Beneficial effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids concerning Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is very common and is rapidly growing. There appears to be a correlation with NAFLD and the epidemic of obesity in the Western world (Lu, 2016). Due to the fact that there appears to be a correlation with obesity, it isn't surprising that other contributing factors for NAFLD is diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels especially triglycerides (Patrick).  There are other aspects that can be factors in NAFLD such as environment and lifestyle. 

What is NAFLD?

NAFLD is when there is an accumulation of fat in the liver with no other cause such as alcohol consumption and/or genetic disorder. This affects 1 out of 3 adults along with 1 out of 10 children in the United States (Patrick). It's a silent disease that if untreated could progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) which can cause cirrhosis and cancer. However there is good news that NAFLD can be corrected mostly through diet, lifestyle changes and therapeutic supplements. 

Treatment
At present there is no registered drug for treating NAFLD but there are various therapeutic means to help decrease or eliminate the effects of NAFLD such as diet, exercise and weight loss along with therapeutic supplements (Lu, 2016).  One therapeutic supplement that has shown great promise in numerous health benefits along with helping to reduce various health factors, is omega-3s. This therapeutic supplement has been beneficial with reducing the risk of heart disease, metabolic syndromes, autoimmune diseases, depression and anxiety, just to name a few. 

So how can omega-3s help with NAFLD?? 

Well, first off, omega-3s have been shown to reduce triglycerides within the blood system along with in the liver (Scorletti, 2018). Another great example for using an omega-3 supplement with NAFLD is due to it's inflammation reducing properties. This aspect is a key point because NAFLD consists of inflammation in the liver. Lastly, omega-3s have also shown to reduce liver fat which builds up in a person's liver hence being diagnosed with NAFLD. Please note that omega-3s could possibly be one piece of the puzzle but that it's not the only aspect that is needed in treating NAFLD. However, it can be a major contributing factor in addressing the disease if diagnosed with all it's known health improving factors. Consulting a medical provider for further moderating and treatments concerning NAFLD is highly recommended. 

References: 

1. Lu, W., Li, S., Li, J., Wang, J., Zhang, R., Zhou, Y., Yin, Q., Zheng, Y., Wang, F., Xia, Y., Chen, K., Liu, T., Lu, J., Zhou, Y., … Guo, C. (2016). Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acid in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Meta-Analysis. Gastroenterology research and practice, 2016, 1459790.
2. Patrick. L. Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Retrieved from http://data.tapintegrative.org/secure/patienteducation/non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease-dr-lyn-patrick.pdf?73c3940ca5ba8fa5a703effa341b45ff4cb2a483adbdbb012de1cc89db356c580b1e 
   
3. Scorletti, E., Byrne, C.D., (2018) Omega- 3 fatty acids and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: evidence of efficacy and mechanism of action. Retrieved from  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29544992
   

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