Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Treatment

There is no proven medical treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Excess fat in the liver can often be reduced through gradual and sustained weight loss, exercise and healthy dietary changes. People with diabetes may also benefit from tight control of blood glucose levels. Some evidence suggests that vitamin E supplementation may reduce inflammation and scarring from NAFLD.

Mayo Clinic care teams consult with obese people who have NAFLD to determine their best options for losing weight in an attempt to control the condition. The severity of your disease will dictate how ambitious the weight loss strategy should be. Mayo Clinic offers bariatric surgery to alter the digestive system and promote weight loss.

If your liver has been severely damaged by NAFLD, a liver transplant may be necessary. All three Mayo Clinic locations perform liver transplants.

Disease severity predictor

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed some mathematical models to predict survival and outcomes in patients with liver diseases. These models are for use by medical professionals.

• Models for end-stage liver disease (MELD)
• The alcoholic liver disease/nonalcoholic fatty liver disease index