Fatty Liver Disease (adjunctive support)
Also known as: fatty liver disease, MAFLD, NAFLD, hepatic steatosis
Fatty liver disease is fat building up inside the liver, usually alongside metabolic syndrome; early on it often causes no symptoms. The proven treatment is weight loss, exercise and treating diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure. Chinese medicine reads the pattern as damp and phlegm accumulating in the liver-spleen axis, often with liver constraint or damp-heat, and offers supportive care alongside the medical plan.
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Lifestyle & Diet
- •Aim for gradual weight loss of 5–10% — it lowers liver fat even before weight targets are met.
- •Avoid alcohol completely.
- •Treat diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure as your GP advises.
- •Move most days; resistance training helps liver fat too.
Cautions & Contraindications
- •No fasting crashes or unsupervised 'liver detox' products.[]
- •Coordinate all herbs with prescribed medicines; some affect liver enzymes.[]
- •Avoid raw bupleurum-type products of unverified quality.[]
When to reassess or seek care again
Recheck liver blood tests and ultrasound at 6–12 months with the GP. Adjust the herbal approach to the presenting pattern.
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Sources & Further Reading
Clinical guidance, red flags and safety notes on this page draw on the following current sources alongside the classical references above.
- NICE · 2024
- National Library of Medicine · 2024
- Healthdirect Australia · 2024
Educational reference for licensed practitioners. Not a substitute for individual clinical assessment. Refer to conventional care for any red-flag or undiagnosed presentation.