A new research done in the University of Connecticut, investigated the influence of the core flavonoid ingredient of green tea for fatty liver disease (steatosis). The researchers found that green tea might stop fat build-up around the liver.

This research has been done on mice, and if its results could be translated to humans, the conclusion would be that green tea extract might become a very useful preventative in the development of fatty liver.

Green Tea Extract

The research took six straight weeks, and included 3 groups of mice. The first group didn’t receive any green tea extract; the second group fed with one percent green tea extract, and the third one with two percent.

At the end of the research, the two groups of mice that have been fed with green tea extract diet, had a decrease of 23-25 percent of their body weight, and the mice who didn’t receive the supplement, had only 11-20 percent decrease in their body weight.

The research also included testing the level of Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) enzymes in their blood stream. The results have shown a decrease of the enzyme levels by 30-41 percent in the mice who fed with green tea extract, against 22-33 percent in the mice who didn’t fed with GTE.

A research done by scientists from the University of London’s School of Pharmacy, claim that taurine could undo the liver damage done by alcoholism.

Taurine is a core ingredient in bile and helps in the digestion of fats and the absorption of vitamins that are capable of  fat dissolvent. It is an essential acid that our body manufactures naturally.

The researchers gave rats excessive amounts of alcohol, and some amount of taurine for one month. They found that it prevented fat build-up around the liver, and more unexpectedly, taurine reversed the liver damaged caused by the alcohol.

Additional research done by scientists in Ireland, found that tautine has similar effect in children with fatty liver disease due to obesity (Non-alcoholic fatty liver or NAFLD).

As one of the ways to diagnosis a fatty liver, the abdominal ultrasound can show the existence of fatty liver. It is required to fast for at least 6 hours before the ultrasound test.

First, lets take a look on an ultrasound image of a healthy liver:

Healthy Liver

Now lets take a look of how a fatty liver looks like in an ultrasound:

Fatty Liver

You can actually see the fat that covers the liver (the white area).

Dandelion could be an effective herb in case of a fatty liver. Studies have shown that the nutrients that the dandelion is made of, can increase the production and flow of bile, from the gallbladder and the liver.

The main part of this herbal plant, is the effect its leaves and the root have on the liver. These compounds help the liver to stimulate digestion, and can increase the bile production and flow to the liver.

This would result an increase to the fat metabolism in our body. And it is this fact that could improve the liver function, and eventually help curing a fatty liver.

With combination with additional liver strengthening nutrients, dandelion could definitely aid in the case of fatty liver.

Typical look of dandelion:

Dandelion

Recent studies have indicated that some nutritional supplements might have a role in restraining or curing a fatty liver. Here is a list of three of these supplements that shown many health benefits to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease after many researches:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are common in some plant oils like canola and linseed oil, also in some fish, like salmon. Many health specialists and consumers know that omega-3 fatty acids have many health benefits:

• Reduce change of heart health issues
• Improve the activity of insulin
• Decrease inflammation, plan and inflexibility
• Assists many people who suffer from Central Nervous System dysfunctions

Many researches in animals indicate that an effective diet, that contains high levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), can actually reduce the amount of liver fat. This is true especially in a non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

The research has shown that omega-3 actually reduced the liver enzyme levels (ALT, AST, and others), let to better blood fat ratio, and improved the liver texture.

Southern Ginseng

Also known as Gynostemma Pentaphyllum or Jiaogulan, Southern Ginseng is a herb used thoroughly in the Chinese medicine, as a treatment for various illnesses. Some of southern ginseng’s ability are:

• Reduces cholesterol and blood coagulation
• Increases energy in the individual
• Aid in healthy cell development and protects the liver as a result of antioxidant activity

In 2006, a new research at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan, shown the benefits of southern ginseng supplementation for NAFLD patients (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease). The research concluded that if a patient consumed a daily dose of 80 mL of this nutrition, it can reduce  liver enzyme levels in the bloodstream, and increase insulin resistance.

Milk Thistle

Silymarin – this is the active ingredient in the milk thistle herb. It has a history of improving liver health. Many studies have shown that milk thistle might:

• Increase the speed of liver cell regeneration
• Restrain liver fibrosis
• Protect the liver from injury
• Decrease cholesterol absorption

A study in Czech Republic back in 2006, have shown that milk thistle extract decreased cholesterol absorption in rats with high cholesterol diet, and also reduced the LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides levels. The conclusion was that the restraint of cholesterol absorption can assist the lipid content in the liver.

As mentioned in Food and fatty liver article, effective diet could greatly help in fatty liver disease. One of the most important thing to keep in mint is that it’s not enough to just to change your eating habits, but to maintain that change.

What I mean by that is, that many people with fatty liver disease, change their eating habits for a while, then taking a new liver function blood test, and they see good and normal results. This is because the liver enzymes levels in the bloodstream change quite fast, and the blood test can be tricky sometimes.

It’s important to take things gradually. Meaning, one blood test can’t really show if the disease is gone or not – it takes times. Further more, even one year after changing you eating style, you need to keep in mind that your body is vulnerable for fatty liver disease, thus you need to watch your diet through the years to come.

You can always use Food and fatty liver as your guideline for a good diet program.

As mentioned in the How can a fatty liver be avoided? article, food is key to get rid of fatty liver. The disease partly develops because of the amount of fat consumed by the individual, which in some cases is higher than recommended. Some of these fats are stored in the liver, thus contributing to develop fatty liver disease. Those of you who ask “What can I eat with a fatty liver?”, below are some answers.

First, lets talk about the foods you should limit their quantity in your meal:

• White bread
• Butter
• Most prepared breakfast cereals (usually contain high levels of sugar)
• White rice
• Concentrated sugar
• Fat rich meals, like – hamburger, pizza, etc
• High-glycerin food
• High-cholesterol  food (eggs for example – limit yourself to two eggs per week)
• Carbonated drinks
• Fried food / Fast food

Now let’s take a look on some foods you should try to focus on:

• All kinds of vegetables (broccoli is highly recommended)
• Fruits (2-3 slices per day – try to avoid bananas as it contains a lot of glucose)
• Beans and unprocessed grains
• Whole grain bread
• Skim milk instead of whole milk
• Food with high level of proteins

Moderation is the key

Please remember that I’m not recommending to never eat the mentioned food above. It’s all about moderation. Eating your favorite food once a while is no crime, but you should limit yourself and look, and monitor your progress. Determination is the key to your success.

In addition, remember that weight loss is the most affecting way to cure fatty liver. And the best affecting way to do so, it by a combination of eating different food and exercise. Physical activity helps to burn your fat much faster, and replace it with muscles.

Here is a food pyramid you could use as a general guide:

The objective of the diet for liver detox is to achieve a healthy liver. Basically, diet for liver detox is based on the beliefs that if the liver’s function is enhanced through basic dietary practice, you can easily acquire enormous health benefits.

Our liver performs numerous tasks in the body but the main function of this organ is filtration. It cleans or washes away toxic substances from the bloodstream. In addition, liver is the main source of bile, a substance that is crucial for digestion. The nutrients are gathered, the toxins are removed and the chemical substances found in the bloodstream are controlled – this is the state of a body with a healthy liver.

The liver also has an exceptional characteristic compared to other organs in the body. The liver has the ability to regenerate damaged cells if it was affected by a disease or a short-term illness. However, it may suffer permanent changes that can obstruct its functions. These permanent changes can result in symptoms like irritability, dizziness, headaches, unstable blood pressure and others. There is a need to go on diet for liver detox to help alleviate these symptoms.

Diet for liver detox is often misinterpreted as a diet for getting rid of fat or controlling weight. This type of diet is created to benefit all aspects – to lose weight, improve health and immune system. Improved functions of the liver also aids in treating common sicknesses.

Diet for liver detox is for the following:

• People who are diagnosed with fatty liver disease
• People that are overweight
• People with hypertension and digestive system problems
• People with allergies, high-cholesterol levels and with chronic fatigue disease
• People suffering from migraines and for women that are on HRT
• People who are into heavy alcohol consumption

To begin with the diet for liver detox, please follow the guidelines below:

• Try not eating in between meals. You should only eat when you are hungry.
• Drink at least 8 to 12 glasses of fresh and purified water per day.
• You should limit sugar intake. Do not use synthetic sweeteners.
• Do not eat foods high on calories.
• Stay away from foods that you are allergic to.
• Do not eat processed foods. Reheated foods should also be avoided.
• Do not eat food when depressed.
• Eat legumes for your source of protein.
• Eat only whole-wheat breads.
• Eat plenty of raw but fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Stay away from foods that contain saturated fats.

In general, the diet for liver detox gives out nutrients needed to cleanse the liver and sustain natural healing. This is primarily to restore the liver’s vital functions. To know more about the diet for liver detox that is suited for you, it is highly recommended that you consult a certified dietitian or a health expert.

The liver creates various chemicals the are carried out to the bloodstream. Elevated levels of some of these chemicals may indicate a damage to the liver or a specific liver disease. By testing their levels in a blood test, we can try to identify the problem even before its symptoms.

Liver function blood test usually include the following:

• ALT (also called SGPT / Alanine Transaminase)
  This is an enzyme that assists proteins to process. High level of ALT may suggest some level of liver injury. The normal levels of ALT is 5-40 units per liter (range can vary in different labs).
• AST (also called SGOT)
  This enzyme is located mainly in liver cells. It’s levels are usually raised when these is some sort of a liver damage or injury (just like ALT). The normal levels of AST is between 5-45, which is very similar to ALT enzyme.
• ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase)
  Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme related tothe biliary tract. If ALP is elevated, and high levels of alkaline phosphatase been found in the bloodstream, the cause might be a some sort of liver disorder (including fatty liver). This test requires the patient to fast for at least 6 hours prior taking the blood test. If some drugs are used on regular basis, it might affect the results. Normal rates of ALP is 44-147 units per liter.
• Albumin
  This is the core protein created by the liver, that passes into the bloodstream. The capability to make albumin (and many other proteins) is influence in some types of liver disorders. The level of albumin might decrease in some types of liver disorders. Normal rates of albumin are between 3.4 to 5.4 deciliter.
• Bilirubin
  This chemical is a direct result of hemoglobin when its released – the molecule that ties oxygen into the red blood cells. T causes of elevated bilirubin can be a liver disorder. High level of biliribin also makes you jaundiced (‘yellow’). It can affect your skin and eye color. In the bilirubin blood test, there are some types of bilirubin used:
  • Direct Bilirubin (unconjugated bilirubin) – pass through the liver. Elevation of direct bilirubin level can occur in various liver and bile duct conditions, including fatty liver. It is especially high if the flow of bile is obstructed. Normal level of direct bilirubin is between 0 to 0.3 deciliter.
  • Indirect Bilirubin (conjugated bilirubin) – doesn’t pass through the liver. Elevated (high) levels of indirect bilirubin might take place when there is immoderate breakdown of red blood cells.
  • Total Bilirubin – this is the total amount of direct + indirect bilirubin. Normal level of total bilirubin is between 0.3 to 1.9 deciliter.

One of the most important blood tests for diagnosing a fatty is liver, or any liver disorder, is the liver enzyme ALT (also called SGPT). This enzyme is mostly concentrated in the liver, and therefore, an elevated alt levels in the bloodstream may suggest a liver injury. Elevated alt levels are one of the liver functions tests done in a blood test.

The normal level of ALT is the bloodstream is 5 to 45 U/L (units per liter). This range can slightly vary depending where you take the blood test.

When the blood test results show elevated alt levels on some degree, fatty liver might be the cause. Usually, when a more severe disease is in place, ALT levels would be much higher than elevated ALT levels in fatty liver. Find out more about ALT blood test.