Alcoholic fatty liver disease is a reversible condition if you adhere to a healthy diet, yet can progress to alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver failure if you continue drinking alcohol. Your liver stores energy from food and makes proteins, fats and bile. Certain foods and beverages increase your risk of alcoholic fatty liver, while other types of foods and beverages reduce your risk. Consult your doctor about your diet and alcoholic fatty liver.
Disease Description
Alcoholic fatty liver disease, also called alcoholic steatosis, develops after you drink alcohol over a short period of time. Your risk of liver disease increases with quantity and duration of your intake of alcohol. There are 12 g of alcohol per 12 oz. of beer, 5 oz. of wine and 1.5 oz of 80 proof liquor. Your body converts alcohol into energy. In fact, alcohol generates 7 calories per gram. Yet alcohol also increases inflammation of cells and tissues, particularly in the liver. During early stages of the disease, you are most likely to be asymptomatic or have symptoms that do not overtly indicate liver disease. There are no tests to diagnose fatty liver until it progresses to hepatitis or cirrhosis.
Dietary Risks
The type and quantity of certain fats influence risk and development of alcoholic fatty liver disease. A low intake of omega-3 fatty acids, such as alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, increase your risk of developing alcoholic fatty liver disease. Alpha-linolenic acid is found in walnuts and flaxseeds, whereas eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid are found in salmon and herring. Scientists at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in Rockville, Maryland found low dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids enhances development and advancement of alcoholic liver disease in rhesus monkeys, according to research published in "Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research" in October 2004.
Dietary Treatment
Nutritional treatment of alcoholic fatty liver prevents disease progression. The first thing you must do is stop drinking alcohol because it causes liver damage and adversely affects digestion, absorption and metabolism of nutrients. Patients with alcohol liver disease often are malnourished with deficiencies of proteins, calories, folate and zinc, especially as the disease progresses, according to research by scientists at the University of Louisville Medical Center in Kentucky and published in "Alcohol Research and Health" in 2003. The scientists report appropriate nutrition support includes a balanced diet of 2,500 calories plus supplements of branched chain amino acids called leucine, isoleucine and valine to stimulate protein synthesis. Multivitamin mineral supplements are beneficial to overcome micronutrient deficiencies.
Low Sodium
The USDA Dietary Guidelines reports a balanced diet emphasizes nutrient-dense foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes and avoids processed foods. Patients with alcoholic fatty liver disease benefit from limiting sodium, a mineral manufacturers add to processed foods that increases blood pressure. Scientists at Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University of Greifswald in Germany found blood pressure increases as fatty liver disease progresses, according to research published in the "Journal of Hypertension" in September 2010.
References
- Cleveland Clinic; Alcoholic Liver Disease; Fairbanks, K.; 2011
- The Regents of the University of California; Calories Count; 2005
- MayoClinic.com; Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Fish Oil, Alpha-Linolenic Acid; December 1 2010
- "Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research"; Development of Alcoholic Fatty Liver and Fibrosis in Rhesus Monkeys Fed a Low N-3 Fatty Acid Diet; Robert Pawlosky, Jr.; October 2004
- "Alcohol Research and Health"; Diagnosis and Treatment of Alcoholic Liver Disease and Its Complications; Louis Marsano, et al.; 2003
- United States Department of Agriculture; Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010; 2010
