NASH is the English acronym for nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. In other words, "fatty liver disease" also known as "soda disease"... The tone is set. Discover in the following lines this little known disease with disastrous consequences which is only the result of a disorganized food hygiene.

What is NASH?

A so-called disease of civilization par excellence, it is the result of inadequate dietary hygiene, namely: extremely high in sugar and fat. The liver is inflamed and can no longer function properly. Although the liver cells are damaged as in alcoholic hepatitis, alcohol consumption has no role in this lesioning process. It is indeed, as mentioned above, a liver problem linked to the excessive consumption of sugar and fat, hence its explicit nicknames: "fatty liver disease" or "soda disease".

Risk factors for NASH.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is a chronic liver disease that affects millions of people worldwide. It is extremely common in obese populations. For your information, NASH is the second leading cause of liver in the U.S., behind hepatitis C, and is expected to become the number one disease by 2020. "A study published in the Journal of Hepatology estimated in 2016 the number of adults with NASH in the United States at 17.3 million, and is expected to reach 27 million by 2030; in the five major European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom) these numbers were estimated at 12.6 million and 18.3 million, respectively*"

Specifically, NASH is related to insulin resistance because, in effect, the pancreas of overweight people must secrete a considerable amount of insulin to lower blood sugar levels (blood glucose). Over the years, this becomes depleted, leading to an increase in blood sugar levels: type II diabetes develops. At the same time, this hyperinsulinemia disturbs the assimilation of fatty acids by the liver cells: steatosis is guaranteed. 

Other risk factors according to the Villejuif Hepatobiliary Center are

• The overweight (Body Mass Index greater than 25 kg/m2). 
•  The fasting hyperglycemia (greater than 6.1mmol/l). 
•  The hypertriglyceridemia (greater than 1.7mmol/l). 
•  Central adiposity (waist circumference greater than 88 for women and greater than 102 cm for men) 
•  A low HDL cholesterol level (less than 0.5 g/L for women and less than 0.4 g/L for men).

How is NASH detected?

If the subject falls into the categories of at-risk individuals discussed in the previous paragraph and presents with generalized fatigue, edema, GI bleeding, or jaundice, the NASH disease may already be established.

Having no symptoms of its own, NASH disease is difficult to detect. Blood tests may reveal a high level of transaminase and Gamma GT knowing that the subject does not have viral or alcoholic hepatitis. However, this is not enough. A liver biopsy should be performed to validate the diagnosis.

Consequences of NASH

This pathology brings with it many disastrous consequences if not properly managed. In fact, 1/3 of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease evolves into cirrhosis, which opens the door to a possible hepatocellular carcinoma, in other words: liver cancer.

Conventional Treatments

NASH disease is reversible before the onset of cirrhosis. This is very encouraging!

The treatments consist of:

• Review the patient's general lifestyle in order to limit weight gain or even lose weight: dietary reorganization, psychological work around the dietary problem, adapted physical activity,
• taking medication to combat insulin resistance. 

For the most severe cases:

• Bariatric surgery 
• Liver transplantation 

Treatments and Complementary Therapies

Complementary natural health and wellness techniques such as homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, ayurveda, naturopathy, Ericksonian hypnosis, sophrology, meditation or reflex techniques such as plantar, palm, endo-nasal or auricular reflexology can very well accompany a patient suffering from NASH in order to potentiate the protocol ordered by his doctors.

Indeed, each one in his or her own discipline can provide support, whether it be psycho-emotional, dietary, energetic or through a natural pharmacopoeia that is adequate, personalized and compatible with allopathic treatment. 

*Estes, C. et al, Modeling the epidemic of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease demonstrates an exponential increase in burden of disease. Hepatology, 2018. 67(1): p. 123-133

source: GENFIT