Fatty liver disease affects about 1 in 3 adults, making it a significant health concern that requires medical attention. When fat makes up more than 5% of your liver’s weight, the condition progresses silently in most cases, with many people experiencing no symptoms at all.
Both alcoholic and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease respond well to proper medical intervention. Obesity represents the most common cause, though various other factors contribute to this condition. The encouraging news is that liver damage can often be reversed through appropriate lifestyle modifications and medical support.
Our Vancouver clinic provides specialized care for patients concerned about liver health. We focus on empowering individuals to take control of their wellness through education and advanced treatment options. Our services include FibroScan for precise liver assessment, GLP-1 for effective weight management, and Ultraslim for targeted body contouring—all essential tools in addressing fatty liver disease.
We have developed this guide to help you understand fatty liver disease and explore the treatment options available in Vancouver. Our approach combines clinical expertise with practical solutions to support your liver health journey.
Understanding Fatty Liver Disease
Fatty liver disease develops when fat accumulates beyond 5% of your liver’s weight, forcing this vital organ to work harder than normal. Understanding the condition’s basics proves essential before exploring treatment options.
What is fatty liver disease?
Fatty liver disease (FLD) encompasses a spectrum of conditions where excess fat builds up in liver cells. Simple fatty liver may initially cause no symptoms or damage. Left untreated, the condition can progress to inflammation, scarring, and potentially cirrhosis or liver cancer. This condition affects approximately one in three adults in the United States, making it the most common chronic liver disorder in the country.
Difference between alcoholic and nonalcoholic types
Two main categories of fatty liver disease exist, distinguished by their underlying causes:
Alcohol-related fatty liver disease (ALD) results from excessive alcohol consumption. This type affects about 5% of Americans and often improves when drinking stops early enough. Without intervention, ALD progresses from an enlarged liver to alcoholic hepatitis and eventually alcoholic cirrhosis.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) occurs in people who consume little to no alcohol. The condition connects strongly to metabolic issues including obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. NAFLD ranges from simple fatty liver to more severe forms with inflammation and liver damage. Research indicates that fatty buildup tends to be greater in NAFLD compared to ALD, while inflammation and scarring are more pronounced in ALD.
Why the name changed to MASLD and MASH
More than 200 liver disease experts officially renamed these conditions in 2023. NAFLD became metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), while nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) became metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
The change occurred for important reasons. The term “nonalcoholic” defined what the condition wasn’t rather than what it was. About 61% of experts found the term potentially stigmatizing. The new terminology better reflects the disease’s true nature—its connection to metabolic dysfunction rather than being defined by the absence of alcohol consumption.
Verity Health recognizes the importance of accurate diagnosis and uses the most current understanding of fatty liver disease to guide our treatment approaches.
Concerned About Fatty Liver Disease?
Call Verity Health’s Vancouver clinic today to schedule your
FibroScan assessment and explore personalized treatment options for a healthier liver.
Common Symptoms and When to Seek Help
Early recognition of fatty liver disease signs can significantly improve treatment outcomes. This condition often develops silently, making awareness of subtle indicators particularly important for timely intervention.
Early signs to watch for
Fatty liver disease earns its reputation as a “silent liver disease” because it typically develops without causing noticeable symptoms. Most people remain unaware of the condition during early stages. Some individuals might experience subtle warning signs including persistent fatigue, unexplained weakness, and mild discomfort in the upper right abdomen where the liver is located. Unexplained weight loss without changes to diet or exercise routines might also occur.
Advanced symptoms of liver damage
Progression to more serious forms like MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis) or cirrhosis brings more pronounced symptoms. These include severe tiredness, pain in the right upper abdomen, weakness, and jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes). Other concerning signs include spider-like blood vessels on the skin, swelling in the abdomen (ascites) or legs (edema), dark urine with pale stool, and mental confusion. Long-lasting itching, internal bleeding, and muscle wasting may also develop as the condition worsens.
When to see a doctor in Vancouver
One in four Canadians may be affected by liver disease in their lifetime, making timely medical intervention crucial. Contact Verity Health for fatty liver disease treatment if you experience persistent abdominal pain, unexplained fatigue, jaundice, or swelling in your abdomen or legs. Dr. Eric Yoshida, a recipient of the Order of BC for his work in liver disease, notes that fatty liver disease is increasingly affecting younger populations across Canada.
Risk factors like obesity, diabetes, or high blood pressure warrant screening even without symptoms. Early detection through modern diagnostic techniques like FibroScan can significantly improve treatment outcomes. Symptoms often appear only after substantial liver damage has occurred.
What Causes Fatty Liver Disease?
Fatty liver disease develops from multiple factors that disrupt normal liver function. Understanding these causes helps guide effective treatment approaches.
Obesity and insulin resistance
Excess body weight, particularly around the abdomen, represents the most significant risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Studies show that up to two-thirds of people with MASLD have obesity. The prevalence increases dramatically with higher BMI—affecting approximately 75% of overweight individuals and climbing to 90% among people with class III obesity (BMI over 40).
Insulin resistance creates the primary connection between obesity and fatty liver disease. When cells fail to respond properly to insulin, several harmful processes occur:
- Insulin resistance triggers increased lipolysis (breakdown of fats) in adipose tissue, releasing more free fatty acids to the liver
- The liver struggles to process these excess fatty acids, leading to fat accumulation
- Compensatory hyperinsulinemia further promotes fat synthesis within the liver
Visceral fat proves particularly harmful as it sends fatty acids directly to the liver through the portal vein.
Alcohol consumption and liver stress
Excessive alcohol consumption, even for just a few days, can lead to alcoholic fatty liver disease. The liver’s role in metabolizing alcohol creates stress on the organ—when alcohol consumption exceeds the liver’s processing capacity, fat accumulates rapidly.
About 90% of people who regularly drink excessive amounts of alcohol develop fatty liver disease. Current guidelines define heavy alcohol use as consuming 5+ drinks daily or 15+ weekly for men, and 4+ drinks daily or 8+ weekly for women.
Other risk factors like PCOS and hypothyroidism
Several medical conditions significantly increase fatty liver risk beyond the major causes.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) raises NAFLD risk fourfold. Women with PCOS have both insulin resistance and elevated androgens (male hormones) that contribute to liver fat accumulation.
Hypothyroidism increases risk by affecting metabolism and fat processing. Other contributing conditions include type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, sleep apnea, and hypopituitarism.
Our Vancouver clinic addresses these complex relationships through targeted solutions. FibroScan provides accurate assessment, GLP-1 supports weight management, and UltraSlim reduces problematic visceral fat—all crucial steps in addressing fatty liver disease causes.
Diagnosis and Treatment Options in Vancouver
Early detection of fatty liver disease allows for more effective treatment outcomes. Vancouver offers advanced diagnostic capabilities and proven treatment approaches for this increasingly common condition.
How fatty liver is diagnosed (blood tests, imaging, biopsy)
Liver enzyme testing forms the foundation of fatty liver diagnosis. Blood tests measure ALT and AST levels, which often become elevated when excess fat accumulates in liver cells. Imaging studies follow to visualize fat distribution, including ultrasound, CT scans, and MRI examinations. MRI provides the highest sensitivity for detecting even mild steatosis.
FibroScan technology represents a significant advancement in liver assessment. This non-invasive procedure measures liver stiffness and fat content without requiring biopsy. The examination captures shear wave velocity through liver tissue to assess stiffness, which indicates potential fibrosis.
Liver biopsy remains necessary for certain cases, particularly when advanced disease requires confirmation. This procedure obtains tissue samples to verify NASH diagnosis and establish disease severity.
Lifestyle-based treatments: diet, exercise, weight loss
Weight reduction serves as the primary treatment for fatty liver disease. A 5% body weight loss decreases hepatic steatosis, while 7-10% reduction can resolve NASH and stabilize fibrosis. Effective dietary approaches include:
- Mediterranean diet patterns emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats
- Reduced saturated fat, processed food, and added sugar consumption
- Daily coffee intake of 2-3 cups, which may decrease liver inflammation
Exercise recommendations include 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly, plus resistance training twice weekly. Even 135 minutes of moderate activity weekly demonstrates liver health benefits.
Medical support: FibroScan, GLP-1, and Ultraslim
Verity Health provides specialized fatty liver disease treatment in Vancouver. We offer comprehensive FibroScan assessment, delivering detailed liver condition analysis without invasive procedures.
GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide show significant promise for NAFLD treatment. These medications support weight reduction while demonstrating notable histologic liver improvements.
Ultraslim body contouring targets problematic fat deposits, especially visceral fat that contributes to liver disease progression.
Managing related conditions like diabetes and cholesterol
Metabolic condition management remains essential for liver health. We focus on treating diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, and related disorders. Prescribed medications combined with lifestyle modifications create effective treatment approaches.
Is fatty liver reversible?
Fatty liver disease frequently reverses, particularly during early stages. The liver demonstrates remarkable regenerative capacity when provided appropriate support. Consistent lifestyle modifications produce improvements in liver fat content and inflammation resolution. Clinical studies show that combined diet and exercise interventions achieve 64% remission rates for liver fat accumulation.
Fatty liver disease affects a significant portion of our community, yet early intervention offers excellent outcomes for most patients. The liver demonstrates remarkable healing abilities when provided with proper medical support and lifestyle modifications. Early detection provides the greatest advantage in treatment success. Proactive screening identifies fatty liver disease before significant damage occurs, particularly important for those with risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome.
We offer specialized care designed specifically for fatty liver patients in Vancouver. Our FibroScan technology enables precise, non-invasive liver assessment without traditional biopsy risks. Our weight management solutions address the underlying metabolic issues that drive liver fat accumulation. UltraSlim body contouring targets problematic visceral fat contributing to disease progression.
Verity Health PNW has extensive clinical experience in metabolic health care. We look forward to supporting your liver health journey through state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and personalized treatment guidance.
Contact our Vancouver clinic to schedule your FibroScan assessment and explore treatment options tailored to your specific needs. Your commitment to liver health today supports your overall wellness for years to come.
