Contents
-
news
-
Health
Not able to sleep? This may not be due to stress but may be due to fatal liver disease.
MASLD, formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which affects about 30 percent of adults, leads to serious sleep problems, new research says. While scientists estimate that its prevalence among adults could exceed 55 percent by 2040, more youth and children are likely to be affected. Doctors say MASLD, or Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, occurs when fat accumulates in your liver without causing symptoms. Read on to know more.
Scientists predict it could spread to adults over 55 by 2040 as more young people are more likely to suffer side effects
Although it is normal to have occasional sleeplessness, if the duration continues to increase, it may have something to do with your health. According to doctors, insomnia is not always a problem of stress and anxiety, but it can also be due to poor liver health. MASLD, formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which affects about 30 percent of adults, causes sleep problems, according to a new study from the University of Basel in Switzerland.
While scientists estimate that its prevalence among adults could exceed 55 percent by 2040, more youth and children are likely to be affected. Doctors say MASLD, or Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, occurs when fat accumulates in your liver without causing symptoms. Over time, this fat in your liver can cause inflammation, leading to hepatitis.
how did it happen MASLD causes sleep problems,
According to researchers, the sleep-wake rhythm in MASLD patients is completely different from that of healthy people.
In the study published in the journal Frontiers in Network Psychology, the team said people with MASLD woke up 55 percent more often during the night than healthy volunteers, and stayed awake 113 percent longer after falling asleep for the first time.
MASLD patients also slept more during the day. “The nighttime sleep of people with MASLD is significantly fragmented due to frequent awakenings and increased awakenings,” said Dr. Sophia Schaefer, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Basel.
The team recruited 46 men and women with MASLD or cirrhosis and compared them with 8 healthy volunteers. Each participant was equipped with an actigraph to track gross motor activity, along with wrist-worn sensors that tracked light, physical activity, and body temperature.
According to the results, sleep pattern and quality, measured by actigraph, were significantly worse in patients with MASLD. Additionally, 32 percent of people with liver problems also had severe psychological stress. According to Dr. Schaefer, the findings showed that “sleep fragmentation plays a role in the pathogenesis of human MASLD.”
“The underlying mechanisms of MASLD also include genetics, environmental factors, and activation of immune responses – ultimately driven by obesity and the metabolic syndrome,” he added.
Signs and symptoms of MASLD
According to experts, MASLD has evolved over many years. Additionally, you may have this condition without symptoms, as you may not notice changes in your body until you develop metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH. Doctors say MASH causes cirrhosis or severe liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis is bands of scar tissue in your liver. Some people with MASH have symptoms such as:
- Severe pain and suffering in your upper right abdomen, where your liver is located
- extreme fatigue and weakness
- loss of appetite
- swollen belly
- unexpected weight loss
- yellowing of your skin and eyes
Doctors say undiagnosed and untreated MASLD can also increase the risk of developing serious conditions like breast cancer and colon cancer, heart disease and even cancer, including type 2 diabetes.
Get the latest news live on Times Now with breaking news and top headlines from around the world.
