Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

It may surprise you that there is a mostly symptomless condition that 20-33% of all Americans have of their liver that ultimately could result in them needing a liver transplant.  I am referring to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD.  NAFLD is predicted to replace hepatitis C and alcohol abuse as the most frequent indication for liver transplantation in the next 10-15 years!  NAFLD is defined as deposition of fat in the liver cells with minimal or no alcohol intake.  It is linked to a group of progressive conditions closely associated with being overweight and obesity, insulin resistance, certain medications, and metabolic syndrome*.  NAFLD can eventually lead to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH and about 20% of those patients will go on to liver cirrhosis (irreversible result of fibrous scarring) with its accompanying risk of liver failure or liver cancer.  Overall, people with NAFLD stand a 12% risk of liver related death over ten years.  In short it is a silent epidemic that few people talk about.

Symptoms, Causes and Diagnosis of NAFLD

Symptomatically a patient may have fatigue and pain in the upper right abdomen....