There are many lifestyle changes that can help you reverse fatty liver disease including diet changes, weight loss, eliminating alcohol consumption, exercising, getting regular sleep, and adding supplements.
By changing your lifestyle, you can help prevent fatty liver disease from consuming your life.
And, let me tell you based on my own experience, being diagnosed with a fatty liver disease, reversing it and keeping my liver healthy over a period of 10 years: it can’t be done without making the lifestyle changes I’m going to share below.
These are all things that I did in order to reverse my fatty liver and even though I have more in-depth articles for each recommendation (I will provide links to them), I think that a shorter article like this will help you better understand the big picture.
Before you start, here’s what I keep telling anyone who asks me about reversing fatty liver: it’s a marathon, not a speed race.
You need to make lifestyle changes that you will stick with for the rest of your days, otherwise you risk getting your fatty liver back, even if you initially reverse it.
What Lifestyle Changes Will Reduce Fatty Liver?
It’s actually a combination of lifestyle changes that are required for you to reverse or at least reduce your fatty liver.
The biggest and most important one is your diet. You need to cut out all or most saturated fats such as those found in poultry, red meat, yogurt, cheese, fried foods, baked goods… the list goes on.
You also need to stop consuming foods with lots of carbs, mainly those with added sugar like candy, cake and soda. And, of course, stop drinking alcohol.
Instead, replace those foods with vegetables, fruits, nuts, lean meat and the healthy fats found in fish and olive oil.
Getting regular exercise can help burn the excess fat from your liver, especially if you focus on cardio practices such as walking, running, or swimming. Along with exercise, you need regular sleep.
If your circadian rhythm is not established because of a late night social life, odd work shifts, or sleeping disorder such as sleep apnea, you need to address these issues and prioritize a regular sleeping schedule.
Adding vitamins and other supplements can also help boost your liver’s ability to fight fatty liver disease and promote optimal health for your body to reduce the effects of fatty liver disease.
I personally believe that supplements (like milk thistle) are not mandatory and you can reverse your fatty liver without them, but there are many experts, including studies, claiming that they do help. So as long as they do no harm, why not try them?
What Is the Fastest Way to Cure a Fatty Liver?
The fastest way to cure fatty liver disease is by losing weight through exercise and healthy eating.
Studies have shown that losing just 10% of your total body weight can increase the effectiveness of your liver function.
Inflammation from excess fat essentially disappears as the fat melts away and the enzymes in the liver can work more efficiently.
Doctors agree that patients who are considered overweight or obese are more at risk of developing a fatty liver disease. By losing weight, these patients can drastically reduce their condition in a short amount of time.
The most difficult part is maintaining the motivation and encouragement to keep going.
If you are dedicated to curing your fatty liver fast, hire a personal trainer or coach to keep you accountable for your diet choices and exercise habits.
I personally managed to do it all by myself – so this option is available too. Read my tips on beating dieting fatigue and staying on track to reverse NAFLD.
What Happens If You Don’t Change Your Lifestyle After Fatty Liver Diagnosis?
As of today, the only way to reverse fatty liver disease is through a major lifestyle change. There is no medication that can magically cure fatty liver disease.
If you make the executive decision not to change your lifestyle and you continue to practice the habits that led to fatty liver disease in the first place, your health may deteriorate significantly.
The excess fats cells on your liver will continue to accumulate and essentially reduce your liver’s ability to function.
Direct effects on the liver may include fibrosis, inflammation, and cirrhosis which can lead to liver cancer or liver failure.
Fatty liver disease can also result in major heart problems, kidney disease, and diabetes.
No matter how hard the lifestyle change may be (or seem), it is well worth fighting through to reverse fatty liver disease because the consequences of doing nothing might only cause your body to shut down.
What Vitamins Should You Start Taking to Cure Fatty Liver?
Multiple studies (like this one) have shown that taking certain vitamins in addition to changing your diet and adding an exercise routine to your day can help combat fatty liver disease.
Vitamins A, B12, E, D, and B3 are all commonly recommended supplements for those suffering from fatty liver disease.
I wrote an in-depth article recommending the best vitamin supplements for reversing fatty liver – make sure to check it out if you want to add this to your routine.
Vitamin D has been shown to help reduce inflammation caused by excess fat on the liver.
Vitamin A may help metabolize fat in the liver and control glucose levels.
Meanwhile, vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals in the liver and also has inflammatory properties.
An added bonus to increasing your vitamin intake is that your liver is not the only organ to benefit from vitamins.
Your entire body will reap the advantages of these vitamins, making you function more efficiently mentally and physically so that you can maintain your new lifestyle designed to reverse your fatty liver.
How Long Before You Start Seeing the Effects of these Lifestyle Changes?
You will have to be patient when it comes to reversing your fatty liver disease because it won’t happen overnight.
Most people who have mild to moderate fatty liver disease can effectively reverse their condition in six months, up to a year with strict lifestyle changes that promote weight loss and support a healthy liver.
It took me 1.5 years to reverse my fatty liver – or at least that was when I got my official confirmation. But the doctor already told me that there was amazing progress at my 6 month follow-up.
I am also in contact with many people diagnosed with a fatty liver disease (through my Fatty Liver Support Group on Facebook), and some see major improvements as soon as 2 months after making these important lifestyle changes.
If your fatty liver disease is more severe or advanced, it may take longer than a year to reverse it.
The key to curing your fatty liver disease is to catch it early and treat it fast with a rapid lifestyle change and also stick to your plan if it doesn’t happen as soon as you hoped it would.
Wrapping Up: Can Lifestyle Changes Reverse Fatty Liver?
Fatty liver disease can be reversed – I did it and many people I got to know over the years and helped with advice managed to reverse it as well.
Currently, there are no medications to cure fatty liver disease, so making the recommended lifestyle changes above is the only possible way to reverse the condition.
The most important lifestyle change that can help reverse fatty liver disease is changing your diet.
Expert studies (as well as my experience) have shown that following a Mediterranean diet that is high in healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables is the right way to go. Read more about the diet that I followed here.
Also, consuming two cups of regular black coffee per day can significantly affect and even reverse fatty liver. You can get more in-depth with the benefic effects of coffee on fatty liver here.
You can also read more about dieting for fatty liver on Healthline.
Regular exercise is the next most important lifestyle change that will help reduce the fat on your liver.
Most of the people that get diagnosed with a fatty liver (especially MASLD, formerly NAFLD) do so because they are overweight and have an unhealthy way of eating.
Therefore, getting a regular exercise routine in place to lose weight will help melt the fat from your liver. Replace the bad diet with a healthy one and you’re doing great!
By dropping just 10% of your body weight (source here), you can increase your liver’s ability to function and get yourself back on track to being healthy.
Lifestyle changes can be tricky so it’s a good idea to have someone help you be accountable for your diet and exercise and always follow the advice of a trained professional, such as a hepatologist.
You don’t have to live with fatty liver disease. By catching it early and changing your lifestyle, you can rid your body of it once and for all. I sure did – and the same goes for other people I know.
If you still have questions, don’t hesitate to let me know by commenting below.
I was diagnosed with a fatty liver back in 2014 and managed to reverse it by mid-2015. Since then, I’ve been studying it, continuously updating my knowledge with the latest scientific findings and practical approaches to give others the help they need to reverse their condition.
My approach to managing fatty liver is holistic, balancing scientifically-backed information with real-life, practical advice based on personal, direct experience.
I am also the admin of the Fatty Liver Support Group on Facebook and the Fatty Liver Subreddit.
Hello Lynn,
Thank you for your article! Question for you please. You reversed your fatty liver. That determination was made through imaging, or through FibroMax or Fibroscan blood test(s)?
I have fatty liver disease. Lab results were up and down. ALT & AST a tick above normal after lab work. Bilirubin 1.2 – 1.4 for some time until early this year, poof my bilirubin tripled.
My doctor was not concerned, but I pressed him when my bilirubin tripled in 3 months. He was convinced I had Gilberts syndrome. An ultrasound confirmed I had fatty liver disease. LOL, I could go on. Just curious to know if imaging showed your fatty liver reversed or the FibroMax or Fibroscan blood test(s)?
Thank you,
Scott
Hello Scott,
Indeed, it was confirmed by ultrasound. My doctor decided not to go for a Fibroscan again, as the ultrasound showed a healthy liver according to her (also much reduced in size compared to the original finding), plus I had lost a lot of weight and was close to my ideal weight… Blood test results were also better than ever, but in my case, nothing was over the limit even when I was diagnosed (although many were close to the top limit).