Photo: Ann H

How do you dissolve a fatty liver?

You can: Lose weight. If you're overweight or obese, reduce the number of calories you eat each day and increase your physical activity in order to lose weight. ... Choose a healthy diet. ... Exercise and be more active. ... Control your diabetes. ... Lower your cholesterol. ... Protect your liver.

mayoclinic.org - Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic

Is milk good for prostate?

New study associates intake of dairy milk with greater risk of prostate cancer. Men with higher intakes of dairy foods, especially milk, face a...

Last updated Aug 26, 2021

What foods help you pee more?

“Common vegetables that increase urine production are cucumbers, asparagus, beets, and celery," says Dr. Kavaler. Alliums—including onions and...

Last updated Sep 3, 2022

Imagine Your Moment Of Freedom!

Fluxactive Complete is conveniently packed with over 14 essential prostate powerhouse herbs, vitamins and grade A nutrients which work synergistically to help you support a healthy prostate faster

Learn More »

Promotion

Diagnosis

Because NAFLD causes no symptoms in most cases, it frequently comes to medical attention when tests done for other reasons point to a liver problem. This can happen if your liver looks unusual on ultrasound or if you have an abnormal liver enzyme test.

Tests done to pinpoint the diagnosis and determine disease severity include:

Blood tests

Complete blood count

Liver enzyme and liver function tests

Tests for chronic viral hepatitis (hepatitis A, hepatitis C and others)

Celiac disease screening test

Fasting blood sugar

Hemoglobin A1C, which shows how stable your blood sugar is

Lipid profile, which measures blood fats, such as cholesterol and triglycerides

Imaging procedures

Imaging procedures used to diagnose NAFLD include:

Abdominal ultrasound, which is often the initial test when liver disease is suspected. which is often the initial test when liver disease is suspected. Computerized tomography (CT) scanning or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen. These techniques lack the ability to distinguish NASH from NAFLD , but still may be used. of the abdomen. These techniques lack the ability to distinguish from , but still may be used. Transient elastography, an enhanced form of ultrasound that measures the stiffness of your liver. Liver stiffness indicates fibrosis or scarring. an enhanced form of ultrasound that measures the stiffness of your liver. Liver stiffness indicates fibrosis or scarring. Magnetic resonance elastography, works by combining MRI imaging with sound waves to create a visual map (elastogram) showing the stiffness of body tissues.

Liver tissue examination

If other tests are inconclusive, your doctor may recommend a procedure to remove a sample of tissue from your liver (liver biopsy). The tissue sample is examined in a laboratory to look for signs of inflammation and scarring. A liver biopsy can be uncomfortable, and it does have small risks that your doctor will review with you in detail. This procedure is performed by a needle insertion through the abdominal wall and into the liver.

Treatment

The first line of treatment is usually weight loss through a combination of a healthy diet and exercise. Losing weight addresses the conditions that contribute to NAFLD . Ideally, a loss of 10% of body weight is desirable, but improvement in risk factors can become apparent if you lose even 3% to 5% of your starting weight. Weight-loss surgery is also an option for those who need to lose a great deal of weight. For those who have cirrhosis due to NASH , liver transplantation may be an option.

Potential future treatments

There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get the latest health information from Mayo Clinic delivered to your inbox. Subscribe for free and receive your in-depth guide to digestive health, plus the latest on health innovations and news. You can unsubscribe at any time. Email address ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Subscribe Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Thank you for subscribing Your in-depth digestive health guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest health news, research, and care. If you don’t receive our email within 5 minutes, check your SPAM folder, then contact us at newsletters@mayoclinic.com. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry

Clinical trials

How much cranberry juice to drink to lower blood pressure?

If you're going to drink cranberry juice to keep your blood pressure in check, aim for 2 to 3 cups per day.

Last updated Jun 16, 2019

Should I be worried if my prostate is enlarged?

Many people worry that having an enlarged prostate means they have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer. This isn't the case. The risk...

Last updated Nov 23, 2021

Promotion

Lifestyle and home remedies

With your doctor's help, you can take steps to control your nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. You can: Lose weight. If you're overweight or obese, reduce the number of calories you eat each day and increase your physical activity in order to lose weight. Calorie reduction is the key to losing weight and managing this disease. If you have tried to lose weight in the past and have been unsuccessful, ask your doctor for help. If you're overweight or obese, reduce the number of calories you eat each day and increase your physical activity in order to lose weight. Calorie reduction is the key to losing weight and managing this disease. If you have tried to lose weight in the past and have been unsuccessful, ask your doctor for help. Choose a healthy diet. Eat a healthy diet that's rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and keep track of all calories you take in. Eat a healthy diet that's rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and keep track of all calories you take in. Exercise and be more active. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. If you're trying to lose weight, you might find that more exercise is helpful. But if you don't already exercise regularly, get your doctor's OK first and start slowly. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. If you're trying to lose weight, you might find that more exercise is helpful. But if you don't already exercise regularly, get your doctor's OK first and start slowly. Control your diabetes. Follow your doctor's instructions to stay in control of your diabetes. Take your medications as directed and closely monitor your blood sugar. Follow your doctor's instructions to stay in control of your diabetes. Take your medications as directed and closely monitor your blood sugar. Lower your cholesterol. A healthy plant-based diet, exercise and medications can help keep your cholesterol and your triglycerides at healthy levels. A healthy plant-based diet, exercise and medications can help keep your cholesterol and your triglycerides at healthy levels. Protect your liver. Avoid things that will put extra stress on your liver. For instance, don't drink alcohol. Follow the instructions on all medications and over-the-counter drugs. Check with your doctor before using any herbal remedies, as not all herbal products are safe.

Alternative medicine

No alternative medicine treatments are proved to cure nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. But researchers are studying whether some natural compounds could be helpful, such as: Vitamin E. In theory, vitamin E and other vitamins called antioxidants could help protect the liver by reducing or neutralizing the damage caused by inflammation. But more research is needed. Some evidence suggests vitamin E supplements may be helpful for people with liver damage caused by nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. But vitamin E has been linked with increased risk of death and, in men, an increased risk of prostate cancer. Coffee. In studies of people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, those who reported drinking two or more cups of coffee a day had less liver damage than those who drank little or no coffee. It's not yet clear how coffee may influence liver damage, but findings suggest it may contain certain compounds that may play a role in fighting inflammation. If you already drink coffee, these results may make you feel better about your morning cup of coffee. But if you don't already drink coffee, this probably isn't a good reason to start. Discuss the potential benefits of coffee with your doctor.

Preparing for your appointment

What is the best ED medicine for seniors?

The most commonly used ED medications among older adults are from a class of drugs called phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors. PDE5 inhibitors...

Last updated Aug 18, 2020

What foods are high in DHT?

Red meats are also high in saturated fats, which can cause an increase in DHT levels because they increase the amount of testosterone in the body....

Last updated Oct 15, 2020

Promotion

Start by making an appointment with your family doctor or primary doctor if you have signs and symptoms that worry you. If your doctor suspects you may have a liver problem, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in the liver (hepatologist). Because appointments can be brief, it's a good idea to be well prepared. Here's some information to help you get ready, and what to expect from your doctor.

What you can do

Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. When you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there's anything you need to do in advance, such as restrict your diet. When you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there's anything you need to do in advance, such as restrict your diet. Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment. including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment. Make a list of all medications, vitamins or supplements that you're taking. vitamins or supplements that you're taking. Take any relevant medical records, such as records of any tests you've had that relate to your current condition. such as records of any tests you've had that relate to your current condition. Take a family member or friend along. Sometimes it can be difficult to absorb all the information provided during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot. Sometimes it can be difficult to absorb all the information provided during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot. Write down questions to ask your doctor. If you find out you have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, some basic questions to ask include:

Is the fat in my liver hurting my health?

Will my fatty liver disease progress to a more serious form?

What are my treatment options?

What can I do to keep my liver healthy?

I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?

Should I see a specialist? Will my insurance cover it?

Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What websites do you recommend?

Should I plan for a follow-up visit?

In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment.

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:

mayoclinic.org - Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic

What eye color is the strongest?

The allele genes come in the form of brown, blue, or green, with brown being dominant, followed by green, and blue being the least dominant or what...

Last updated Aug 22, 2019