Fatty liver disease: 5 science-backed steps an NHS doctor followed to reverse the condition

Fatty liver disease is becoming increasingly common in younger adults. In its initial stages, making the right lifestyle changes can even reverse the condition. Dr Karan Rajan, an NHS surgeon and health educator with over 2.1 million followers on Instagram, revealed how he improved his liver health. “I was diagnosed with fatty liver disease in 2018, and these are some things I did every day for years to reverse it,” he said in a video shared on social media. The doctor, who has also worked with the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the British Red Cross as a health advocate, explains the science-backed approach he followed to manage the condition. Take a look.

Dr Rajan calls removing liquid sugar from his diet his ‘quickest win’, and for good reason. Sugary drinks such as fizzy sodas, sweetened juices, and even some coffee shop concoctions are your liver’s worst enemy. Your liver processes liquid sugar directly, turning excess calories straight into fat. Your body does not register liquid calories in the same way as solid food, so you will end up consuming far more calories without feeling satisfied. Instead, swap those sugary drinks for plain water, unsweetened tea, or black coffee.

Exercise is non-negotiable for improving fatty liver disease. The good news is that you do not need to be a gym rat for this. Try to incorporate 150 minutes of exercise a week; this alone can significantly improve your health. “Studies show that aerobic training and resistance workouts can reduce liver fat independent of weight loss. Around 150 minutes a week of cardio and at least two strength sessions a week improve hepatic insulin sensitivity,” the doctor revealed. Aim for 30 minutes of cardio, five days a week. This could be a brisk walk, a run, swimming, cycling or whatever you can do consistently. Along with two strength sessions, this can help prevent fat accumulation.

Here’s something most people overlook when it comes to liver health: the role of fibre in the diet. Fibre feeds your gut microbiome, which produces short-chain fatty acids such as propionate, a compound that directly reduces liver fat production and improves insulin sensitivity. “Increasing fibre intake also improves the integrity of the gut barrier so there is less inflammatory molecule spillover to the liver,” the NHS surgeon explained. Eat whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and fruits for this.

Black coffee is one of the most studied foods shown to improve fatty liver disease. “I drank black coffee because that directly improves liver health. Drinking up to three cups of black coffee a day is consistently linked to lower amounts of liver fat and liver-related mortality because of the combination of the soluble fibre you find in coffee, the melanoidins and the polyphenols, which provide an anti-inflammatory effect,” the doctor said. However, ensure you are not adding sugar to black coffee.

Dr Rajan also ditched saturated fats for healthier alternatives. He switched to a Mediterranean diet to improve his liver health. This diet includes fish, olive oil, nuts, and seeds, which reduce both liver fat and cardiometabolic risk. “Replace your saturated fats with mono- and polyunsaturated fats such as fish, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. Mediterranean-style eating patterns reduce liver fat and cardiometabolic risk. And do not worry about being low-fat, just replace it with better fats,” he added.
Fatty liver disease is not a life sentence. With the right lifestyle changes, you can improve your liver health and, in many cases, even reverse the condition.