# fat liver



## activistfatgirl (Feb 3, 2011)

Hey all! I just had an appointment with an excellent new doctor and mostly things are checking out. Low on Vitamin D, but easy to remedy enough.

When she brought up my weight, I said I am comfortable with it as long as nothing is showing up wrong. But she found elevated levels of something in my liver screening and is retesting for fatty liver.

She said that fat can go to the liver just like any other tissues of the body and can cause damage. She said the only corrective is to lose weight.

I just wanted to get an opinion on this from the fatty squad. Have you been told this? Long term effects? Must be skinny?

I actually lost my best friend cat to fatty liver last year, so boo to that.


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## Tad (Feb 3, 2011)

I'm a lot smaller than you, but I do test somewhat high for the enzyme showing fatty liver. Pretty much got the same speech as you. 

All that I've found is that there is a really big range of readings. There is a 'normal' indicating no issues at all, then there can be a really large range in how bad things are.

I keep wondering if there could be some dietary interactions, given how key the liver is in the digestion process? I've not read anything indicating that it is so, but then again when there is such a simple cure as 'lose weight' would they have looked hard?


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## toni (Feb 3, 2011)

I tested with elevated levels too. My doctor told me not to worry about it and it was normal when a person is over weight. I didn't get the lose weight or die of liver failure talk.


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## MisticalMisty (Feb 3, 2011)

I've tested the same. I added Milk Thistle to my supplement routine.


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## LivingCanvas (Feb 3, 2011)

I was told that same thing... Was advised to stop drinking alcohol (which I don't drink that much to begin with) and to lose weight.


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## butch (Feb 10, 2011)

Yes, I was told that I had fatty liver back in 2003 (after being accused of being an alcoholic because of my liver readings), but after taking one milk thistle tab a day for years, never was told that in follow-up doc visits where they did blood work. I recently had the opportunity to have my liver viewed with an ultrasound, and my liver is healthy looking and non-fatty, so that means, either the test back in 2003 was faulty, or milk thistle really makes a difference.


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## Miss Vickie (Feb 10, 2011)

butch said:


> Yes, I was told that I had fatty liver back in 2003 (after being accused of being an alcoholic because of my liver readings), but after taking one milk thistle tab a day for years, never was told that in follow-up doc visits where they did blood work. I recently had the opportunity to have my liver viewed with an ultrasound, and my liver is healthy looking and non-fatty, so that means, either the test back in 2003 was faulty, or milk thistle really makes a difference.



Butch, that's wonderful news! I've heard good things about milk thistle and it's nice to hear another positive story.


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## LivingCanvas (Feb 11, 2011)

I will definitely have to check out milk thistle. You'd think that doctors were be recommending it to help their patients. Hmmm.... =]


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## penguin (Feb 11, 2011)

I think I'll have to check it out too!


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## Miss Vickie (Feb 12, 2011)

LivingCanvas said:


> I will definitely have to check out milk thistle. You'd think that doctors were be recommending it to help their patients. Hmmm.... =]



When dietary supplements haven't been fully tested -- and in particular when their compatibility with other medications that a patient may be taking can't be studied -- prescribers are hesitant to recommend them. Milk thistle may seem benign, but in the presence of medications, it could be toxic. So that puts them in a precarious position to recommend them. I've seen a few studies about the efficacy of milk thistle, and it appears safe. However its potential incompatibility with other meds or supplements would make me hesitate to prescribe it. However, I know some great herbalists and naturopaths who do use them, and feel confident because they have a lot of experience with them. I'm just not sure how many years it'll take me to get there. 

It makes it pretty tough, because there are a lot of potential herbals out there, but they may not be safe to use, and if we are, we're unlikely to know about it since testing is so bloody expensive and time consuming.


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## Fatgirlfan (Feb 13, 2011)

you don't nessesarily need to loose weight. I once had fatty liver a few years ago. I did change my diet and it went away. I stayed away from fast food and lowered my fat intake.


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## Jason22 (Apr 5, 2011)

Below is the complete description of fat liver:
healthscout.com/ency/1/578/main.html
Hopefully it is useful for all people.


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## ImSoDead (Apr 9, 2011)

Also avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup and Trans Fats. Both cause fat to accumulate in and around the liver.

Visceral fat bad.

Subcutaneous fat good.


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## Dromond (May 12, 2011)

*performs necromantic ritual on thread*

I have what's called "Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis." NASH for short. In simple terms, it means liver cirrhosis not caused by alcohol abuse. In my case it was caused by fatty liver syndrome. In fact, fatty liver syndrome is now the leading cause of cirrhosis. For the record, alcohol abuse is the #3 cause of cirrhosis. Hepatitis C is #2.

Fatty liver syndrome can develop into a life threatening condition - cirrhosis.


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## butch (Sep 25, 2011)

I saw something on the news last night that I thought was pretty amazing, and figured folks here might be interested, too.

Because of all the rain here in the past month or so, the mushrooms are out of control, and sprouting up everywhere. The local news last night had the story of two people who almost died from eating toxic mushrooms they picked from their yards.

Turns out that the only cure for eating these toxic mushrooms is a liver transplant. However, the doctors treating the men with the toxic livers had heard of some experiments with milk thistle, and got the lab doing the experiments to ship them the milk thistle extract they're using in their studies, and that alone did the trick. The men did not need a transplant, and the milk thistle extract got rid of the mushroom toxins in the liver. They even had one of the men at the press conference talk about this, and he looked to be in very good health.

As a milk thistle user for many years, I was glad to hear of this story, and perhaps one day soon milk thistle (or, more likely, something derived from milk thistle, so that a patent can be slapped on it and a big pharma co. can make money off of it) will be more readily recommended by doctors.


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## imfree (Sep 25, 2011)

LivingCanvas said:


> I will definitely have to check out milk thistle. You'd think that doctors were be recommending it to help their patients. Hmmm.... =]



I had an Endo who raised horses on a farm who was well-versed on such remedies, but I wonder if some dr's don't ignore them because that would be less $$$$ for them. Many dr's honestly don't see enough scientific evidence to comfortably recommend simple treatments, either.


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## activistfatgirl (Sep 25, 2011)

This thread coming back was a big kick in the ole abdomen to start taking my milk thistle again! And watch those bad fats! I'm so terrible at new routines. Going to put that bottle of pills, along with my vitamins on a string in front of my door so they hit me in the face when I leave the house. That was a joke that I just realized I would probably actually try.


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## Tad (Sep 28, 2011)

Where do you all find Milk Thistle? I've looked for it in regular pharmacies and a couple of specialty stores, with no luck  (does it also go by any other names?)

My live enzyme is the only thing on my bloodwork that is above the 'good' range, so vanity as well as common sense say I really should try and do something about it!


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## CarlaSixx (Sep 28, 2011)

I also couldn't find Milk Thistle when I hit the pharmacies. Perhaps it's not allowed in Canada?


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## butch (Sep 28, 2011)

It may also go by Silymarin.


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## Fat Brian (Sep 28, 2011)

A quick Google search doesn't mention anything about it being illegal in Canada. Maybe its just not as common as it is down here, one brand mentioned was Jamieson.


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## Fuzzy (Oct 1, 2011)

I've found all the liver tonics, milk thistle, etc. at Whole Foods.


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## Tad (Oct 4, 2011)

Heh, after failing to find it at health food or herbal supplement stores, found Milk Thistle easily at a regular drug store! Started taking it a few days ago. Then yesterday thought to actually look up any warnings associated with it. Not recommended for people allergic to several plants, including ragweed and Chamomile. Guess what......

I'm going to stick with it for a little while anyway, and see if my allergies seem worse or not (right now I'm trying to keep a cold from getting its claws all the way into me, so hard to tell how allergies are).

The one other side effect to apparently watch out for is loose bowels, just so anyone thinking about it has the full warnings!

The hard part is that, of course, there is no easy way to gauge how much it is helping, and whether it is worth whatever side effects come.


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## lovelocs (Oct 7, 2011)

I've used milk thistle to counter PMS, especially during stressful times. Probably kept me from making the news on several occasions. Also, nourishing and toning the liver can lead to a decrease in allergies. Please keep us posted!


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