The Medical Advisor

I n a  recent review  published in  Cell & Bioscience , many of the common pathologies characteristic of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are discussed, as well as how they overlap and contribute to the onset and progression of dementia. To help understand the scope of this problem, it’s worth noting that although the precise prevalence of NAFLD is not clear, it is almost certainly widespread. A  cross-sectional study  using data from the 11-14 NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) pins the prevalence at 21.9% among US adults over 20, including over 12 million with F2 fibrosis and 5 million with at least F3 fibrosis. It’s also important to note that this estimate used a very strict definition of NAFLD, requiring the presence of both metabolic syndrome and elevated ALT levels; definitions that did not include these requirements have estimated a prevalence of NAFLD nearly twice as high, affecting as many as  100 million adults...

According to the American Liver Foundation, 1   approximately 100 million people in the U.S. have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Research 2   published by Duke-NUS Medical School 3   revealed that two B vitamins may have a significant effect on an advanced form of the disease, for which there is no pharmaceutical treatment. 4 Your liver weighs just over 3 pounds and is located on the right side of your abdomen, protected by your rib cage. 5  It's the largest solid organ in your body and one of the largest glands, carrying out over 500 essential tasks to maintain optimal health. 6 The liver has two main lobes and each of those has eight segments. Every segment is made up of approximately 1,000 lobules that are connected to small ducts. The liver filters your blood, regulates many chemical levels and excretes bile into your intestines to help break down fat. The liver also produces cholesterol, stores and releases glucose and regulates blood clotting. 7 ...