The liver is the second largest organ in your body. Among its many tasks, it keeps your blood free of toxins, and controls the amount of sugar and fats in the bloodstream. The British Liver Trust states excess fats that accumulate on the liver, though harmless for most people, can trigger fatty liver disease in others. Dietary changes are recommended to remove fat on the liver when the condition is related to nutritional causes.
Dietary Causes
The liver converts carbohydrates into fat. When you consume excess carbohydrates and high fat foods, your liver is overburdened. Excess fat cannot be properly metabolized; it remains in the liver instead of being stored in the body's fat reserves as fuel to keep your bodily processes working efficiently.
The exact causes of fatty liver disease are still being investigated; however, the disease has been linked to high bloodstream levels of sugar and fats. According to Three Rivers Endoscopy Center, on their website GI Health.com, a healthy liver contains approximately five percent fat cells. Leading a sedentary lifestyle and eating a diet excessively high in fats and simple carbohydrates will contribute to an increase in the number of fat cells in your liver. When their numbers grow to 10 percent or higher, the fat cells begin to destroy, and take the place of, healthy liver cells. The result is steatosis---fatty liver.
Recommended Dietary Changes
The amount of fat entering the liver from the small intestine during the digestion process can be reduced by making dietary changes. Brent A. Tetri, M.D., Saint Louis University Liver Center, in his article in the Daily Health News, "New Epidemic in America: Fatty Liver Disease," September 22, 2008, recommends a Mediterranean style diet consisting of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, and healthy fats like olive oil. Dr. Tetri states in his Daily Health News article, "Fix a Fat Liver," November 24, 2009, that a loss of as little as nine percent of total weight will result in a rapid improvement in NAFLD.
Three Rivers Endoscopy Center suggests reducing weight by following the Atkin's diet, which is high in protein, and low in carbohydrates. If you are diabetic, you must maintain strict control over this condition. Insulin impairment interferes with carbohydrate metabolism and is one of many factors contributing to fatty liver disease.
Additional Causes
Fatty liver is the first stage of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). It continues with the destruction of healthy liver cells, the formation of scar tissue, and ultimately the development of cirrhosis (liver failure) and death. According to the California Pacific Medical Center, "as little as one glass of wine or beer a week may contribute to this condition."
Fatty liver disease can develop as the result of high cholesterol or excess triglycerides causing the accumulation of too much fat in the bloodstream, type 2 diabetes, obesity, medications including prednisone, estrogen, and excessive use of acetaminophen (Tylenol), intestinal surgical procedures for obesity or small-intestine removal.
Prevalence of Fatty Liver Disease
For non-alcoholics suffering from this condition, the British Liver Trust states, NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) is the initial phase of the illness involving the accumulation of excess fat in the liver. NAFLD affects approximately one third of the adults in the United States, and approximately 13 percent of the children, as stated by Brent A. Tetri, M.D., Saint Louis University Liver Center, in his article in the Daily Health News, September 22, 2008.
The next phase is NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis), the more advanced stage of this disease. NASH involves inflammation and swelling of the liver and can progress to cirrhosis.
Because there are no initial symptoms, the disease may not be detected for many years until it has reached a more advanced stage of liver damage. Fatty liver disease is sometimes discovered during a routine blood test that reveals an elevation in liver enzymes.
Summary
Fatty liver disease can be avoided by eating a healthy diet that eliminates or minimizes foods that are high in carbohydrates and fats, especially triglycerides. Avoid overeating and crash dieting, minimize consumption of fast foods because of their high fat content, and refrain from fasting because it stresses the liver according to the Saint Louis University Liver Center. Keep active and engage in regular exercise, limit or totally avoid the use of alcohol, keep diabetes under control, and aggressively manage high cholesterol. If you have fatty liver disease, follow the cause-specific treatment recommended by your doctor and be certain to let him know about all medications you are taking including prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs such as Tylenol.
