Liver health: what to watch and what to do

Fatty liver affects roughly 1 in 3 adults today. Your liver silently handles digestion, filters toxins, stores energy, and helps fight infections. The good news: small, consistent choices can protect it. Here’s clear, practical advice you can use right now.

Spotting trouble early

You won’t always feel sick when the liver is stressed. Look for persistent fatigue, yellowing skin or eyes, dark urine, itchy skin, swelling in the legs or belly, and unexplained weight loss. If you have type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or carry extra belly fat, you’re more likely to develop fatty liver disease — so pay attention even without symptoms.

Ask your doctor for simple blood tests: ALT and AST (liver enzymes), GGT, alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin. Abnormal results don’t always mean serious disease, but they’re a red flag that needs follow-up. Imaging like an ultrasound or FibroScan can check for fat and scarring when labs look off.

Everyday habits that help

Cut back on alcohol. Even moderate drinking can worsen liver damage for some people. If you take acetaminophen (paracetamol), stick to the recommended dose and avoid mixing it with alcohol. Many over-the-counter and herbal products can hurt the liver, so tell your doctor everything you take.

Food matters. Aim for a balanced plate: vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, fatty fish). Limit added sugar and refined carbs — they feed fat buildup in the liver. Losing 5–10% of body weight often reduces liver fat and improves enzyme levels for people with fatty liver.

Move more. A mix of brisk walking and strength work three to five times a week helps reduce liver fat and improves insulin sensitivity. You don’t need to train for a marathon — small, steady changes win.

Coffee? Good news: moderate coffee intake is linked in studies to lower liver enzyme levels and less liver scarring. Two to three cups a day appears beneficial for many people, but skip the sugary coffee drinks.

Vaccines protect too. If you’re not immune to hepatitis A or B, get vaccinated. Preventing viral hepatitis is a direct way to protect liver health.

Be cautious with supplements. Milk thistle is popular, but evidence is mixed. Some herbal supplements (kava, chaparral, high-dose vitamin A) can harm the liver. Always check with your clinician before starting anything new.

If tests show persistent elevation or imaging suggests scarring, ask about specialist referral (hepatologist) and lifestyle programs that target weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol. Don’t stop prescribed medicines without talking to your doctor — many heart and diabetes drugs protect overall health, including the liver.

Small actions add up: track symptoms, get basic liver tests during checkups, clean up your diet, move more, avoid risky supplements, and vaccinate when needed. Those steps give your liver a real chance to stay healthy for the long run.