Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common form of liver disease in Australia. There is increasing evidence for considering NAFLD as part of metabolic syndrome including obesity, hyperinsulinaemia, insulin resistance, hypertriglyceridaemia and hypertension. Therapies which focus on targeted anitoxidant and anti-inflammatory actions are therefore a worthwhile consideration. Such therapies have the potential to improve liver function leading to a drop in serum aminotransferase levels and inflammation, along with improvements in liver histology and steatosis. In particular, several natural agents have been studied to demonstrate such improvements. Trials using St Mary's thistle, coffee, vitamin E and zinc in NAFLD have shown improvements in liver enzyme levels and biochemistry.
In this interview with Dr Bob Buist, we review some of these key areas of research and offer practical and effective options for treating this increasingly prevalent condition.