Leading expert in liver disease, Dr. Scott Friedman, MD, explains how to improve liver health. He details the critical role of weight loss and exercise for patients with NASH. Dr. Scott Friedman, MD, emphasizes that significant weight reduction is the most effective therapy. He notes that maintaining weight loss is challenging but profoundly beneficial for the liver.
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Liver Health Improvement Strategies for NASH and Fatty Liver Disease
Jump To Section
- NASH Treatment Foundation
- Role of Weight Loss
- Challenges of Weight Maintenance
- Impact of Significant Weight Reduction
- Alcohol Consumption Considerations
- Nutritional Expertise in Treatment
- Full Transcript
NASH Treatment Foundation
Dr. Scott Friedman, MD, identifies weight loss and exercise as the cornerstone of NASH therapy. This foundational approach addresses the root cause of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Dr. Friedman stresses this is the first mainstay of treatment for improving liver health.
Critical Role of Weight Loss
Dr. Scott Friedman, MD, explains that weight reduction offers broader benefits for NASH than any single drug. This makes it a primary focus during medical consultations. Dr. Scott Friedman, MD, emphasizes the need for consistent messaging about its importance for liver health improvement.
Challenges of Weight Maintenance
Dr. Friedman acknowledges the difficulty patients face in keeping weight off long-term. He reveals that only 5% of patients successfully maintain sufficient weight loss to benefit their NASH. This challenge drives the ongoing development of new NASH pharmaceutical treatments.
Impact of Significant Weight Reduction
Substantial weight loss of 10 kilograms or more creates profound improvements in liver health according to Dr. Scott Friedman, MD. This level of weight reduction can significantly impact NASH progression. The hepatologist confirms there is no question about these measurable benefits for patients.
Alcohol Consumption Considerations
Dr. Friedman addresses common patient questions about alcohol consumption and liver health. He indicates that alcohol intake recommendations must be considered carefully, especially for patients with fatty liver disease. This guidance forms part of comprehensive liver health improvement strategies.
Nutritional Expertise in Treatment
Dr. Scott Friedman, MD, emphasizes the importance of working with nutritional experts for obese or overweight patients. This collaborative approach helps patients implement effective weight loss strategies. Nutritional guidance is essential for successful long-term NASH management and liver health improvement.
Full Transcript
Dr. Scott Friedman, MD: Patients ask important questions. Certainly, they should ask questions about how to improve their liver health, and that includes whether they should or can drink any alcohol.
If they're obese or overweight and they have fat in the liver, we need to work with them and nutritional expertise, because the first mainstay of therapy for NASH—which I really haven't mentioned but should have—is weight loss and exercise.
In fact, if you look at all the benefits of weight loss, it probably has broader benefits on NASH than any single drug we've identified yet. So we have to be very assiduous and consistent in our message that for NASH patients who have elevated weight, we really need to work hard with them over the long run to reduce their weight.
It's very hard. That's why there are all these NASH drugs being developed.
But only 5% of patients who lose weight can keep it off to the extent that it will benefit their NASH.
There's no question that for patients with NASH, significant weight loss—meaning 10 kilograms or more—can really have a profound impact on improving their liver health.