What Is Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?

What Is Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?

By Charles Pennison

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD involves the accumulation of fat in liver cells. If the patient with this disease does not consume excessive amounts of alcohol, the cause of the disease is nonalcoholic. In general, you may have some stage of NAFLD if the amount of fat in your liver cells is more than 5 to 10 percent of your liver's total weight.

If there is no liver inflammation (hepatitis) or liver scarring (fibrosis), fat accumulation in your liver is not considered serious. However, if fat continues to accumulate in your liver for many years, it can lead to serious health conditions such as hepatitis, fibrosis or perhaps to the irreversible liver scarring condition known as cirrhosis.

Stages of NAFLD

Fatty Liver or steatosis is the initial and simplest stage of NAFLD. It involves the accumulation of triglyceride fat in your liver cells without any inflammation or scarring. Even though it is not a normal liver condition, it is not considered serious as long as it does not develop into liver inflammation or damage.

A more serious stage of NAFLD can develop into nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH in a fraction of patients with fatty liver. NASH is the combination of liver fat accumulation and liver inflammation. If it is not treated, NASH over time can cause serious liver scarring.

If the initial stages of liver scarring go untreated, it can lead to the last and most severe stage of NAFLD. It is called cirrhosis of the liver. It is irreversible liver scarring. The liver is not able to function properly, and can develop into liver failure, liver cancer and liver related death, if the scarring is extensive.

What causes NAFLD and NASH?

The exact cause for this disease is still unknown. However, one common factor among NAFLD and NASH patients is insulin resistance.

Other risk factors for NAFLD are obesity, diet and a family history of NAFLD.

Another report by the Linus Pauling Institute states that when choline intake is inadequate, fat accumulates in the liver and develops into fatty liver. When choline supply in the diet returns to normal, liver function also returns to normal. Choline is considered an essential nutrient, and is similar to the vitamin B group. Choline is used by our body in the transport and metabolism of fats.

Food sources of choline include beef liver, wheat germ, egg yolks, beef, broccoli, brewer's yeast and lecithin. You can get choline supplements as choline chloride and choline bitartrate, but many consider soy lecithin to be more absorbable by the body.

Symptoms of Fatty Liver Disease

Fatty liver patients may not notice any symptoms at all in the early stages of the disease. Many years may pass before patients notice any symptoms.

However, if you get regular physical examines, your doctor should notice the signs of NAFLD before it reaches the NASH or cirrhosis stages. For patients who do notice symptoms of this disease, they may experience a dull ache just below their ribcage on their right side. It is dull and not an intense pain as when you have a gallbladder attack. Other symptoms that patients may have are:

• Nausea
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• And an enlarged liver.

Treatment for Fatty Liver Disease

Some research has shown that a change in exercise routine and diet can reverse this disease and restore liver function.

Losing weight slowly through an increase in physical activity and a change in your diet is crucial in reversing this disease.. Gradual weight loss is very important. You can make your fatty liver condition worse with the addition of liver inflammation, if you lose your weight too fast. It is recommended that you target your weight loss to 1 or 2 pounds each week, and no more than that.

To improve your liver health, you should:

• Never abuse alcohol
• Don't abuse the use of medications or drugs
• Don't eat foods high in saturated fats
• Don't eat food with added sugar
• Stay away from highly processed foods like white or bleached flour, white bread or while rice
• Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables
• Exercise regularly
• Don't smoke and avoid environmental toxins
• Make sure that your diet includes adequate amounts of choline
• And eat whole grain breads and brown rice in moderation.

By living a lifestyle that promote liver health, you not only improve your chances of reversing and avoiding nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, you also allow your liver to perform its functions, such as:

• Breaking down nutrients
• Manufacture proteins and cholesterol
• Store glucose, vitamin B12, fats, copper and iron
• Form and excrete bile
• Eliminate body waste products, excess cholesterol and bilirubin
• And detoxify harmful drugs, alcohol and environmental toxins.

Visit Fatty Liver Disease for more information.

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