Fatty Liver Disease and Diabetes

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Many of you may have heard of “fatty liver.” Fatty liver disease (steatosis) means you have extra fat in your liver. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) often coexist with diabetes aggravating the progression of simple fatty liver to a more advanced form called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). There are two forms of fatty liver: Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Even with a microscope, a doctor cannot tell the difference between the two. One will need to run blood tests to determine the levels of a liver enzyme, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) for a doctor to tell if one has fatty liver disease. A healthy liver contains a small amount of fat, and when fat reaches 5% to 10% of your liver’s weight, it becomes a problem.

Here is an interesting fact; excess alcohol and dietary sugar seem to affect the liver in a similar way. Therefore, someone with abnormal liver function may suffer from the prejudice that their abnormal liver function results from alcohol abuse. Most people with fatty liver disease have no symptoms, and it doesn’t cause severe problems for them but correlates with the development of type two diabetes. Various studies have reported that abnormal liver function tests and NAFLD often predate the onset of diabetes by many years. Before the diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, there is a long silent scream from the liver. There is also evidence linking abnormal liver function with central obesity.

Your liver is an essential organ with multiple life-supporting functions. The liver:

-Produces bile, which helps with digestion.

-Makes proteins for the body.

-Stores iron.

-Converts nutrients into energy.

-Creates substances that help your blood clot (stick together to heal wounds).

-Helps you resist infections by making immune factors and removing bacteria and toxins (substances that can harm your body) from your blood.

How is fatty liver disease diagnosed?

Fatty liver disease often has no symptoms; however, higher levels of liver enzymes (elevated liver enzymes) that turn up on a blood test for other conditions may raise a red flag. Elevated liver enzymes are a sign your liver is injured. To make a diagnosis, your doctor may order:

-Ultrasound or computed tomography (CT scan) to get a picture of the liver.

-Liver biopsy (tissue sample) to determine how far the advanced liver disease has progressed.

-FibroScan, a specialized ultrasound sometimes used instead of a liver biopsy to find out the amount of fat and scar tissue in the liver.

Is there a medication for Fatty Liver?

There’s no medication specifically for fatty liver disease. Instead, doctors focus on helping you control factors that contribute to the condition. We strongly recommend as DMMC a radical reduction of dietary refined carbs, alcohol, and sugar. A study on 69 patients on low sugar, low carbohydrate diet, and no alcohol with abnormal liver function after 13 months indicated impressive results;

-There was an average 46% improvement in liver blood tests (GGT);

-There was an average 8.8 kg weight loss (from an average of 98 kg to 89 kg);

-Diabetes control improved with HbA1c down from 52.4 mmol/mol to 42.4 mmol/mol. This moved the average person from the description “diabetic” to very nearly “normal/ nondiabetic”;

-Average total cholesterol levels fell from 5.7 mmol/L to 5.3 mmol/L. This was despite a diet higher in butter, eggs, olive oil, and other healthy fats;

-Blood pressure improved with results averaging 5.5 mmHg for the diastolic reading and 7.5 mmHg for the systolic.

More Tips to Improve Liver Disease

-Just losing 10% of your current body weight will reduce liver fat and lessen harmful inflammation.

-Avoid foods and drinks high in fructose, such as artificially sweetened sodas, juices, and desserts. Don’t drink your calories!

-Exercising is strongly recommended—Build up to at least 150 minutes a week—or aim for 10,000 to 15,000 steps a day, based on your doctor’s advice.

-Stop or Limit alcohol intake (to 1 drink daily for women, and 2 at most for men) is suggested. Ask your doctor what limit is best for you.

– Cut down on carbs and highly processed foods. Eat more vegetables and fruits, and limits fats to olive oil and nuts.

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