Fatty Liver Disease

Fatty Liver Disease-Chinese Medical Strategies

In Chinese medicine fatty liver disease follows a pattern of Spleen Deficiency Developing into Internal Dampness combined with Liver Qi Stagnation.

Recent studies have shown the potential for herbs used for fatty liver disease are incredibly promising. Here are some of the herbs that researchers have been investigating:

Bupleurum Chinese demonstrates hepatic (liver)-protective qualities as well an hypolipemic effect preventing fatty acid accumulations in the liver cells.
Yellow dock is one of the herb plants that have yellow roots because they contain the alkaloid berberine shown to reduce hepatic inflammatory and to deter abnormal retention of lipids within liver cells.
Goji berries have been shown to contain polysaccharides that possess a wide range of biological actions including alleviated hepatic inflammation, antioxidant effects, immune-regulation, neuro-protection, and control of glucose metabolism. Through the restoration of antioxidant enzyme activities and the reduction of oxidation stress products.
Milk thistle is one of the most investigated herbs; in the past 12 years, more than 10,000 papers have been published on the anti-oxidative, chemo-preventive, anti-inflammatory, and hepato-protective effects of silybin and silymarin, the active ingredient found in milk thistle seeds.
A number of studies have found that formulas containing the herbs above plus combinations with Hawthorn berries, fo-ti, red sage root, bupleurum root and astragalus root are highly effective at successfully treating fatty liver disease.

Acupressure for Fatty Liver Disease

Self Acupressure Directions Linked Here

Apply the Wood Element Acupressure Stick to acupressure point Liver 3 and apply the Earth Element Acupressure Stick to acupressure point Spleen 9 3-5 times per day

Lifestyle Practices for Fatty Liver Disease

Once a person develops fatty liver disease it becomes very important to live life clean with a healthy organic diet; remember, the liver has to deal with toxins and hormonal metabolism in the body and cannot be further stressed at this point. While an alcoholic can quit drinking, and an obese person can diet, it is still important to heal the liver. At this point, medicinal herbs are proving to be the most effective way to restore proper liver action. Beyond eating well, avoiding alcohol and drugs (recreational or pharmaceutical), and taking herbs, here are some links to guides that will help you optimize your health:

People typically discover that they have developed fatty liver disease after a routine visit to the doctor where an inflamed liver may be detected or blood tests show increased liver enzymes. Most people with NAFLD are symptom free, but some experience the following symptoms:

Liver disease is most often associated with alcoholism, but fatty liver disease is increasingly due to obesity or cardiovascular diseases. While most who develop non-alcohol fatty liver disease are middle aged obese people, an alarming number of obese children are beginning to develop the condition as the obesity epidemic continues to grow.

Even more disturbing, pharmaceutical medications do not appear to be effective at combating fatty liver disease effectively. However, herbs are proving to be highly effective at addressing fatty liver disease through a multitude of published peer-reviewed studies in recent years.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease internationally, and is the top cause of liver disease in the US. Obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and symptoms of metabolic syndrome are often related to NAFLD.

References

Shi KQ1, Fan YC, Liu WY, Li LF, Chen YP, Zheng MH.Molecular Biology Reports 2012 Oct;39(10):9715-22
“Traditional Chinese medicines benefit to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.”
Law, B. Y., Mo, J. F., & Wong, V. K. (2014). Autophagic effects of Chaihu (dried roots of Bupleurum Chinense DC or Bupleurum scorzoneraefolium WILD). Chinese medicine, 9, 21. doi:10.1186/1749-8546-9-21

Farzaei, M. H., Zobeiri, M., Parvizi, F., El-Senduny, F. F., Marmouzi, I., Coy-Barrera, E., … Abdollahi, M. (2018). Curcumin in Liver Diseases: A Systematic Review of the Cellular Mechanisms of Oxidative Stress and Clinical Perspective. Nutrients, 10(7), 855. doi:10.3390/nu10070855

Cochrane Database System Review 2013 Aug 24;8:CD009059.
“Herbal medicines for fatty liver diseases.”
Liu ZL1, Xie LZ, Zhu J, Li GQ, Grant SJ, Liu JP.

Xiao, J., Fai So, K., Liong, E. C., & Tipoe, G. L. (2013).Recent advances in the herbal treatment of non-alcoholic Fatty liver disease. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine, 3(2), 88–94. doi:10.4103/2225-4110.110411.”

Son, C. G., Wei, Z., Raghavendran, H. B., Wang, J. H., & Janda, E. (2017). Medicinal Herbs and Their Active Compounds for Fatty Liver Diseases. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2017, 3612478. doi:10.1155/2017/3612478

This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.