How Can Fatty Liver Be Reversed? The Best Foods and Lifestyle Changes

One in four American adults has an issue with fatty liver. Most people usually find out that they have the condition in their 40s or 50s, but it can emerge at any age and can even affect children. Still, fatty liver tends to be more prevalent in persons with particular risk factors, including type 2 diabetes and a high BMI. Symptoms do not develop. As such, a routine lab test or a medical procedure by your healthcare provider is often the only way to know you have a fatty liver. Can fatty liver be reversed? The simple answer is yes. Continue reading and learn more about this condition and how a reversal is possible.

What Is Fatty Liver?

According to StatPearls' definition, a fatty liver presents macrovesicular changes with no inflammation (steatosis) and lobular inflammation without significant alcohol use. Fatty liver falls into two categories:

• NAFL (Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver), or simply steatosis, is the presence of hepatic steatosis without hepatocellular injury in the form of ballooning of the hepatocytes. It’s characterized by fat in the liver but no damage to the liver. This is the mildest form.
• NASH (Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis) is the presence of hepatic steatosis and inflammation with hepatocyte injury (ballooning). In other words, NASH is characteristic of inflammation and liver cell damage. It is the more severe form.

A histology or liver biopsy is needed to distinguish between NAFL and NASH. Still, fatty liver occurs when you have too much fat inside your liver, and over time, it can impact liver function and lead to liver injury.

Statistics indicate that roughly between 10% to 20% of Americans have NAFL, while roughly 2% to 5% have NASH.

Causes of Fatty Liver

People with a group of health conditions called “metabolic syndrome” are more likely to have fatty liver. The exact cause of fatty liver is unclear. However, it may be connected to how the body processes fats and sugars. People who have a higher risk of getting fatty liver are those over 50 years old, smokers, or those taking medication such as corticosteroids. Some specific risk factors can lead to fatty liver, including the following:

• A BMI over 25/being overweight
• Having a lot of stomach fat
• Having high blood fat levels, either triglycerides or LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Insulin resistance
• Prediabetes or type 2 diabetes
• Thyroid problems
• Hepatitis C infection

Symptoms of Fatty Liver

Fatty liver is a silent condition known to occur without causing any noticeable symptoms. There may be no sign of liver damage, so it could be years before symptoms develop. Symptoms of fatty liver could include:

• Severe tiredness/general feeling of being unwell
• Spiderlike blood vessels on the skin
• Abdominal pain (upper right)
• Weakness
• Weight loss
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes/jaundice
• Long-lasting itching
• Dark urine (a more serious sign)

The Effect of Fatty Liver on the Adrenals

Adrenal Fatigue is a condition where the body cannot keep up with long-term stress, resulting in various nonspecific symptoms such as the tendency to gain weight, cravings for salty foods, fatigue, tiredness, and a weakened immune system.  Your NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response goes into hyperdrive when you have AFS, staying active for too long. This causes the adrenal glands to become fatigued because of the constant demand for the stress hormone cortisol.

Fatigued adrenals can affect liver health. Chronic inflammation increases the toxic load that the liver must remove from the body, causing it to become chronically overworked. This may increase sugar cravings, which can contribute to fatty liver.

Furthermore, dysregulation of the Detoxification circuit, which includes the liver, can also occur. This adds stress to the body’s systems and affects your entire body. This further depletes the adrenals and could even lead to an adrenal crash.

Can Fatty Liver Be Reversed? Yes, It Can

The good news is you can reverse fatty liver. There is no specific time frame for how long it may take to reverse fatty liver. However, factors such as how well you adjust to your new lifestyle changes and how effective they are will determine the duration it will take to reverse fatty liver. Still, on average, reversing fatty liver as soon as six weeks is possible if you make the adjustments and they work. You can achieve this by taking several steps that include:

Focus on Weight Loss

If you wish to reverse fatty liver, research suggests that dropping weight is the quickest way. Losing 10% of your total body weight should be your ideal goal. According to an article published in Diabetes Spectrum, a body weight reduction of ≥5% is required to reduce liver fat. However, before you begin your weight loss program, talk to your healthcare provider about the best safe and effective approach. Weight loss options can include:

• Diet
• Exercise
• Weight loss medication
• Weight loss surgery
• Addressing other health conditions that may contribute to weight gain, such as:
  • Diabetes
  • High cholesterol
  • High triglycerides (fat in the blood)
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome
  • Sleep apnea
  • An underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism
  • Underactive pituitary gland, or hypopituitarism

Adjust Your Eating Habits

Can fatty liver be reversed by changing how you eat? The answer is yes. Modifying your diet may benefit weight loss and help reduce the fat level in your liver. Several dietary changes that you can make include the following:

• Eating more vegetables
• Eating more fish
• Reducing the food eaten at night, especially before bed
• Adding more high-fiber foods to your diet
• Reducing carbohydrate intake
• Cutting sugars
• Cutting salt
• Limiting your saturated and trans fat intake
• Enjoying your morning cup of coffee, which may lower liver inflammation
• Practice the plate method (one-half of vegetables, a quarter of carbohydrates, and a quarter of protein)

According to the findings published in the Clinical and Molecular Hepatology journal, a hypocaloric diet low in carbohydrates could be personalized to manage NAFLD successfully. Further evidence suggests that certain dietary compositions provide additional benefits for NAFLD patients beyond calorie restriction, but personalized dietary recommendations might be necessary to maximize dietary interventions in NAFLD.

Ease Stress on Your Liver

Cutting back on alcohol is another way that you can reverse fatty liver and minimize stress on your liver. Too much alcohol can lead to a build-up of fat in the liver and damage the organ as well. It contains a lot of sugar, and its toxicity can add fatty deposits to your liver.

Eliminate alcohol if you can, but drinking less can also be helpful if this is a challenge. It’s recommended that women have less than one drink a day and men less than two a day. Drinking one and a half to two liters of water a day is a far better option than alcohol.

Additionally, another way to limit stress on your liver is to follow the dosage directions, especially when taking over-the-counter medicine such as acetaminophen, prescription painkillers, and cold medication. You want to ensure that you are not overdosing, which could impact the health of your liver. Carefully read the labels on your medicines and adhere to them.

Get Active and Exercise

Adequate exercise can help reverse fatty liver. Aim to participate in 20 -40 minutes a day of moderate-intense physical exercise three to four times per week. You want to combine aerobic exercises, like swimming, running, and cycling, with strength and endurance exercises, like push-ups, sit-ups, and weightlifting. Mixing the two enhances your base metabolism and burns more calories.

How Can Fatty Liver Be Reversed: Foods to Avoid

Wondering how can fatty liver be reversed with food choices? If you have a fatty liver, you want to avoid foods that will add more fatty deposits to what your liver has already accumulated. Accordingly, foods that your doctor may recommend that you stay away from include:

• Sugary Foods: Cookies, sodas, or candy can increase blood sugar levels.
• Salty Foods: Excess salt in your diet increases your risk of NAFLD. The American Heart Association recommends keeping your sodium intake at less than 2,300 milligrams daily.
• Red Meat: Beef and pork, for instance, tend to be high in saturated fat.
• Fried Foods: Typically, high-calorie and high-fat foods can increase your risk of developing obesity.
• Refined Grains: White bread, pasta, and rice are made from highly processed, refined grains and lack fiber. As they are digested, these foods can quickly raise blood sugar levels.
• High-Fat Dairy Products: Eliminate full-fat cheese, milk, and yogurt, which can contribute to fat deposits in your liver.

7 Foods That Remove Fat from The Liver

• Coffee: Helps lower abnormal liver enzymes.
• Leafy greens: This helps prevent fat buildup, possibly because of nitrates and particular polyphenols in these foods.
• Beans and soy: Lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, and peas can help to reduce the risk of developing NAFLD.
• Fish: Fatty fish, like salmon and tuna, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help to reduce inflammation and fat levels in the body.
• Whole grains: Foods like oats and quinoa are fiber-rich and can help reduce the risk of NAFLD-related diseases.
• Nuts: Help reduce inflammation, insulin resistance, and the risk of developing NAFLD.
• Turmeric: Helps to lower the levels of two enzymes in the body - alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase - that are abnormally high in people with fatty liver disease.

Supplements for Liver Health

LipoNano Glutathione by Dr. Lam

Glutathione is not just any antioxidant; it's often called the 'Master Recycler.' It neutralizes free radicals and helps detoxify harmful chemicals. Beyond that, it aids in various cellular functions like amino acid transport and DNA and protein synthesis. Cellular glutathione levels may decrease in cases of oxidative stress or exposure to toxins, making supplementation necessary. LipoNano Glutathione uses a liposomal delivery mechanism to improve bioavailability, ensuring that more active ingredient reaches your cells. This formulation is particularly beneficial in supporting the detoxification of harmful substances in the liver while rejuvenating other antioxidants to their active forms.

Fermented Liver Rebuilder by Dr. Lam

Milk thistle is the key ingredient here, celebrated for its liver-supporting properties. It has been researched for its role in liver regulation. Fermentation enhances milk thistle's natural benefits, making it easier for your body to absorb and utilize. Fermented Liver Rebuilder provides detoxification support and aims to stimulate optimal liver function and metabolism.

The Takeaway

Fatty liver does not typically show signs that it's present in the body. However, you can take steps today to support and improve the health of your liver.  You can begin by maintaining a healthy weight and sticking to a balanced diet high in vegetables but low in sugars, salt, and saturated fats. Getting regular exercise each week and drinking plenty of water could also help.  Talk to your healthcare provider about your diet or exercise concerns before you make any changes.

If you are concerned that toxins in your body could affect your liver, call us at +1 (626) 571-1234 for a free initial consult.