Vitamin D may help reverse fatty liver
By naturopath Margaret Jasinska
A recent study has found that vitamin D helps improve fatty liver in people with insulin resistance. Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is increasingly being referred to as Metabolic dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD). Worldwide it’s the most common cause of chronic liver disease and is the leading cause of liver related morbidity and mortality. Fatty liver is incredibly common, and so is vitamin D deficiency. Raising your blood level of vitamin D can improve your liver health.
Vitamin D has so many important functions in your body. It was once thought it’s solely necessary for strong bones. We now know it acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, regulates cell differentiation and apoptosis, assists immune system maturation, and improves prognosis in people with autoimmune conditions.
MASLD is a chronic, progressive condition that affects approximately 38 percent of the world’s population and is strongly associated with type 2 diabetes. If left untreated, fatty liver can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. It also raises the risk of cancer in other parts of the body. Making diet and lifestyle changes can help reverse fatty liver. So can raising your blood vitamin D level.
How vitamin D improves liver health:
- Decreases LDL cholesterol
- Increases HDL cholesterol
- Decreases blood glucose
- Helps reduce elevated AST and ALT liver enzymes
- Reduction in levels of scar tissue in the liver, which reduces the risk of progression to cirrhosis of the liver
If you have a fatty liver, ask your doctor for a vitamin D blood test. An optimal level is above 100 nmol/L. We can make vitamin D in our skin when it is exposed to sunshine, particularly UVB rays which are most abundant in the middle of the day. It is important to always avoid sunburn. The trick is brief, regular and sensible sunshine exposure.
Other tips to help reverse a fatty liver
Include more of the following foods in your diet:
- Raw vegetables. A maximum of 2 pieces of fruit is best while you are trying to lose weight because most fruits are fairly high in sugar. Vegetables contain very little sugar, therefore you can eat unlimited quantities.
- Cooked vegetables of different varieties. This is especially the case if you live in a cold climate and will compensate for the fact that you will not be eating bread, pasta and rice.
- First class protein from one or more of the following sources: seafood, poultry, red meat, eggs. I recommend you consume a palm and a half sized portion of protein at every meal, along with approximately 2 tablespoons of natural fat, such as olive oil. Those who work in occupations requiring high physical exertion or those who do a lot of sport will need to eat larger amounts. Listen to your body and follow your natural instincts when it comes to the amount of food you need to eat to feel satisfied and happy. It is not how much you eat that counts, it is what you are eating that is so important for your liver and insulin levels.
- Protein powder – make sure it does not contain sugar; ideally use Synd-X Slimming Protein powder which is sweetened with the herb stevia. You can use this powder to make delicious smoothies.
- Glutathione detoxes your body and reduces inflammation. Glutathione is your liver’s most powerful detoxifier and it is strongly anti-inflammatory. If you have a fatty liver you need more of it. Eating glycine, glutamine and sulfur rich foods helps with glutathione; examples include eggs, cabbage, broccoli, garlic and gelatinous cuts of meat.
Avoid the following foods if you want to reverse a fatty liver
- Sugar and confectionary. If you do indulge in a little chocolate the best types are dark chocolate with a minimum of 80 percent cocoa solids.
- Foods containing flour, as well as breakfast cereals.
- Foods fried in industrial seed oil such as fries, chips, crisps, puffs, pretzels, crackers, etc.
- Fried take away foods.
- Ice cream and sweetened yogurt
It typically takes 6 to 12 months to fully reverse a fatty liver and bring liver enzymes back down to normal. For more information see the book Fatty Liver: You Can Reverse It.
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