Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: What It Is, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do About It

Did you know that 25% of people around the world have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)?

That means, 1 in 4 people worldwide has nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and most of them don’t even know it. NAFLD is any cause of fatty liver disease that is not caused by alcohol.

The condition is becoming more common, especially as rates of obesity, diabetes, and metabolic conditions continue to rise.

The good news?

With early detection and the right lifestyle changes, NAFLD is treatable.

What Raises Your Risk for NAFLD?

NAFLD usually linked to other health issues, especially those related to metabolism.

Your risk goes up if you have:

• Excess body weight

• High levels of visceral adipose tissue (fat around organs, especially in the belly region)

• Insulin resistance, also called prediabetes

• Type 2 Diabetes (about 70% of people with Type 2 diabetes have NAFLD)

• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol or triglycerides

• Age over >50

• A family history or inherited genes that predispose you

What Happens If NAFLD Is Left Untreated?

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) often has no symptoms at first, which makes it easy to overlook. But over time, it can quietly lead to serious and sometimes permanent damage.

Here’s how it can progress:

• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) = fat in and around the liver

• Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) = fat and inflammation in and around the liver

• Liver fibrosis = Damaged areas of the liver become stiff or thickened

• Cirrhosis = scarring of the liver, this is the only stage that is not reversible 

 NAFLD, specifically NASH can increase your risk for:

• Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma).

• Liver failure or the need for a transplant

• Heart attack and stroke

Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) is a type of NAFLD where there is fat and significant inflammation in and around the liver.

In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death in people with NAFLD even more so than liver failure.

That’s why early detection and lifestyle changes matter. The sooner we catch it, the more we can do to protect your liver and your overall health.

How We Screen for Fatty Liver Disease?

We screen anyone with increased risk of fatty liver disease with blood work and imaging.

This is based on scientific guidelines.

• Bloodwork Liver Enzyme Tests: ALT, AST and Checking your Platelet Count

  What are ALT & AST?

  ALT (alanine aminotransferase) and AST (aspartate aminotransferase) are enzymes types of proteins your body uses to help with chemical reactions.

  These two enzymes are mostly found in your liver, but they also exist in smaller amounts in other parts of your body, like your muscles and heart.

  When your liver is healthy, ALT and AST levels in your blood stay low.

  When your liver is inflamed, irritated, or damaged (like with fatty liver disease), these enzymes can leak out of liver cells and show up in higher amounts in your blood.

   

Why We Check Your Platelet Count

Your platelet count is part of the bloodwork we use to help estimate your risk of liver fibrosis (thickening or stiffening of the liver tissue). When the liver becomes scarred, it can affect how platelets are made and used in the body lower platelet levels can be a sign of more advanced liver damage. It’s a simple test that gives us important insight into your liver health without needing a biopsy.

• Imaging used is called ultrasound with transient elastography, known as a FibroScan. This assesses the stiffness of the liver to help us predict if people have fibrosis (thickening of the liver tissue).
• Other imaging is an MRI with transient elastography is even better, but this is not as easily accessible and usually needs a specialist to order at larger institutions.

If there is concern for cirrhosis (scarring) then a referral to a gastroenterologist (GI) or hepatologist (liver specialist) is given to see if a liver biopsy is needed.

Liver biopsy is the only way to truly confirm fibrosis (thickened liver) or cirrhosis (scarred liver), however since this is an invasive procedure we use the blood work and the imaging above to estimate what the risk is first.

How We Treat NAFLD at LaRocca Medical

The best part about diagnosing NAFLD early is that you can do something about itand in many cases, reverse it.

At LaRocca Medical, our approach is personalized and grounded in science.

We focus on:

• Targeted nutrition support
• Sustainable movement and fitness plans
• Mindset and behavioral coaching to support long-term success
• Evidence-based medications, we use off-label medications that are indicated to treat excess weight and/or type II diabetes.

These medications include but are not limited to:

• Metformin

• Semaglutide (Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Rybelsus®)

• Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®, Zepbound®)

This approach is also based on scientific guidelines. 5% weight loss can improve NAFLD and 10% weight loss can reverse it. Weight loss improves NAFLD by decreasing the fat tissue in and around the liver and decreasing the inflammation.

Take Charge of Your Liver Health

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (affects millions but it doesn’t have to lead to long-term damage.

The key is catching it early and addressing the root causes through lifestyle changes and, when needed, medical treatment.

If you're a current patient and want to talk more about NAFLD or check in on your liver health, we’d be happy to help schedule an appointment through your patient portal or call our office to schedule.

Not a patient yet with LaRocca Medical, but interested in learning more about nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or how personalized care can support your long-term health?

We’d love to meet you.

Schedule your free consult today and discover how we can help you live a healthier, more energized life on your terms.

Together, we’ll create a personalized plan to protect your liver and improve your overall health.

*NAFLD is now referred to as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). The term NAFLD has been used here because it is more commonly known that way.