Can weight loss drugs help reverse fatty liver disease?

Fatty liver is often considered as a sneaky condition, it can start with barely noticeable symptoms, but if left unchecked, it can wreak havoc on your health.

 

Excess fat builds up in your liver cells, potentially leading to inflammation, scarring, and even cirrhosis over time. But the good news is that it's often reversible with some simple lifestyle tweaks.

 

However, a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that medications widely used for diabetes and obesity may offer significant benefits for patients with liver disease.

 

A new study found that taking a 2.4 mg weekly dose of semaglutide—sold under the brand names Wegovy and Ozempic—for a year and a half reversed fatty liver disease and reduced inflammation in nearly two out of three people. The treatment was shown to be effective for a condition called MASH, a type of fatty liver disease linked to obesity and diabetes.

 

Around one in three patients also saw a reduction in liver fibrosis or scarring of the liver as well.

 

Meanwhile, the side effects of the semaglutide treatment remain the same including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and weight loss. Serious side effects include stomach paralysis, inflammation of the pancreas, and thyroid cancer.

 

 

What is MAFLD?

 

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MAFLD), previously known as Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, is a long-term condition marked by the excessive buildup of fat in the liver. This fat buildup can cause inflammation, and liver scarring, and may even lead to liver cancer. In India, MAFLD is estimated to affect between 9% and 32% of the population.

 

Semaglutide is part of a group of medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists. These drugs imitate the effects of specific gut hormones to help the body release more insulin, reduce the release of glucagon (which triggers glucose production in the liver), and curb appetite by slowing down the digestive process.

 

The drug is meant for people who are not able to exercise or are unable to lose weight with diet and workout.

Health