Fatty Liver

Fatty liver, also known as fatty liver disease (FLD), is a reversible condition where large vacuoles of triglyceride fat accumulate in liver cells via the process of steatosis (i.e. abnormal retention of lipids within a cell).

What is Fatty Liver?

Fatty liver is a very common disorder and up to 20 percent of adults and approximately 5 percent of children are affected.

Fatty Liver Pathology

Fatty Liver Diagnosis

Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy Treatment

Waist-to-height ratio found to predict liver damage better than BMI

Excess fat mass estimated by waist circumference-to-height ratio predicts the risk of liver damage better than body mass index (BMI) estimated obesity, a new study shows.

11 Jun 2025

Eliminating stellate cells reduces liver metastasis in mouse models

The prestigious journal Hepatology Communications reports on the discovery by the Cancer and Translational Medicine research group of the University of the Basque Country (EHU).

10 Jun 2025

Type 2 diabetes drug shows improvements for patients with progressive liver disease

The sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor drug dapagliflozin, widely used to treat type 2 diabetes, also shows improvements for patients with progressive liver disease, finds a clinical trial from China published by The BMJ today.

5 Jun 2025

Gut bacteria and genes jointly shape obesity risk, review reveals hidden links

Researchers examined the heritability of body mass index (BMI), highlighting that genetics and the gut microbiome both play major roles in obesity risk. The review emphasizes that maternal microbiome transmission and family environment may help explain “missing heritability” beyond known genetic factors.

20 May 2025

Residual inflammation can linger in psoriasis patients despite skin treatment

New research shows that in patients with psoriasis, even though their skin responds well to treatment with biologics, inflammation can linger, leading to broader health implications such as obesity and cardiovascular and fatty liver disease.

20 May 2025

Zebrafish study reveals hidden dangers of environmental toxins from tires

Emerging contaminants from rubber tires N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD) and its oxidation product 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ)-are raising new red flags for aquatic ecosystems.

19 May 2025

Single gene found to play a big role in how the liver stores energy

A new study published in Science Advances reveals that a single gene plays a big role in how the liver stores energy, a process that's critical for overall health and for managing diseases like type 2 diabetes.

16 May 2025

Hormone FGF21 reverses fatty liver disease by signaling the brain

A pioneering research study published today in Cell Metabolism details how the hormone FGF21 (fibroblast growth factor 21) can reverse the effects of fatty liver disease in mice. The hormone works primarily by signaling the brain to improve liver function.

13 May 2025

Collagen protein bars show promise for safe and effective weight loss

Research being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025) and published in the journal Nutrients indicates that collagen could be a safe and effective weight-loss supplement.

12 May 2025

Lipid buildup predicts weaker bones once it passes a critical threshold

A large cross-sectional study using NHANES data found a non-linear negative relationship between lipid accumulation product (LAP) and lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD). The association became significant only above a threshold value (ln-LAP > 2.846), independent of BMI.

12 May 2025

Early menopause increases risk of fatty liver disease and metabolic disorders

Women who experience menopause before the age of 50 - and especially before the age of 45 - are more likely to develop fatty liver disease and its related metabolic risk factors within one year after menopause, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE).

11 May 2025

Liver disease in pregnancy linked to higher risk of preterm birth

Pregnant women with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) have an increased risk of giving birth prematurely and the risk increase cannot be explained by obesity, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal eClinicalMedicine.

9 May 2025

Semaglutide clears liver inflammation and cuts fibrosis in MASH patients, trial shows

A phase 3 trial shows that once-weekly semaglutide significantly improves liver histology in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). The interim results also reveal meaningful weight loss and improved cardiometabolic markers, with a favorable safety profile.

4 May 2025

HO-1 regulates liver fibrosis in NAFLD through the SIRT1 TGF-β Smad3 pathway

Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) has an influential yet insufficiently investigated effect on Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a histone deacetylase activated by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, which may impact the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-ß)/Smad3 pathway in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-related liver fibrosis.

2 May 2025

Semaglutide shows promise in treating severe liver disease

Semaglutide effectively treats liver disease in two thirds of patients, new research has found.

30 Apr 2025

Curcumin shows promise for treating obesity, inflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases

Researchers explore the medicinal role of curcumin in the treatment and prevention of neuroinflammation and metabolic disorders.

30 Apr 2025

MASLD in children linked to increased mortality and chronic complications

Researchers from University of California San Diego have found that children diagnosed with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) are at significantly increased risk of premature death and serious long-term health complications.

28 Apr 2025

Researchers pioneer method to measure liver tissue stiffness without damage

Researchers in South Korea have developed an organoid disease model and non-destructive stiffness analysis technology for evaluating the efficacy of new drugs for fatty liver disease.

25 Apr 2025

DT-109 shows promise in treating atherosclerosis and liver disease

A drug candidate, previously successful at treating severe fatty liver disease, reduces atherosclerosis - a primary driver of cardiovascular death worldwide - in large mammals, a study suggests.

23 Apr 2025

Interferon regulatory factor 8 identified as key driver of liver fat buildup in NAFLD

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a hepatic metabolic syndrome resulting from lipid metabolic imbalance. Interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8) is well known for its roles in immune cell differentiation and tumor pathogenesis; however, its role in regulating glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism remains unclear.

22 Apr 2025