Television actor and model Sana Makbul, a contestant on Bigg Boss OTT 3, became emotional while discussing her battle with liver disease. She tearfully revealed suffering from non-alcoholic hepatitis, despite never having consumed alcohol in her life. Making a tearful confession, she said, “I’ve non- alcoholic Hepatitis – a liver disease. I’m one of those people who have never tasted alcohol in my life but has yet been diagnosed with it. People get to know about their liver disease mostly when they are in the last stage of it. I’ve been lucky in that case as I got to know about it pretty early.”
Sana added, “In 2021 I didn’t understand what I was going through. There were days where I couldn’t even get up from the bed.”
According to an HT report Dr Rajiv Kovil, Head of Diabetology at Zandra Healthcare and Co-Founder of Rang De Neela initiative stated, “Non-alcoholic hepatitis, also known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a condition characterised by the accumulation of fat in the liver. This condition is not caused by excessive alcohol consumption, as the name suggests, but rather by a variety of factors that can lead to the development of liver inflammation and damage.”
Causes
Dr Rajiv Kovil revealed, “Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a leading cause of liver disease worldwide. The estimated global incidence of NAFLD is 47 cases per 1,000 population and is higher among males than females In India The prevalence of NAFLD is found to be more than 25% globally and 9% to 32% in the general Indian population. The exact causes of non-alcoholic hepatitis are not fully understood, but it is believed to be linked to factors such as obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic disorders. Individuals with conditions like type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure are at a higher risk of developing non-alcoholic hepatitis.”
Symptoms
The development of non-alcoholic hepatitis can vary from person to person. Dr Rajiv Kovil informed, “In some cases, the condition may remain relatively mild, with the liver able to function normally despite the presence of fat. However, in more severe cases, the inflammation can lead to the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can eventually progress to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and even liver failure.”
According to Dr. Rajiv Kovil, treatment for non-alcoholic hepatitis usually focuses on addressing the root causes responsible for the condition. He explained, “This may include weight loss through diet and exercise, management of diabetes or other metabolic disorders, and the use of medications to reduce inflammation and improve liver function. On March 14, 2024, resmetirom (Rezdiffra) became the first drug approved by the US FDA for treating patients with noncirrhotic nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH; recently renamed metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis, or MASH) and moderate-to-advanced hepatic fibrosis.”
He elaborated, “Resmetirom is a pill that activates the thyroid hormone receptor that reduces liver fat accumulation. Treatment with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists like Semaglutide and Tirzepatide may reduce the risk of developing cirrhosis, liver cancer, and other adverse liver outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic liver disease, though none of them have got a labeled indication to treat NAFLD. In cases where the condition has progressed to cirrhosis or liver failure, more intensive treatments, such as liver transplantation, may be necessary.”
Timely identification and treatment of non-alcoholic hepatitis are critical to preventing the progression to more severe liver diseases. Regular medical examinations and lifestyle adjustments are essential in managing this condition and enhancing liver health overall.