Have you heard the news? 1 in 3 Americans has fatty liver disease. Here’s the scoop on what causes it, why you should care and seven ways to nurture it.
Remind me: what does my liver do and why should I give it some TLC? Because it’s a multi-talented organ performing critical functions 24/7 to keep you alive and thriving!
Here’s just a small sample of the liver’s many talents. Your liver:
Filters about 2 quarts of blood each minute, to extract nutrients, remove microbes, toxins, and more.
Detoxifies a vast array of man-made chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals, as well as the end-products of our own metabolism.
Supports immune function through embedded immune cells that identify, engulf, and eliminate foreign invaders in the bloodstream.
Forms bile to emulsify fat and bind toxins to be eliminated via the feces.
Assembles a range of proteins, hormones, cholesterol, fat and more
Along with dozens of other critical functions.
Now when we think of fatty liver, we might imagine an alcoholic with cirrhosis in line for a liver transplant. But that degree of alcoholism only accounts for ~5% of fatty liver disease.
The most common form of fatty liver disease is Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). In non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, normal tissue is infiltrated and replaced with fat and fibrotic tissue, impairing its essential functions. Over time, this can progress to liver inflammation, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Just what causes NAFLD? The root cause of this condition is the SAD (Standard American Diet) and lifestyle.
A new study has demonstrated that a high-fat diet by alone does not cause fatty liver disease: It takes eating fat along with sugar (especially liquid fructose) to really drive fatty infiltration of the liver. The liver uses fructose to make fat, which is then stored in the liver (and other tissues). Too many bad fats, high fructose corn syrup and refined sugar leads to fatty buildup and compromised liver function. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 2022; 2101115 DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202101115
Of course, high fructose corn syrup is the sweetener of choice in sodas, energy drinks, electrolyte drinks, juice drinks, fruit punches, lemonades, ice cream, ice pops, syrups, sauces, and candy. And high fructose corn syrup and fat occur together in most of our commercial baked goods like cookies, cupcakes, pastries, crackers, cake mixes and chips. Our most popular drive-thru special, a burger with fries and a creamy milkshake or big-gulp soda, is a known trigger for FLD. Is it any wonder that only 12 % of Americans are metabolically healthy? Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders, 2018; DOI: 10.1089/met.2018.0105
Unfortunately, fatty liver disease generally goes undiagnosed until it is well underway. If you’re obese (approaching it), or have diabetes (or pre-diabetes), you may already have some degree of fatty liver. Ask your doctor to do run some basic lab work to check your blood sugar, insulin, HA1c, liver function tests and a lipid panel to determine if it is developing.
The best news is that the liver has the greatest capacity for regeneration of any organ. (That is, when we stop abusing it)! Making some lifestyle changes early on can reduce your risk of this condition progressing into steatohepatitis, liver cancer and the need for a transplant.
So here are my 7 favorite ways to love your liver and reduce your risk of developing fatty liver disease (along with diabetes, obesity, heart disease and cancer):
Choose a healthy diet full of fiber and phytonutrient-rich carbohydrates like vegetables, whole fruit (1-2 pieces per day), nuts/seeds, whole (gluten-free) grains, clean protein, and quality oils such as those found in avocado, extra virgin olive oil, coconut, and fish. By reducing your intake of refined and processed food, you’ll avoid the toxic combination of fructose sweeteners and trans fats that promote fatty liver.
Maintain a healthy weight by keeping your caloric intake on the lighter side (less than 2,000 calories/day) and eating adequate protein (~20% of caloric intake). A recent German pilot study demonstrated greater reduction in liver fat in the group who ate a high protein diet rather than a low protein diet. They suspect the positive effect of the higher-protein diet is due to suppressed uptake, storage, and synthesis of fat. Liver International, 2020; DOI: 10.1111/liv.14596
Go organic to reduce your intake of pesticides, herbicides and other toxins in food and drink, which are known to trigger fatty liver disease. The use of herbicide glyphosate (Round-Up) on our crops has skyrocketed in the last few decades along with the incidence of this NAFLD. Glyphosate residue has been found to be present in higher levels in those with fatty liver. Grow your own, shop at farmer’s markets, natural food stores and buy organic
Eat your greens and eggs: dandelion greens, artichokes, beets and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts all help neutralize toxins and produce glutathione, our master antioxidant enzyme. Eggs are a complete protein that are rich in choline, a nutrient that helps protect the liver from toxins, and it is essential for good cognitive function.
Stay hydrated with pure water, herb teas like green tea, ginger tea, turmeric, and coffee. Coffee and green tea both contain powerful compounds that help the liver clear a range of toxins; be sure to drink an extra cup of water to offset the dehydrating effect that coffee has.
Practice time-restricted eating and intermittent fasting. Give your body a 12-14 hour overnight fast to allow the liver and other digestive organs to move into the repair mode that occurs when the digestive system is at rest. Preliminary research suggests that intermittent fasting exerts strong effects on weight, blood sugar metabolism and liver function.
Move your body after meals to promote fat loss: aerobic exercises such as cycling, running, swimming help reduce fat accumulation in the liver. Adopt the Italian practice of walk after each meal, which improves blood sugar control over 24 hours, but especially in the 3 hours after dinner.
The bottom line: fatty liver disease can be prevented and reversed in its early stages. Now is the perfect time to get started. If you suspect you might be at risk, get assessed, and work with a qualified functional medicine doctor to create an effective treatment protocol to address this and other preventable conditions so they don’t make you sick.