Allied Digestive Health urges earlier liver checks on Global Fatty Liver Day

Allied Digestive Health marked Global Fatty Liver Day by warning that liver disease often develops with few or no symptoms until damage is advanced. The group says earlier screening, lifestyle changes, and treatment can improve outcomes as steatotic liver disease continues to rise worldwide.

Why it matters: - Liver disease often progresses silently, which means many people do not know they have a problem until significant damage has already occurred. - Earlier detection expands treatment options and can improve outcomes for people at risk of liver cancer and other liver conditions. - Global Fatty Liver Day is meant to push more people to pay attention to liver health before symptoms appear.

What happened: - Allied Digestive Health marked Global Fatty Liver Day on the second Thursday of June with a warning about the growing burden of liver disease. - Dr. Kenny Chiu, a gastroenterologist at Coastal Gastroenterology Associates, a division of Allied Digestive Health, said liver disease often develops with few or no symptoms. - Dr. Chiu said many liver conditions can be prevented through healthy weight management, less alcohol use, hepatitis vaccination, regular exercise and routine screenings. - Dr. Douglas Weine, a gastroenterologist at Red Bank Gastroenterology, a division of Allied Digestive Health, said metabolic factors such as obesity and insulin resistance, along with alcohol, are now the most common causes of liver disease. - Dr. Ritu Nahar, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Allied Digestive Health, highlighted warning signs people should not ignore, including fatigue, nausea, reduced appetite, yellowing of the skin, abdominal swelling and persistent itching.

The details: - The liver performs more than 500 essential functions each day, including filtering toxins from the blood, regulating cholesterol, producing bile for digestion and storing energy. - The Global Liver Institute, which leads Global Fatty Liver Day, says an estimated 357 million people worldwide are expected to be living with steatotic liver disease by 2030. - Steatotic liver disease was formerly known as fatty liver disease. - Early liver disease can be mild or symptom-free, which leaves many people undiagnosed as cases rise globally. - General alcohol guidance cited by Dr. Weine suggests no more than one drink per day for women and two for men. - Dr. Weine said avoiding alcohol altogether is the safest approach for people with fatty liver or other liver conditions. - People with heavy alcohol use, NAFLD, NASH, chronic hepatitis B or C, type 2 diabetes or a family history of genetic liver disease should ask about regular monitoring for liver disease and liver cancer. - Liver cancer treatment options can include surgical resection, ablation therapy, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy.

Between the lines: - Allied Digestive Health is framing liver awareness as a prevention and screening issue, not just a treatment issue. - The emphasis on metabolic disease reflects a shift in the liver conversation, with obesity and insulin resistance now central to risk. - The message is also a reminder that people may need to act before any obvious symptoms show up. - Dr. Chiu said even some patients with moderate liver damage may have treatments that can potentially reverse the damage.

What’s next: - Allied Digestive Health is urging people with questions about liver health to speak with a gastroenterologist before symptoms make the issue urgent. - The group is directing readers to more information about Global Fatty Liver Day. - Doctors said people with risk factors should discuss regular monitoring with their physicians to catch disease earlier.