Liver disease: Doctor discusses causes and symptoms
The liver is one of our vital organs, carrying out more than 500 functions. Therefore, if it becomes damaged it can have an affect on other areas of the body. In some cases it could even result in some unexpected changes to the chest.
According to Patient Info, gynaecomastia can be a complication of fatty liver disease.
Gynaecomastia is the medical term for the enlargement of male breast tissue, causing men to have larger chests or “man boobs”.
This is due to the impact of the condition on oestrogen levels in men.
Oestrogen is a sex hormone associated with the development and regulation of the female reproductive system, which can cause breasts to grow in both women and men.
Patient Info lists “liver disease or cirrhosis” as causes of gynaecomastia.
“In liver disease there is an increased production of androstenedione by the adrenal glands, increased aromatisation of androstenedione to oestrogen, loss of clearance of adrenal androgens by the liver and a rise in sex hormone-binding globulin, resulting in gynaecomastia,” it explains.
The Liver Doctor also warns that gynaecomastia, which it refers to as “man boobs”, could signal cirrhosis – as well as the liver just not functioning as well as it should be.
It says: “The liver has an important role to play in breast development too.
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“It is the liver’s job to break down excess oestrogen that isn’t required and then excrete it from the body.
“If the liver is sluggish, or fatty, or inflamed, it cannot do this job properly and oestrogen accumulates.
“Men who eat a lot of sugar or carbohydrate have lower levels of testosterone in their bloodstream because their liver manufactures more sex hormone binding globulin.
“This is a carrier molecule that transports testosterone around the bloodstream.
“It also makes the testosterone unable to carry out its normal functions.”
What is fatty liver disease?
As the name suggests, fatty liver disease occurs when there is a build up of fat in the liver.
Often this is due to being overweight or obese but there are other risk factors including having type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, among others.
In its early stages fatty liver disease often doesn’t present with any symptoms, however, if it develops the liver will become more damaged.
Cirrhosis is the most severe stage of fatty liver disease that occurs after years of damage.
The liver becomes scarred, lumpy and shrivelled and it can lead to liver failure, liver cancer and even death if not treated.
Other symptoms of fatty liver disease include:
- A dull or aching pain in the top right of the tummy (over the lower right side of the ribs)
- Extreme tiredness
- Unexplained weight loss
- Weakness.
If cirrhosis develops, you could also experience yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice), itchy skin, and swelling in the legs, ankles, feet or tummy (oedema).
If you experience any symptoms of fatty liver disease you should speak to your GP.
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