Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino recently revealed that he had been diagnosed with metabolic dysfunction-related steatohepatitis or mash.
The Miami Dolphins legend said the discovery came a few years ago after a routine examination when he was there I feel the looseness.
“Mash is a serious form of liver disease characterized by excessive fat accumulation in the liver, combined with inflammation and damage to liver cells,” Rosario Riglesty, director of gastroenterology at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, told Fox News Digital.
Unlike alcoholic liver disease and viral hepatitis, mash develops quietly from everyday health issues such as obesity. Type 2 diabeteshigh cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Marino’s story grabbed headlines, but experts say it is part of a much larger health crisis that is often not noticed.
“Mashes are often referred to as “silent” illness. Because it usually has little or no symptoms in the early stages and progresses slowly over the years,” Ligresti said.
Fatigue, yellowing, swelling, or A simple bruise It appeared and the damage could have already been done, the doctor warned.
Persistent inflammation can lead to fibrosis, which can progress to cirrhosis. This is cirrhosis, a severe and irreversible scar of the liver.
Cleveland Clinic points out that mash develops from MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-related fatty liver disease). This is a condition in which fat is present in the liver but does not cause significant inflammation. The reason for the risk is the transition to mash.
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According to Ligresti, an estimated 1.5% to 6.5% of the global population are affected by the disease, with numbers increasing Along with obesity and diabetes rates.
“It can affect people of all ages, but it is most frequently diagnosed in middle-aged adults,” he said.
Sedentary lifestyle and processed foods, sweet drinks, and diets with high in unhealthy fat are the main causes of illness. Genetics may also play a role.
The Cleveland Clinic lists the following warning signs that could indicate mash:
It’s important to catch the disease early, experts say.
“If you think you might have mash, you’re particularly obese, type 2 diabetes, or High cholesterolit’s important to look at the healthcare providers,” advised Ligresti.
“Changes in lifestyle Like diet, exercise and weight loss often stop or even reverse liver damage at the early stages,” he added.
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As of this year, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved it GLP-1 drug – Already used for diabetes and weight loss – as a treatment for mash. Studies show that it can reduce liver fat, improve inflammation and reduce scarring.
