your needs and preferences, your program may include dietary, exercise, and behavioral counseling, weight-loss medication, the Orbera® weight loss balloon, and/or vitamin B-12 injections.

To learn more about obesity and liver issues or to get the weight loss support you need, call Delta Medical Weight Management Center ,or email us through our website.