Semaglutide has been shown to help so many issues, from diabetes, heart disease risk, dementia, and more. We can now add fatty liver disease to the list. FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT ON SEMAGLUTIDE, know that a lot of these findings are likely applicable to those with pre diabetes and diabetes. There are people who are not diabetic, but whose HbA1C > 5 who show evidence of fatty liver on CT scan. IMPROVING YOUR INSULIN RESISTANCE AND GLUCOSE LEVELS IS GOOD FOR HEALTH.
What is fatty liver? Fatty liver is linked to diabetes and obesity. The liver always has fat. A healthy liver has 5% or less by weight. As the amount of fat increases, it is known as “NASH”- nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. (Steato = fat, hepatitis = inflammation of the liver). It can progress to liver cirrhosis, scarring of the liver. Cirrhosis affects the liver’s ability to function and raises the risk of liver cancer. You can’t live without a functioning liver. Signs of liver failure are turning yellow (jaundice), pain, swelling, issues with blood clotting (easy bruising), issues with food digestion causing loss of appetite or nausea, inability of the body to remove waste products, and itching. You can’t reverse scarring. The key is prevention.
JAMA Journal of Internal Medicine just published a paper Sept 2024, showing “GLP-1 meds were associated with a lower risk of progression to cirrhosis and death.” “GLP-1 Receptor Agonists and Risk for Cirrhosis and Related Complications in Patients with Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Statotic Liver Disease.”
Study:
- Decades long study of veterans with diabetes and metabolic dysfunction associated fatty liver disease. 32,000 people with diabetes, average age 67.
- 14% less like to progress to cirrhosis if they took GLP-1 meds compared to other diabetes meds
- The medicine must be taken early in the course of fatty liver. They do not reverse those already with cirrhosis
- Odds of dying during the study period also fell by 11% for those on GLP-1
They postulate it is working by reducing weight, helping with blood sugar issues, and reducing inflammation. They say prior trials showed GLP-1 meds can even reverse fatty liver disease.
How can Biohackr Health help?
Are you at risk for having fatty liver? Most people do not know they have it.
- TEST.
- Blood sugar/HbA1c/triglycerides (see our insulin resistance panel)
- Cholesterol levels (see our comprehensive cholesterol panel)
- Metabolic panel to see if your liver function tests are elevated.
- If you want to see if you have fatty liver, CT scans or biopsies can show it. But you would not start there- you start with labwork.
- CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITOR. Even if you are not prediabetic or diabetic, this is such incredible useful information. Try to prevent glucose spikes. Blood sugar may be the root cause of so many issues.
- SEMAGLUTIDE or TIRZEPATIDE. We love the GLP-1 agonists for anyone who needs weight loss. Study after study keeps showing the miracles of improvement in other disease processes. Its a bit overwhelming how much improvement we see in other areas. Read the blogs on the studies.
- PROBIOTIC. Ours has strains targeting insulin resistance.
- METFORMIN. Prescription medication, targets insulin resistance.
- BERBERINE. A supplement advocated for helping with insulin resistance.
