Liver disease

There are more than 100 different types of liver disease, which together affect at least 2 million people in the UK.

The liver is the second largest organ in the body. It works hard, performing hundreds of complex functions, including:

Liver disease doesn't usually cause any obvious signs or symptoms until it's fairly advanced and the liver is damaged.

At this stage, possible symptoms can include loss of appetite, weight loss and jaundice.

Listed below are some specific types of liver disease. The links provide more detailed information about each type.

Alcohol-related liver disease – where the liver is damaged after years of alcohol misuse, this can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver)
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease – a build-up of fat within liver cells, usually seen in overweight people or those who are obese
Hepatitis – which is inflammation (swelling) of the liver caused by a viral infection or exposure to harmful substances such as alcohol
Haemochromatosis – an inherited disorder where there's a gradual build-up of iron in the body, usually around the liver
Primary biliary cirrhosis – a rare, long-term type of liver disease that damages the bile ducts in the liver

It’s important to note that all types of liver disease can cause cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), not just alcohol-related liver disease.

In the UK, liver disease is on the increase. Three of the main causes of liver disease are:

These causes of liver disease are all preventable so it's important to make sure:

you're a healthy weight for your height; you can use the BMI healthy weight calculator
you avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol; read more about alcohol units
take the appropriate measures to prevent getting hepatitis, such as getting vaccinated if you're at risk