Fatty liver disease is a chronic condition that’s characterized by fat infiltrating the liver, which can lead to serious health problems including liver failure. When normal liver tissue is replaced with fatty tissue, it can eventually lead to fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver as well.

In the Annals of Hepatology, researchers surveyed the medical literature for articles about the herb milk thistle and its liver-protective component silymarin. The authors identified 26 randomized, controlled studies involving 2,375 subjects in which the use of silymarin significantly reduced levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, fasting insulin, insulin resistance, and elevated HDL cholesterol.

Furthermore, silymarin reduced the liver function enzymes ALT and AST. The levels of fatty liver index and fatty liver scores also decreased.

Finally, the patients who were given silymarin enjoyed significant improvement of fatty liver disease.

Let me tell you, if there was a Big Pharma medication that accomplished all the things noted above, it would be a blockbuster drug prescribed for most Americans.

But silymarin is just a natural compound that can’t be patented, so most people have probably never even heard of it.

Nearly 70 percent of Americans are overweight, with almost 40 percent considered obese. And most of those people are suffering from some form of liver disease.

Being overweight is a risk factor for fatty liver disease. Alcoholism is another known risk factor. But nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is also occurring at epidemic rates worldwide. Unbelievably, more than 25 percent of the world’s population suffers from NAFLD.

This is being driven, in part, by the obesity epidemic. I frequently diagnose and successfully treat fatty liver disease.

Silymarin is an integral part of that treatment. However, fatty liver disease can’t be treated successfully without cleaning up the diet. That includes eliminating refined sources of sugar and carbohydrates. Avoiding alcohol is also imperative.

Exercise can also improve fatty liver disease.

Adopting a holistic lifestyle that includes whole food sources, adequate amounts of water, and eating organic can help a person overcome fatty liver disease.

More information about a healthy diet can be found in my book, The Guide to Healthy Eating.