Diagnosis. Fatty liver is most commonly diagnosed by a routine liver function test drawn from your blood. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is a specific marker for liver inflammation and is typically elevated in individuals with a fatty liver.
Blood tests
Your doctor may suspect you have NAFLD if your blood test shows increased levels of the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Your doctor may use the results of routine blood tests to calculate special scores, such as the FIB-4 or APRI.
NAFLD typically is characterized by a hepatocellular pattern of liver‐related enzymes with mild elevations (1‐2 times the upper limit of normal) in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Despite having the disease, up to 50% of NAFLD patients can have normal ALT and AST levels.
Imaging studies of your liver may show fat deposits. Some imaging tests, including special ultrasound and MRI scans can help diagnose the disease and spot scar tissue in the liver. But the only way to be certain that fatty liver disease is the only cause of liver damage is with a liver biopsy.
Diagnosing alcohol-related liver disease
If a doctor suspects ARLD, they'll usually arrange a blood test to check how well your liver is working. They may also ask about your alcohol consumption. It's important to be totally honest about how much and how often you drink alcohol to avoid further unnecessary testing.
Fatty liver disease is a build-up of fats in the liver that can damage the organ and lead to serious complications. Risk factors include obesity, a high-fat diet, high alcohol intake and diabetes mellitus.
Replace saturated fats with healthier unsaturated fats, like those in fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Avoid foods and drinks with large amounts of sugars, especially fructose. These include sweetened soft drinks, sports drinks, sweetened tea, and juices.
Blood tests
But liver function tests can be normal at many stages of liver disease. Blood tests can also detect if you have low levels of certain substances, such as a protein called serum albumin, which is made by the liver. A low level of serum albumin suggests your liver is not functioning properly.
If you have fatty liver disease, the damage may be reversed if you abstain from alcohol for a period of time (this could be months or years). After this point, it's usually safe to start drinking again if you stick to the NHS guidelines on alcohol units. However, it's important to check with your doctor first.
Life Expectancy With Fatty Liver Diseases
People stay healthy despite suffering from the disease following a normal routine. The life expectancy with fatty liver disease decreases from 3 to 4 years because such patients develop other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular or diabetes.
The good news is that fatty liver disease can be reversed—and even cured—if patients take action, including a 10% sustained loss in body weight.
“Many people, and even some doctors, think fatty liver is just something you have to live with.” says Dr. Halegoua-DeMarzio, “But it's not. If ignored, it can lead to serious complications including cancer or liver transplant.”
Aerobic exercise can actually cut the amount of fat in your liver. A heavy workout may also lower inflammation. Resistance or strength training exercises, like weight lifting, can also improve fatty liver disease.
NAFLD treatment includes diet and exercise with a target 7–10% weight reduction. Treatment goals include improvements in liver fat content, liver inflammation, and fibrosis.
Fried or salty foods
Too much fried or salty food is likely to increase calorie intake and can lead to a person developing obesity, a common cause of fatty liver disease.
Too much refined sugar and high-fructose corn syrup causes a fatty buildup that can lead to liver disease. Some studies show that sugar can be as damaging to the liver as alcohol, even if you're not overweight. It's one more reason to limit foods with added sugars, such as soda, pastries, and candy.
Both NAFLD and alcoholic fatty liver disease are usually silent diseases with few or no symptoms. If you do have symptoms, you may feel tired or have discomfort in the upper right side of your abdomen.
About 20 percent of alcoholics and heavy drinkers develop fatty liver, or steatosis. In many cases there are no clinical symptoms except for an enlarged liver (hepatomegaly).