The FASTEST Way to Reverse Fatty Liver, Naturally | NAFLD Treatment

Summary

In this informative video, Dr. Leonid Kim discusses non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and its complete reversibility. He outlines actionable dietary advice, emphasizing the avoidance of sugary drinks and high-fructose foods while advocating for increased protein intake, especially at breakfast. The video also highlights the importance of weight loss, the right types of fats, and low glycemic index carbohydrates in liver health. Additionally, Dr. Kim suggests potential supplements like vitamin E, omega-3s, and choline to aid recovery, while stressing the necessity of lifestyle changes for long-term liver health.

Takeaways

• 🍀 Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is reversible and can show improvement in weeks with the right steps.
• 🍬 The primary cause of fatty liver is overconsumption of sugars, particularly fructose and sucrose, which can lead to various health issues.
• 🚫 Fructose does not stimulate leptin, a hormone that signals fullness, leading to overeating and increased risk of leptin resistance.
• 🍹 Avoid sugary drinks, including juices and sports drinks, as they are high in concentrated sugars without the fiber found in whole fruits.
• 🍇 While fruits contain fructose, they are also rich in fiber and vitamin C, which can mitigate the negative effects of fructose.
• 🥩 Increase protein intake, especially at breakfast, to help reduce cravings for sugary and processed foods and aid in weight loss.
• 🥑 Be cautious with saturated fats found in red meat and dairy products, and opt for healthier fats like those from fish, nuts, and avocados.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Weight loss is a crucial factor in reversing fatty liver, with even a 5% reduction in body weight showing positive effects.
• 🍞 Choose carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, such as legumes, dairy, vegetables, and fruits, over high glycemic index carbs like white bread and rice.
• 🚶‍♂️ Incorporate at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity and resistance training into your weekly routine to support liver health.
• 💊 Supplements like vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and choline may aid in liver recovery, but always consult with a doctor before starting supplementation.

Q & A

What is the primary cause of fatty liver according to the video?

The primary cause of fatty liver, as mentioned in the video, is overconsumption of sugars, specifically fructose and sucrose, which are found in table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.

Why does fructose consumption lead to overeating?

Fructose does not stimulate the release of leptin, a hormone that signals fullness to our brains after a meal. As a result, consuming fructose does not generate a normal satiety response, making it easy to overeat.

What are the potential health risks associated with excessive fructose intake?

Excessive fructose intake can lead to not only fatty liver but also other conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and even various types of cancer.

How does the consumption of fructose affect the liver in a short period?

A study mentioned in the video found that a high-fructose diet for just seven days can increase lipid deposition in the liver and decrease liver insulin sensitivity.

Why are sugary drinks and juices particularly harmful for liver health?

Sugary drinks and juices contain high amounts of concentrated sugars without the fiber found in whole fruits, making it easier to overconsume sugars and overwhelm the liver with fructose.

What is the recommended daily sugar intake according to the American Heart Association?

The American Heart Association recommends consuming less than 24 to 36 grams of sugars per day.

How does increasing protein intake, especially at breakfast, affect overall food consumption?

Increasing protein intake, particularly at breakfast, can lead to consuming less food over the course of the day and reduce cravings for sugary or processed foods.

What is the impact of losing a certain percentage of body weight on fatty liver?

Losing just 5% of total body weight can decrease hepatic steatosis, and losing 7% can lead to the complete resolution of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Why is it important to watch saturated fat intake when trying to reverse fatty liver?

Saturated fats, found in red meat, processed meats, butter, and fried foods, can increase liver fat more significantly than fructose when overconsumed, as shown in various studies.

What types of fats are recommended for those following a ketogenic diet to improve liver health?

For a ketogenic diet to be beneficial for liver health, the majority of the fat content should come from polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats, such as those found in fish, nuts, and avocados, rather than saturated fats.

What supplements are suggested in the video to help with the recovery of fatty liver?

The video suggests vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and choline as supplements that show promise in aiding the recovery of fatty liver, although it emphasizes that dietary changes are the primary treatment.

What lifestyle changes, in addition to dietary changes, are recommended for improving liver health?

Abstaining from alcohol, engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, and including resistance training or muscle-building exercises at least twice a week are recommended.

Outlines

00:00

🍀 Reversing Fatty Liver Through Diet Changes

This paragraph introduces the concept of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and its reversibility. Dr. Leonid Kim provides an overview of the steps needed to reverse the condition quickly, emphasizing dietary changes and the avoidance of fructose and sucrose. The role of leptin in satiety and the impact of high-fructose diets on lipid deposition and liver insulin sensitivity are discussed. The paragraph also highlights the importance of avoiding sugary drinks, juices, and dry fruits due to their high sugar concentration without fiber.

05:00

🥚 Increasing Protein Intake for Liver Health

The second paragraph focuses on the benefits of consuming more protein, particularly at breakfast, to reduce overall daily food intake and cravings for sugary and processed foods. Studies are cited that link higher protein intake to reduced energy-dense food consumption and weight loss, which are key in managing fatty liver. The paragraph also addresses the importance of choosing healthy fats, such as those from fish and avocados, while moderating saturated fats found in red meat and processed foods. The potential benefits and risks of different dietary fats on liver health are discussed, along with the role of low glycemic index carbohydrates in liver health management.

10:01

🏋️‍♂️ Lifestyle Changes and Supplements for Liver Recovery

The final paragraph discusses additional measures for reversing fatty liver disease, including abstaining from alcohol, engaging in regular physical activity, and incorporating resistance training. The potential of supplements like vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and choline in aiding liver recovery is explored, with caution advised on the use of high-dose vitamin E. The importance of whole food nutrition is emphasized, with supplements serving as an adjunct to a healthy diet. The paragraph concludes with a promise of further exploration of supplements for fatty liver treatment in a future video.

Keywords

💡Fatty Liver

Fatty liver, also known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a condition where the liver accumulates excess fat. It is reversible and is the central theme of the video. The script discusses steps to reverse it, including dietary changes and lifestyle modifications. For example, the video mentions that overconsumption of sugars and fructose can lead to fatty liver.

💡Reversible

Reversible means that a condition can be returned to its original state or undone. In the context of the video, it emphasizes that fatty liver is not a permanent state and can be reversed with proper steps, such as dietary changes and avoiding certain foods.

💡Leptin

Leptin is a hormone that signals satiety or fullness to the brain after a meal. The script explains that fructose does not stimulate leptin effectively, leading to a lack of satiety and potentially overeating, which contributes to fatty liver.

💡Fructose

Fructose is a simple sugar found in honey, fruits, and some vegetables. The video script highlights that excessive consumption of fructose, especially from manufactured sources, can lead to an increase in lipid deposition in the liver and contribute to fatty liver.

💡Sucrose

Sucrose, commonly known as table sugar, is composed of glucose and fructose. The script points out that sucrose is a significant contributor to fatty liver due to its breakdown into fructose and glucose, which can trigger metabolic changes in the body.

💡Protein Intake

Protein intake is emphasized in the video as a key strategy for managing and reversing fatty liver. Consuming adequate protein, especially at breakfast, can help control hunger and reduce the consumption of sugary and processed foods, which are detrimental to liver health.

💡Saturated Fats

Saturated fats are fats that are typically solid at room temperature and are found in animal products and some plant-based oils. The script warns against excessive consumption of saturated fats due to their potential to increase liver fat and contribute to fatty liver.

💡Polyunsaturated Fats

Polyunsaturated fats are considered healthier fats that are liquid at room temperature and are found in fish, nuts, and certain oils like sunflower oil. The video suggests that these fats are preferable to saturated fats for liver health and can help reduce liver fat.

💡Glycemic Index

The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly a food raises blood sugar levels. The video script recommends consuming carbohydrates with a low glycemic index to avoid spikes in blood sugar, which can be beneficial for liver health.

💡Supplements

Supplements are additional nutrients that can support health goals. The script mentions several supplements, such as vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and choline, that may aid in the recovery of liver health, although it emphasizes that a healthy diet and lifestyle are primary.

💡Weight Loss

Weight loss is presented in the video as one of the most effective ways to improve fatty liver. Losing even a small percentage of body weight can reduce liver fat and improve liver health, as mentioned in the script.

💡Dietary Changes

Dietary changes are a fundamental part of the strategy to reverse fatty liver. The script provides actionable advice on the types of foods to eat and avoid, such as reducing sugary drinks and focusing on whole foods.

Highlights

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is fully reversible with the right steps.

Fatty liver is primarily caused by overconsumption of sugars, especially fructose and sucrose.

Fructose does not stimulate leptin, leading to overeating and leptin resistance.

High fructose intake can increase lipid deposition in the liver and decrease insulin sensitivity within a week.

Fruits and vegetables naturally contain fructose but are also rich in fiber and vitamin C, mitigating adverse effects.

Sugary drinks, including juices, sports drinks, and energy drinks, should be avoided to reverse fatty liver.

Eating more protein, especially at breakfast, can reduce overall food intake and cravings for unhealthy foods.

Weight loss is an effective method to improve fatty liver, with even 5% body weight loss showing benefits.

Saturated fats found in red meat and processed foods can significantly increase liver fat.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats from fish, nuts, and avocados are healthier options.

Low carbohydrate diets can be effective for weight loss and improving metabolic health, especially with healthy fats.

Carbohydrate quality is more important than quantity for liver health, with low glycemic index carbs being preferable.

Abstaining from alcohol and regular exercise, including resistance training, are beneficial for liver health.

Supplements like vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and choline may aid in liver recovery but should be used cautiously.

Dietary changes and lifestyle modifications are key to reversing fatty liver disease before it progresses to severe forms.

Supplements should be considered as adjuncts to a healthy diet and not as replacements.

The video provides actionable advice for dietary changes and lifestyle modifications to reverse fatty liver disease.

Transcripts

if you've been told you have fatty liver

or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease the

good news is it's fully reversible and

in this video I'll go over the exact

steps you need to take to not only

reverse it but to do it quickly and

start seeing changes in weeks I will

also go over actionable advice on the

foods you need to eat and the foods you

need to stay away from to fix your liver

and at the end of the video I will talk

to you about other steps you can take to

improve your liver health and we'll also

go over the best supplements you can

take to help your liver recover and go

back to normal hi I'm Dr Leonid Kim and

on this channel I discuss the most

up-to-date and evidence-based

information on the topics of weight loss

metabolic Health and Longevity let's get

into it now to better understand how to

reverse fatty liver we first have to

identify what causes it in the first

place and it's pretty simple fatty liver

is caused by for the most part over

consumption of sugars and specifically

fructose and sucrose with sucrose being

just table sugar that breaks down into

fructose and glucose the consumption of

both fructose and sugar sets off a whole

Cascade of changes in our bodies the

leads to not only fatty liver but also

to other conditions like diabetes heart

disease dementia and even many cancers

now what makes fructose unique is it

doesn't stimulate leptin and leptin is a

hormone that is released in our bodies

after a meal that signals satiety or

fullness to our brains so consuming

fructose doesn't generate a normal

response in our brain that tells us that

we're full so it makes it very easy to

overeat if that wasn't bad enough

continued consumption of fructose drives

the development of leptin resistance

which results in persistent hunger and

impair satiety even with other foods not

just fructose a study published in the

American journal of clinical nutrition

found in just seven days of high

fructose diet

increased lipid deposition in the liver

and decreased liver insulin sensitivity

now how do we avoid fructose well

fructose is a simple sugar that's

usually found in Honey fruits and root

vegetables and humans have been

consuming those for hundreds of

thousands of years

but it did not pose a health risk until

we started eating manufactured fructose

and sugar at large quantities now most

fruits and vegetables contain fructose

however our intestines can inactivate

about four to five grams of fructose

which is the amount we usually get from

vegetables we get a little bit more

fructose from fruits however fruits like

vegetables are also consumed with a lot

of fiber which slows down the absorption

of the excess fructose in addition to

that many fruits are also rich in

vitamin C which blocks some of the

effects of fructose and really negates

any of the adverse effects of fructose

that we get from fruit so that brings us

to the first food group that we need to

avoid to reverse your fatty liver and

that is sugary drinks now we all know

about the dangers of sodas and soft

drinks but the sneaky drinks that

contain a lot of sugars are juices which

are often promoted as healthy frequently

given to kids if you drink orange juice

apple juice tomato cranberry or any type

of juice

please look at the ingredient label and

see how many grams of sugars you get

just from one serving do not be fooled

by statements like it contains natural

sugars or it has zero grams of added

sugars it may be natural but it's still

highly concentrated and it's consumed

without the fiber they would normally

get if you're eating a whole fruit and

it's a lot easier to over consume sugars

if we're getting it in liquid form as

opposed to eating a fruit itself other

drinks that are notorious for just being

loaded with sugars are sports drinks and

energy drinks now the American Heart

Association recommends eating less than

24 to 36 grams of sugars per day but if

you suffer from fatty liver disease I

would abstain from all drinks that

contain sugars along the same lines I

would also avoid eating dry fruit like

dates or raisins or prunes yes they're

natural and do not contain added sugars

but those natural sugars are very

concentrated and do not have the volume

of the original Fruit which makes it

much easier to overwhelm our GI tract

and later our liver with fructose and

sugars to support that a study published

in Jama in 2019 noted that just eight

weeks of restricting sugars in

adolescent boys to less than three

percent of daily calories has shown

significant Improvement in hepatic

cytosis another way to fix your fatty

liver is to eat more protein and it's

especially important to eat more protein

for breakfast or whatever your first

meal of the day happens to be a recent

study published in obesity looked at

over 9 000 Australians and found that

getting enough protein especially for

the first meal of the day had profound

effects on what people ate later in the

day and eating higher levels of protein

for breakfast translated to consuming

less food over the course of the rest of

the day but people that had a low

protein breakfast were found to eat more

energy dense processed foods and foods

that were high in sugars so if you find

yourself constantly craving for those

sugary or processed foods foods that

will make your fatty liver worse

try to up your protein intake especially

for breakfast and aim to get at least 25

to 35 grams of protein per meal if

you're getting three meals a day getting

enough protein will help you eat less

sugar and will help you lose weight and

weight loss has been shown to be one of

the most effective ways to improve your

fatty liver in fact just five percent of

total body weight loss can decrease

hepatic steatosis and losing seven

percent of total body weight can lead to

complete resolution of non-alcoholic

stata hepatitis or Nash which is a more

severe form of fatty liver now as you

increase your protein intake you have to

be careful about what kind of fats

you're getting in the process animal

meats and dairy products are wonderful

sources of protein however we do have to

watch your intake of saturated fats and

those are usually found in red meat

processed Meats butter ice cream as well

as many fry Foods now eating red meat is

a controversial topic and I happen to

follow the camp of it's okay to consume

red meat in moderation but that's a

whole other conversation for another day

a study published in diabetes and

Metabolism show that while over feeding

with either saturated fats or fructose

both increase liver fat the group that

was over fat with saturated fats

increased liver fat to a much greater

degree than the group that was overfed

with fructose there are at least four

human intervention studies that have

confirmed the harmful effects of

saturated fat on hepatic certosis but

the one I want to highlight is a double

blind randomized controlled trial in

which lean individuals were overfed with

muffins high in either saturated fatty

acids in this case palm oil or

polyunsaturated fatty acids this study

used sunflower oil and what they found

was that just seven weeks of overfeeding

resulted in the market increase in liver

fat in the saturated fat group whereas

the polyunsaturated group call caused a

nearly threefold larger increase in lean

tissue or fat-free Mass without an

effect on the liver so it's important to

not overeat saturated fats and I

emphasize not overeating as it's okay to

eat saturated fats but in moderation

eating more than about five percent of

our calories from saturated fats is when

we start getting into trouble so what

that would look like is eating less fats

that come from processed meats or eating

less store or restroom bought fried

foods or pastries as well as being

careful with ice cream or cheeses at the

same time we need to eat more of the

good fats or poly or monounsaturated

fats that come from fish nuts and

avocados and when it comes to oils using

olive oil is preferred to using

saturated fats like coconut or palm oil

the type of fat we eat is especially

important for those that are in very low

carbohydrate or ketogenic diets where a

lot of the energy has to come from fats

now keto is a very very effective way to

lose weight and improve metabolic health

and it's very safe as long as the

majority of the fat content comes from

polyunsaturated or monosaturated fats as

opposed to saturated fats many people

have been successful using ketogenic

diets to reverse fatty liver however for

just as many people that degree of

severe carbohydrate restriction is just

not sustainable long term but the good

news is that cutting out carbs is not a

requirement for fatty liver reversal and

it's the quality and the type of

carbohydrates that we consume that place

a larger role in the treatment of fatty

liver eating carbs that have a low

glycemic index meaning they do not cause

wild swings in your blood sugar are much

better for your liver health and carbs

that are high in the glycemic index so

while lowering our carbohydrates is

generally a good idea for most people I

wouldn't worry as much about consuming

lower glycemic index carbohydrates that

come from legumes Dairy vegetables or

fruits and I would stay away from high

glycemic index carbohydrates like white

bread white rice most breakfast cereals

and processed potatoes like french fries

or chips to wrap this up other things

that are highly beneficial in reversing

fatty liver disease disease is

abstaining from alcohol in addition to

that getting at least 150 minutes of

moderate intensity activity per week and

making sure to include resistance

training or muscle building exercises at

least two days a week would also help to

restore your liver to Good Health if you

do all of the things I mentioned in the

video you will see changes in your liver

biomarkers in the matter of weeks as

seen in the studies we discussed earlier

and you will eventually fully reverse

your fatty liver it is important to do

those as soon as possible before your

liver turns into a more severe form of

fatty liver like Nash or stiata

hepatitis and eventually to fibrosis and

even cirrhosis at which point a liver

transplant is our only option now if you

like to enhance your recovery you can

also try adding supplements to the food

changes we discussed now to be clear you

do not need any supplements to fix your

fatty liver as long as you eat the right

things and you use real Whole Foods as

your medicine however there are

supplements that actually show some

promise and could be useful in

Expediting recovery first therapy with

vitamin E at 800 international units a

day was actually associated with a

significantly higher rate of improvement

of static hepatitis compared to Placebo

I would however discuss vitamin E

supplementation with your doctor first

as high doses of vitamin E High meaning

greater than 400 international units per

day have been inconsistently associated

with an increase in all cause mortality

as well as an increase in the rate of

prostate cancer so the recommendation to

supplement vitamin E is usually reserved

to patients with a more advanced fatty

liver disease second I would also

consider taking omega-3 fatty acids a

meta-analysis published in clinical

nutrition in 2018 showed the

supplementation with Omega-3s especially

fish oils like DHA was associated with

an improvement in liver markers like alt

and AST as well as with a reduction of

liver fat lastly choline has been

gaining in popularity as a treatment for

fatty liver and a recent case control

study show that people that consume high

intake of choline and betaine had an

Associated 81 reduction in hepatic

steatosis however we still need more

conclusive research on if the

supplementation with choline is actually

beneficial for most people and not just

those that are calling deficient and at

what dose do we actually get any kind of

therapeutic benefit until we get more

data I would make sure you get enough

clothing for your food which means

eating plenty of eggs with egg yolk in

them lean meats Dairy as well as getting

enough Seafood which also happens to be

very rich in omega-3 fatty acids and if

you don't eat meat then I would focus on

getting your cooling from yogurt

sunflower seeds and cruciferous

vegetables like broccoli cauliflower or

cabbage now this is not a full list of

supplements that are commonly used to

treat fatty liver but I will make a

separate video on that down the road as

it does deserve quite a bit more

attention I hope this video was helpful

and I will see in the next one