The prevalence of diabetes is growing rapidly all over the world and in India. According to a recent ICMR-INDIAB Study published by us in the Lancet Diabetes Endocrinology, the number of people with diabetes in India now stands at 101 million. In addition, there are 136 million people with prediabetes in India. It is well known that uncontrolled diabetes can lead to complications affecting the eye, kidney, heart, feet and nerves. However, the relationship between diabetes and the liver is not well appreciated and only recently has this link been emphasised.
So, what is the connection between diabetes and the liver?
The liver is a store house or a factory for various products and one of them is glucose. When there is excess glucose in the body, it gets deposited in the liver as glycogen. Moreover, the excess fat in the blood circulation (triglycerides and free fatty acids) also gets deposited in the liver and this is called ‘Fatty Liver’.
