How Long Does It Take for A Fatty Liver to Heal Itself?
It can be answered based on the grade of your fatty liver disease.
A grade is the representation of the stage of your fatty liver disease.
Your doctor may tell you about your grade after doing some tests. A liver biopsy and liver function test are usually done to determine your liver’s health and detect liver damage.
And based on the seriousness and condition, you are given one among the three grades of fatty liver disease.
Liver diseases can threaten your life. So it’s crucial to catch the liver disease early before complete failure. If you treat it soon, you may have the chance to heal itself and recover.
Grade 1 represents the beginning stage of fatty liver disease, which, when left untreated, over time, can gradually progress to grade 2.
And eventually, Grade 3 fatty liver. This stage is a severe condition of fatty liver disease, which says that your liver is completely damaged and may prevent regeneration.
Fatty Liver Disease Grade One
Grade 1 is the early stage of the disease, like any other medical condition; you may not get any symptoms that you can spot.
However, since the primary function of your liver is detoxification, the material is not meant to be in our bodies. The first sign you may get is inflammation.
Grade 1 can generally reverse within a few weeks to months.
On average, Grade 1 May take around 2-3 months to reverse your fatty liver completely.
Remember, you can only reverse your damaged liver if you follow the correct diet and corrective measures.
Fatty Liver Disease Grade 2
When you do not take any steps to manage grade one, the inflammation in stage 1 can eventually cause the liver to scar.
These scar tissues will replace the healthy liver tissue and thus reduce liver function.
When the liver’s function drops, toxins and fat will continue their build-up in the liver.
Grade two is the stage when people usually start to notice liver disease because the symptoms are more visible.
Some of the symptoms include
- fatigue, or
- feeling tired;
- weakness;
- itching;
- loss of appetite;
- weight loss; nausea;
- bloating of the abdomen from ascites,
Grade 2 fatty liver disease is still considered a moderately severe condition. It may take more time to reverse when compared to grade one.
On average, grade 2 fatty liver disease takes at least 10-20 months to be healthy again. That too happens if you only follow stringent measures to cleanse your liver and the fat deposited on it.
Fatty Liver Disease Grade 3
Grade three is the final and severe stage of fatty liver disease. At this point, the liver has lost the ability to heal itself. Even if it is reversed, it may take at least a few to many years.
This condition happens after years of ignoring and neglecting the symptoms.
Grade 3 usually happens to people who have been drinking for an extended period.
Taking medications and supplements can be useful. However, accompanying it with a healthy lifestyle can result in a shorter and efficient healing process.
| Fatty Liver Disease Grade | Healing Time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | 2-3 months | Grade 1 is the early stage of the disease, often without noticeable symptoms. The first sign may be inflammation. With the right diet and corrective measures, Grade 1 can generally reverse within a few weeks to months. |
| Grade 2 | 10-20 months | Grade 2 occurs when inflammation progresses and leads to liver scarring. Symptoms become more visible, including fatigue, weakness, itching, loss of appetite, weight loss, and bloating of the abdomen. It may take longer to reverse, up to 10-20 months. |
| Grade 3 | Few to many years | Grade 3 is the severe stage where the liver loses its ability to heal itself. Reversal, if possible, may take several years. Grade 3 often occurs due to prolonged alcohol consumption and neglecting symptoms. A healthy lifestyle and medical interventions may help. |
How Do You Fix Fatty Liver?
In many cases, some lifestyles can help in transforming a fatty liver into a healthier one.
Changing a lifestyle into a healthy one can help reduce the risks of having a fatty liver.
- Lose weight if obese or overweight
- Avoid alcohol
- Uphold a healthy diet
When complications are observed, it is better to seek help from a licensed and professional doctor.
This way, proper medications, and healing methods can be given to you to help restore your healthy liver. A doctor can advise you to:
- Change your lifestyle
- Take medications or supplements
- Surgery
In advanced cases of cirrhosis, a liver transplant may be the only treatment option.
Home Remedies
There are also home remedies that you can try to keep your liver free from fats.
Can I Drink Coffee With a Fatty Liver?
You may be surprised about this, but it is proven effective that coffee is an excellent beverage to promote a healthy liver.
Even though problems are already seen and observed, regular drinking of coffee can help in repairing a damaged liver.
Coffee reduces the risks of accumulation of cirrhosis– a severe condition of the damaged liver, which can eventually lead to liver failure.
It also reduces the risks of having liver cancer and other diseases in connection with the liver.
Just keep drinking a cup of coffee every morning, and with a limitation for excessive drinking of this can also lead to problems such as palpitation.
Cranberries And Blueberries
Both cranberries and blueberries are rich in antioxidants, which help keep the liver safe from any diseases.
It is also responsible for boosting the body’s immune system, making it tough to fight against any disease, especially liver diseases.
However, further studies are still needed to be conducted to prove the benefits of blueberries and cranberries to the health of the liver.