This is a silent and serious disease that is slowly taking over a large part of our population. Fatty liver disease is becoming more common in many parts of the world, especially in the United States. It affects 1 in 5 people worldwide and is a major risk factor for liver failure, but also for diabetes, heart attacks and even cancer. In the United States, it is the most common liver disease.
This disease is called NALFD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) or fatty liver . There is a clear link to fructose, vegetable seed oils and our overall diet. What is this disease?
The main characteristic of this disease is an excess of fat stored in the liver. So much that the liver can no longer function properly. The liver is considered 'fatty' if it consists of more than 5% fat. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the early stage of this liver disease and is still reversible at this point.
The biggest problem with this disease is that it often has no symptoms, so it goes undiagnosed. Over time, NAFL can progress to NASH, or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
At this point, the inflammation and fat begin to damage liver cells, leading to scarring of the liver and cirrhosis. By the time the disease progresses to NASH, the liver is no longer functioning properly. NASH can be life-threatening and can be the beginning of liver cancer, an aggressive and difficult to treat form of cancer.
The liver is one of the most important organs in our body and an organ we cannot do without.
The liver is responsible for:
- Production of bile, removes waste products and breaks down fats
- Production of proteins for the blood plasma
- Production of cholesterol and special proteins that transport fats
- Conversion of glucose to glycogen for storage
- Processing of hemoglobin for iron
- Conversion of ammonia to urea for removal from the body
- Metabolize medications and rid the body of toxins
- Regulating blood clotting
- Production of immune factors to fight infections
- Clearance of red blood cell byproducts.
When the liver is overloaded with sugar or starch, it starts producing fat like crazy. This is the body’s normal response to excess glucose. However, fructose—especially in the form of high fructose corn syrup—is a trigger that sends the liver into overdrive and really gets the fat production going. Because high fructose corn syrup has found its way into virtually every processed food and drink, it is the leading cause of fatty liver disease—along with countless other serious health problems.
Fatty liver disease is associated with a host of health problems. First, high blood sugar, high inflammation, and insulin resistance lead to diabetes and obesity. When fat accumulates in the liver and surrounding organs, “visceral fat,” it is a precursor to many serious, chronic diseases.
Excess belly fat also raises LDL cholesterol levels, along with excess inflammation, making you a prime candidate for heart attacks. What’s even more shocking is that this disease doesn’t just affect middle-aged and older people. Children as young as 10 and 12 get this disease from drinking juice and soda as children.
What are the risk factors for fatty liver disease? Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is more common in people who have any of these health conditions or characteristics:
- Menopausal or postmenopausal women
- People who have had their gallbladder removed
- Obesity
- Type 2 diabetes
- Prediabetes
- Metabolic syndrome
- Hispanic
- Fast weight loss
- High blood pressure
- Middle age or older; children can also have NAFLD
- Corticosteroids and some cancer drugs
- Low intake of choline, an essential nutrient
Choline deficiency and NAFLD
Research now shows that a deficiency of choline, an important nutrient found in egg yolks and beef liver, is one of the major risk factors for fatty liver disease, along with fructose. According to Chris Masterjohn, a PhD in nutritional science, a deficiency in choline appears to be an even more important trigger for fatty liver disease than fructose, and he believes the increase in this liver disease is largely due to avoiding liver and egg yolks. Says Dr. Masterjohn:
“More specifically, I believe right now that dietary fat, whether it's saturated or unsaturated, and anything that the liver likes to turn into fat, like fructose, [sucrose] and ethanol, will promote fat accumulation as long as we don't get enough choline,” says Masterjohn, adding:
“Once that fat accumulates, the critical factor that fuels an inflammatory fire is consuming too many PUFA (polyunsaturated fats from vegetable oils).
When you combine a low-choline diet with excessive consumption of fructose and starch, you are almost guaranteed to develop fatty liver disease at some point.
What is choline?
Choline is a nutrient found in egg yolks, beef liver, legumes, nuts, beef, and leafy greens. Choline is an essential component of our cell membranes and is needed for the synthesis of phospholipids. Choline helps our bodies make the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is important for memory, mood, muscle control, and other functions of the brain and nervous system.
Choline also contributes to the metabolism of B vitamins. Choline is essential to make phosphatidylcholine, which is important for the structure and integrity of the cell walls in our body. Many people have low choline levels due to dietary restrictions (egg yolk, liver) and people who are vegetarian or vegan.
Menopausal women and choline deficiency
Young women need less choline from their diet than children or other adults because the female hormone estrogen helps the body make choline. After menopause, estrogen levels drop, making it necessary to get choline from food. This puts menopausal and postmenopausal women at a much higher risk of fatty liver disease, especially if they have a poor diet high in sugars and starches.
Choline and B vitamins
If a person is deficient in folic acid, a B vitamin, the need for choline in the diet increases even more, because choline is needed for the body to absorb B vitamins.
Two common genetic variations in the PEMT gene and the MTHFR gene (I will discuss these gene variations in a future article) create a higher need for both folic acid AND choline, further increasing the risk of developing fatty liver disease.
What does this mean?
Postmenopausal women and people with these common gene variations are at high risk for choline deficiency, which puts them at an even higher risk for fatty liver disease. AND when you combine these factors with a common gene variation, a poor diet—high in processed foods, high fructose corn syrup, and processed grains—the risk of fatty liver disease is extremely high.
What are the symptoms?
Often this stealthy disease causes few or no symptoms. If it does, symptoms may include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, and discomfort in the upper right abdomen. If left untreated, it can cause serious liver problems, such as:
- Swelling of the abdomen
- Enlarged blood vessels
- Enlarged spleen
- Red palms
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Mental confusion or dementia
How can I prevent or reverse fatty liver disease?
You can prevent fatty liver disease by changing your diet. The first step is to strictly eliminate foods that contain fructose and high fructose corn syrup, as well as sucrose or other added sugars. Avoid these foods:
Processed foods, especially any foods containing added fructose, corn syrup, or high fructose corn syrup.
All vegetable seed oils such as soybean oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil.
Alcohol
Certain medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen
Foods to eat more of:
- Egg yolks
- Grass-fed liver
- Naturally raised meat, poultry and fish - you may want to consider eating these even if you are vegetarian or vegan
- Beans and peas
- Liver-boosting foods such as artichokes, arugula and dandelion
- Green leafy vegetables that contain a lot of folic acid
Additionally, taking supplements can help the liver clear out fat while rebuilding the liver and reducing inflammation. Take these supplements:
- Lecithin, which contains a lot of choline
- A multi-B vitamin with natural folate or methylfolate, NOT synthetic folic acid
- Milk thistle which helps the liver
- Zinc
- Selenium
- Berberine, which lowers blood sugar levels
- Whey protein, shown to reduce fatty liver by up to 20%
Green tea contains catechins that reduce fatty liver and inflammation
Other supplements such as probiotics, resveratrol, curcumin, vitamin E, vitamin C, and vitamin D may help naturally improve fatty liver and overall health.
And don't forget to exercise regularly, as this can help you burn excess glucose, increase your insulin sensitivity and help you lose weight.
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References:
https://drhyman.com/blog/2013/09/26/fatty-liver-90-million-americans/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20354567
https://www.theartofhealing.com.au/eggs.html
https://draxe.com/health/fatty-liver-disease/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21288612/
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/05/08/why-children-are-getting-fatty-liver-disease.aspx?fbclid=IwAR0l_PNLDz1g4gcGUXJlg9VOs8F9I57HKVmIF8oXzUYZ9OtNdOFYRtjXrpw
https://www.healthline.com/health/visceral-fat#complications
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5893377/#R8
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/liver-anatomy-and-functions
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462685/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fatty-liver#TOC_TITLE_HDR_6
https://draxe.com/health/fatty-liver-disease/
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/92/5/1113/4597519
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional/
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/85/5/1275/4632979?itm_medium=sidebar&itm_content=ajcn&itm_source=trendmd-widget&it m_campaign=trendmd-pilot&utm_campaign=The_American_Journal_of_Clinical_Nutrition_TrendMD_0&utm_source=TrendMD&utm_medium= cpc