LIsa Jo Finstrom1 Comment

Fatty Liver Disease: Know FOR SURE If You Have It!

LIsa Jo Finstrom1 Comment
Fatty Liver Disease: Know FOR SURE If You Have It!

Fatty Liver Disease: Know FOR SURE If You Have It!


The liver is an amazing organ. It functions like a factory, producing over 500 vital products necessary for the body. It also filters the blood and detoxes from environmental pollutants such as pesticides, air pollution, medications, and alcohol. When the liver isn’t working properly, overall health is seriously jeopardized. 


Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver ailment in the Western world, estimated to afflict 20-30% of people in industrialized countries. As the name suggests, the condition is associated with a poor diet, although it is not the only cause  (Achufusi & Patel, 2022). 


Symptoms of fatty liver disease include fatigue, pain on the right side of the abdomen, itchy skin, sudden weight gain or loss, as well as brain fog and depression. Often, sufferers have no obvious symptoms. 


You need to know the health of your liver!


Fatty liver risk factors include: 


  • Consumption of a standard American diet high in fat, sugar, salt, and ultra-processed ingredients. 

  • Obesity 

  • High blood pressure

  • High cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL 

  • Exposure to toxins 

  • Use of pharmaceutical drugs 

  • Sedentary lifestyle 


Most Americans have at least one risk factor, often the use of pharmaceutical drugs.


Drugs that can harm the liver: 


  • Tylenol 

  • Gout medications 

  • Abnormal heart rhythm medications

  • Anti-seizure medications

  • Some cancer medications (Feaster, 2023).


Chemotherapy-induced liver damage is increasingly common (Calistri et al., 2021). 


What if there were a way to know with 84% accuracy if you have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease? 


Getting a definitive diagnosis from a doctor can be time-consuming and expensive. They often rely on imaging techniques or a liver biopsy. The problem with a liver biopsy is that excess fat in the liver is not always evenly distributed and can be missed by the needle, leading to the possibility of a false negative. 


The fatty liver index (FLI) is a handy tool anyone can use to estimate his or her risk. The algorithm only requires four pieces of information: 


  • Waist circumference 

  • Triglycerides 

  • BMI 

  • GGT 


Here is the formula: https://www.mdapp.co/fatty-liver-index-fli-calculator-356/


Here’s how to gather the needed information: 


  1.  Waist circumference – grab a tape measure!


  1. Triglycerides are on standard lipid panel


  1.  BMI can be calculated using an NIH app: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm


  1. GGT is tricker. It is a liver enzyme associated with antioxidant status and toxic exposures. It is also the marker commonly used by physicians when they suspect excessive alcohol consumption. If your doctor doesn’t order it for you, it is possible to get blood work done without an order if you are willing to pay out of pocket. Depending on the lab, GGT costs between 25 and 35 dollars. 


If you score high on the index, talk to your doctor about further testing – especially if you have obvious risk factors. 


Here’s how to interpret the results: 


The fatty liver index results range from 0-100. Less than 30 rule out fatty liver disease. 60 or above rules in fatty liver disease and suggests the need to consult with a doctor (Bedogni et al., 2006). 


What foods are liver protective? 


  • Water

  • Cruciferous veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, and Bok choy, etc) 

  • Nuts

  • Berries 

  • Olive oil 

  • Green tea 


What foods are bad for the liver? 


  • Alcohol 

  • High sugar

  • Low fiber

  • Highly processed foods 


What common supplement helps with fatty liver disease?


For decades, hospitals have used NAC to treat Tylenol poisoning. 


NAC is a relatively inexpensive amino acid available in supplement form. It is best taken on an empty stomach. 


In a study of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, half the participants were given NAC and the other half were given vitamin C. After three months, the participants who received the NAC saw a significant decrease in their liver enzymes. The NAC also improved the size of their spleen (Khoshbaten et al., 2010).


Between 1997 and 2020 there have been over 40 relevant studies looking at the use of NAC for NAFLD. NAC helped reduce lipid accumulation and inflammation in the liver. It also functioned as an anti-oxidant (Dludla et al., 2020).


What herb is liver protective?


I love milk thistle because it is very well tolerated by most clients. The two most active ingredients are silybin and silymarin. Milk thistle also helps with insulin resistance. It was found to be more effective than metformin at lowering liver enzymes. 


Milk thistle lowers hepatic inflammation. It also functions as an antioxidant. Additionally, it is antifibrotic, allowing it to reduce liver injury progression (Achutusi & Patel, 2022). 


Taking NAC and milk thistle together appears to be safe. While there are few known drug interactions between NAC, milk thistle, and pharmaceutical drugs, always check with your doctor if you have questions (Drugs.com, 2024). 


Liver Detox


I often recommend that clients take either NAC or milk thistle for 3-4 months to assist with liver detox – even if they don’t have fatty liver disease. We are all exposed to toxins and it can’t hurt to implement some kind of liver detox protocol at least once a year. 

Disclaimer 

The included information is not meant to or should not be used to replace or substitute medical treatment, recommendations, or the advice of your physician or health care provider. The information contained within is strictly for educational purposes and is based on evidence-based nutrition. If you believe you have a medical problem or condition, please contact your physician or healthcare provider. 


References 


Achufusi, T. G. O., & Patel, R. K. (2022). Milk Thistle. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541075/



Bedogni, G., Bellentani, S., Miglioli, L., Masutti, F., Passalacqua, M., Castiglione, A., & Tiribelli, C. (2006). The Fatty Liver Index: a simple and accurate predictor of hepatic steatosis in the general population. BMC gastroenterology, 6, 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-230X-6-33


Calistri, L., Rastrelli, V., Nardi, C., Maraghelli, D., Vidali, S., Pietragalla, M., & Colagrande, S. (2021). Imaging of the chemotherapy-induced hepatic damage: Yellow liver, blue liver, and pseudocirrhosis. World journal of gastroenterology, 27(46), 7866–7893. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v27.i46.7866


Dludla, P. V., Nkambule, B. B., Mazibuko-Mbeje, S. E., Nyambuya, T. M., Marcheggiani, F., Cirilli, I., Ziqubu, K., Shabalala, S. C., Johnson, R., Louw, J., Damiani, E., & Tiano, L. (2020). N-Acetyl Cysteine Targets Hepatic Lipid Accumulation to Curb Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in NAFLD: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Literature. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 9(12), 1283. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9121283


Drugs.com. (1/30/24) https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/milk-thistle-with-nac-1633-0-97-4252.html#:~:text=No%20interactions%20were%20found%20between%20milk%20thistle%20and,no%20interactions%20exist.%20Always%20consult%20your%20healthcare%20provider


Feaster, R. (2023) 10 medications that may raise your risk of liver damage. GoodRxHealth (1/30/24) https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/liver/the-ten-worst-medications-for-your-liver


Khoshbaten, M., Aliasgarzadeh, A., Masnadi, K., Tarzamani, M. K., Farhang, S., Babaei, H., Kiani, J., Zaare, M., & Najafipoor, F. (2010). N-acetylcysteine improves liver function in patients with non-alcoholic Fatty liver disease. Hepatitis monthly, 10(1), 12–16.


MDapp. (2023) https://www.mdapp.co/fatty-liver-index-fli-calculator-356/


NIH (n.d.) Calculate Your Body Mass Index. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm