Liver Health (Hepatitis and Fatty Liver)
Hepatitis B and C, fatty liver and cirrhosis
The liver gets worse quietly
The liver often causes no symptoms until it is quite badly damaged. Tiredness alone does not prove the liver is bad, and on the other hand having no symptoms is no reason to relax either. Blood tests and ultrasound are the basic ways to check.
Source: 질병관리청 국가건강정보포털 · as of 2026-08-05
Hepatitis B and C
- People who carry hepatitis B are a high-risk group for liver cancer, and follow-up with ultrasound plus a blood test every 6 months is recommended (they are covered by the national liver cancer screening program)
- Oral antiviral medicine can effectively hold the disease back. Stopping it on your own is dangerous
- Hepatitis C is cured in most cases with 8~12 weeks of oral medicine. It is well worth being tested for it
Source: 질병관리청 국가건강정보포털 · as of 2026-08-05
Fatty liver — do not take it lightly
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver comes together with obesity and diabetes, and in some people it can progress to hepatitis and then cirrhosis
- Losing 7~10% of body weight is the most reliable treatment
- If alcohol is the cause, stopping drinking is the only treatment
- There are many cases where unproven health foods and herbs said to be 'good for the liver' actually cause liver damage instead
Source: 질병관리청 국가건강정보포털 · as of 2026-08-05
Frequently asked questions
My liver numbers came out slightly high
It can be a temporary rise (from alcohol, medicine, or hard exercise), so it is usually checked again a few weeks later. If it is high again and again, the cause has to be found with hepatitis virus tests and ultrasound, so visit gastroenterology (a liver specialist).
Sources for this page
· 질병관리청 국가건강정보포털 (as of 2026-08-05)Last checked: 2026년 8월 5일
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