Fatty liver disease (FLD)/ Hepatic Steatosis | All You Need to Know!

Treatment of Fatty Liver Disease

There is no approved specific treatment for fatty liver disease as of now, and treatment is mainly centered around managing the conditions that cause or exacerbate the disease as well as management of other complications of the disease. The main lines of treatment of the disease are:

• Weight loss
• Modifying the diet to contain as little saturated fats and carbohydrates as possible
• Moderate exercise

All of the above can help reduce fat accumulation in liver cells as well as decrease the risk of developing heart diseases

• Decrease alcohol consumption as much as possible. Consuming large amounts of alcohol after your diagnosis will certainly worsen your condition and can damage your liver beyond repair.

Medications

• Vitamin E: It is the only pharmacological therapy to show benefit in patients with fatty liver, but its evidence is yet to gain approval by the FDA.
• Omega-3 Fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids have been prescribed for decades for patients with elevated lipid profile, yet their use in fatty liver is still questionable.
• Metformin (Glucophage): Glucophage is one of the miraculous drugs in metabolic syndrome. It helps control blood glucose in diabetics as well as their overall metabolism and has many benefits for those who have insulin-resistant or “prediabetics”. It is the only medication in this list to target the liver and reduce fat accumulation independent of its effect on lipid levels.
• Statins: Statins are the most commonly used medications for abnormal lipid profiles. They reduce the level of cholesterol which consequently reduces fat accumulation.
• Some experimental medications including GLP-1 agonists can be used in some patients. However, they are not approved for cases of fatty liver disease yet. They are still only given to diabetics.

Surgery

Although it seems unlikely, surgery has an important role in the management of fatty liver in 2 cases:

• Early on, morbidly obese patients can benefit from bariatric surgery, which is a special type of surgery in which a part of your stomach or intestines is excluded from the rest to achieve early satiety and reduce weight.
• Later on, when the liver is irreversibly damaged, liver transplantation can be a life-saving option. However, it takes decades of medical neglect to reach that stage.