Understanding NAFLD/NASH
When Your Liver Becomes a Fat Warehouse
Your liver is supposed to process fat, not store it. In Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), excess fat accumulates in liver cells - more than 5% of your liver by weight is fat. This can occur without any significant alcohol consumption, hence 'non-alcoholic.'
NAFLD exists on a spectrum. Simple fatty liver (steatosis) may be relatively benign. But in some people, it progresses to Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) - where there's not just fat, but active inflammation and liver cell damage. NASH can progress to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis, liver failure, and even liver cancer.
"NASH is on track to become the leading cause of liver transplants in the Western world."
The tricky part? Fatty liver often causes no symptoms until significant damage has occurred. You might feel fine while your liver is silently deteriorating. The good news: liver fat can be reduced, and early-stage damage can be reversed. Peptide therapies are showing remarkable ability to do just that.