If you have a fatty liver, you should avoid alcohol, sugary drinks, refined carbs, and unhealthy fats, limit processed meats and excessive salt, and avoid rapid weight loss; instead, focus on a balanced diet with whole foods, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and consulting your doctor about medications that might harm your liver.
How you can treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease yourself
Which foods should I avoid?
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is when fat builds up in your liver because of extra body weight, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. It used to be called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Obesity may be the most common cause of this disease.
In people with NASH who have liver damage (cirrhosis), symptoms may include: Weakness. Loss of appetite. Nausea.
Signs that you may have more serious fatty liver disease are:
Vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, which means it's a nutrient that may help protect cells against damage. Research suggests that in people who have MASLD, vitamin E may boost the liver's natural antioxidants, help reduce liver inflammation and scarring, and help prevent fat buildup.
Here are some of the worst offenders when it comes to liver health:
“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.”
Drugs. Medications commonly implicated in causing fatty liver include corticosteroids, antidepressant and antipsychotic medications and, most commonly, tamoxifen.
Adopt a calorie-restricted diet – Reduce your intake of processed foods and focus on whole, nutrient-dense meals. Increase protein intake – Lean meats, fish, tofu, and legumes help maintain muscle mass while reducing fat. Incorporate physical activity – Regular workouts burn excess liver fat and improve metabolism.
What are the signs and symptoms of steatotic (fatty) liver disease? Abdominal pain or a feeling of fullness in the upper right side of your abdomen (belly).
Inheritance. An increased risk of developing NAFLD can be passed through generations in families, but the inheritance pattern is unknown. Variations in several genes as well as lifestyle and environmental factors contribute to the risk of developing this complex disorder.
The goal is to lose 7 to 10% of body weight per year and exercise more than 200 minutes per week. The good news is that NAFL and NASH are reversible. However, once fatty liver has progressed to cirrhosis or liver cancer, it is no longer reversible.
The best way to reverse the damage is to remove whatever is causing it. For example, if you have fatty liver caused by drinking alcohol, it's important to stop drinking. If it's caused by your diet or being overweight, then it's important to eat healthily and lose weight.
Two medicines are available to treat people who have MASH with moderate to severe liver scarring. Resmetirom (Rezdiffra) and semaglutide can help reduce the amount of fat and scarring in the liver.
Doctors recommend weight loss for nonalcoholic fatty liver. Weight loss can reduce fat in the liver, inflammation, and fibrosis. If your doctor thinks that a certain medicine is the cause of your NAFLD, you should stop taking that medicine. But check with your doctor before stopping the medicine.
Aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking, cycling, swimming, jogging, dancing and team sports) is particularly beneficial for the management of fatty liver and also improves the health of your heart, blood vessels and your aerobic fitness.
Many people with MASLD don't have liver-related complications, especially if they lessen their metabolic risk factors. Research shows that people with MASLD live, on average, about three years less than those without the condition. MASLD can raise the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Chemicals that are especially toxic for the liver include:
[58] found that dietary supplementation of vitamin E improves prognosis in liver patients. Throughout the course of cholestatic diseases or drug-induced liver damage, vitamin E protects against hepatocyte necrosis, maintaining mitochondrial integrity [59,60].
4.1 High-Sugar Fruits (e.g., Mangoes, Grapes, Bananas). While delicious, these fruits have a high glycemic index and fructose content. They can spike blood sugar, forcing the liver to convert excess sugar into fat.
In individuals with NAFLD, DNA damage is common due to oxidative stress and inflammation. Increasing B12 levels may help mitigate liver inflammation and prevent disease progression.
Lemon Water. Many citrus fruits, including lemon, can be added to water to help stimulate and flush out the liver. Lemons are high in nutrients like vitamin C and antioxidants.
While most patients don't have symptoms during early stages of NAFLD, some experience fatigue, daytime sleepiness and brain fog.