Fatty liver

Streaky bacon

My friend has a fatty liver. She was told to eat less meat - she told her GP she’d eaten no meat since she was 11, didn’t touch seafood or cheese. She’s 73 and ‘just has a fatty liver’. She’s still slim and has never smoked.
I’ll ask her tomorrow if she’s on any meds for it, but I don’t think so.

Your GP or Consultant, plus NHS dietitian should be advising you about the course of action you need to take.

The liver is very good at repairing itself in fact.

Yes I have a mildly fatty liver, pretty consistent with my age I think. I don't worry about it. No treatment. I am vegetarian so don't eat meat or fish. I eat cheese very sparingly and lay off high fat dairy stuff.

I’ve worked out I must have had a fatty liver for around 10 years or so, maybe longer. The practice never mentioned fatty liver or any treatment for it. Roll on ten years, had a scan for pain in my abdomen, specialist doing the scan mentioned I had a fatty liver- I asked how do i reverse it, he said, I probably won’t as it’s probably genetics.
Put on a statin this week as my cholesterol is 5.4.
I am overweight, don’t drink now (but was a bing drinker in my 20s/30s & early 40s haven’t touched alcohol since 43, 60 now.
I believe if you eat lots of carbs, that can also damage the liver- so not sure how to reverse it.

My partner was told he had a slightly fatty liver. He was told to reduce starchy carbs, which suits me just fine because I'm T2 diabetic and don't eat many starchy carbs, so we now eat the same things. He had a follow up test after six months and his liver profile has improved.

Diabetics are at risk for fatty liver, which is why I have mine tested every year. My diet is based on lean protein, healthy fats and lots of veg/salad. I rarely eat potatoes, pasta, bread, rice, pastry or cakes/biscuits. I don't drink any alcohol. My liver tests have always been within a normal range.

Spoke to friend this morning. Her fatty liver came to light following GP tests, after she’d been unwell on holiday in Italy.

Fatty liver - no reason, no meds.

Georgesgran

Spoke to friend this morning. Her fatty liver came to light following GP tests, after she’d been unwell on holiday in Italy.

Fatty liver - no reason, no meds.

No it’s just down to diet I think. Mine was probably heavy drinking on a Friday night & diet. Did have a fibo scan, liver was 2. Something for stiffness, specialist was happy but no mention of my fatty liver.
There must be a hell of a lot of people with fatty livers out there as there is more overweight people than ever.

NAFLD (non alcoholic fatty liver disease) is NOT always down to diet. There can be genetic factors, or in my case, it was caused by a very rare complication to having glandular fever, which affected my liver. I've had it for years now and apart from getting regular liver function tests and the occasional span, I've never received any treatment for it.

ViceVersa

NAFLD (non alcoholic fatty liver disease) is NOT always down to diet. There can be genetic factors, or in my case, it was caused by a very rare complication to having glandular fever, which affected my liver. I've had it for years now and apart from getting regular liver function tests and the occasional span, I've never received any treatment for it.

Yes that also a good point- viruses. I was told 5 yrs ago that I had had an Hep A infection in the past, they treated me a like a leper, ( having an camera in the bowel at the time & they left me until last), the liver specialist said most people passed 40 will have had Hep A, especially if they travel a lot as its water borne. I remember having bad food poisoning in turkey many years ago, so wondering if that contributed to my fatty liver? 🤔

ViceVersa

NAFLD (non alcoholic fatty liver disease) is NOT always down to diet. There can be genetic factors, or in my case, it was caused by a very rare complication to having glandular fever, which affected my liver. I've had it for years now and apart from getting regular liver function tests and the occasional span, I've never received any treatment for it.

True, but people have nothing to lose from a different lifestyle/diet. So long as it doesn't become an obsession, they can always revert if it doesn't work. A healthier diet, a bit more exercise and giving up smoking if applicable will have beneficial effects anyway.

That is true, growstuff, but having had NAFLD for many years now, I know that many people are very quick to assume (wrongly) that it is down to either alcohol or a poor diet when that isn't always the case. Just reading some of the comments on here confirms that.

ViceVersa

That is true, growstuff, but having had NAFLD for many years now, I know that many people are very quick to assume (wrongly) that it is down to either alcohol or a poor diet when that isn't always the case. Just reading some of the comments on here confirms that.

I don't assume that ViceVersa. I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes in my 30s. Most people assume diabetes is caused by being overweight and a poor diet/lifestyle (and they certainly are risk factors). I have never been overweight, have always been quite conscious about what I eat, although I admit I don't particularly like exercise.

So the cause of my diabetes has always been a mystery - to me and the medics treating me. Nevertheless, I decided that I would do what I could to stop it progressing, which is why I've followed a restricted diet for 40 years and do make an effort to do more exercise. I take my meds and have all the tests I'm advised to have. The condition has progressed, but much more slowly than I was told it would. I would make the same lifestyle changes, if I were to be diagnosed with fatty liver disease.

Unfortunately, I think there is still a great deal of ignorance when it comes to liver diseases in general. The minute you mention you have problems with your liver, many people automatically assume it must be down to alcohol abuse.

ViceVersa

Unfortunately, I think there is still a great deal of ignorance when it comes to liver diseases in general. The minute you mention you have problems with your liver, many people automatically assume it must be down to alcohol abuse.

Maybe some public health education is needed. IMO it doesn't really matter. People need to know if there's anything they can do to protect themselves - and in many cases there is.

You're at an increased risk of NAFLD if you:

are obese or overweight – particularly if you have a lot of fat around your waist (an "apple-like" body shape)
have type 2 diabetes
have a condition that affects how your body uses insulin (insulin resistance), such as polycystic ovary syndrome
have an underactive thyroid
have high blood pressure
have high cholesterol
have metabolic syndrome (a combination of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity)
are over the age of 50
smoke

(Source: NHS)

For non alcoholic fatty liver you need to cut carbs/sugars. I have really struggled over the years but I am on a new medication which has really helped. I can't take statins but this medication does much the same job and I have had no side effects. It is a Bempedoic acid 180mg / Ezetimibe 10mg tablet which as you can see is a dual formula. Before this I took a single formula which wasn't half as good.

Sikipoo, my DH has had non alcoholic fatty liver disease for about 20 years. He has annual blood test and scans, but so far hasn’t needed any other medication. He’s followed his consultant’s advice to avoid alcohol. He said he doesn’t miss it and just watch’s what eats. I hope you’re able to control it without any problems

I'm a GP...almost every abdominal scan I request for anyone over middle age shows fatty liver....even if the scan was for a non liver related reason.
This is in thin as well as fat people.
Personally, I had a scan for possible gallstones more than 20 years ago.
No stones but, yes , fatty liver!
I am now almost 70 . Slightly over weight but attend Weight Watchers. I like a glass of wine and my own liver function tests last week were perfect.
Most people's are.
For those whose liver tests are a bit off we do do the aforementioned Fibroscan.
This isto assess for liver stiffness and try to predict whether a patient might progress to cirrhosis.
Most are satisfactory, even in heavy drinkers.
I think your predilection for developing liver disease may be either genetic or just random bad luck.
Sometimes people get advanced disease and are very moderate drinkers.
Hopefully I can encourage you that fatty liver is common and very few advance to cirrhosis.
There's a but though.....don't over indulge in anything and, if your tests do show rising levels of liver damage then, take action!!
Do not ignore.
Liver failure is a truly horrible way to go....and, apart from the unfortunate few who have one of the rare liver conditions, you are responsible for the health of your liver and you can, and should, do something about it .

At 46 I was diagnosed with NAFLD. Non alcoholic fatty liver disease . Two of my liver chemicals were about 6x over the limit.Nothing to be done . Could be genetic. Could be due to Kenalog hay fever injections previously, can be down to use of NSAI like ibuprofen.

Wright loss can help .
I had a fibro scan very funny test where they knock the side of your abdomen gentle with a gadget and it measures how much your liver wobbles.

Think raw liver very wobbly.
Think cooked liver very stiff.

Wobbly liver healthy , stiff liver unhealthy.
Mine was fine .
Who knows! I have no pain or worries It’s still hugely high.

I was diagnosed 10(ish) years ago, other than being told I had non alcoholic fatty liver disease I’ve never been given any medication nor any advice on reducing it

Low carb diets or intermittent fasting can help. Cutting out/down sugars particularly fructose can be helpful as the liver metabolized fructose. So no high fructose corn syrup containing foods and avoid lots of fruit juice
www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/abundance-of-fructose-not-good-for-the-liver-heart