{"id":3078,"date":"2026-08-06T17:02:32","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T08:02:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saito-cl-liver-regeneration.com\/blog\/?p=3078"},"modified":"2026-08-06T17:33:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T08:33:39","slug":"post-3078","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/saito-cl-liver-regeneration.com\/blog\/post-3078\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Fatty Liver Be Cured? A Hepatologist Explains the Risks of Progression to Cirrhosis if Left Untreated and Diet\/Exercise Therapies to Seriously Improve It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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“I was told I have a ‘fatty liver’ at my health checkup.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Why do I have it when I don’t drink much alcohol?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I’m confused because I was told I have a fatty liver even though I’m thin.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of you may have felt anxious or had questions like these after looking at your health checkup results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fatty liver is the early stage of liver disease, often called a “silent killer” because it has almost no noticeable symptoms. It is a very scary condition that, if left untreated simply because there are no symptoms, can progress unnoticed from “hepatitis” to “liver cirrhosis” and eventually to “liver cancer.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, fatty liver is also a disease that can be “cured” if detected early and treated properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, from the perspective of a liver specialist (hepatologist), we will thoroughly explain the true risks of fatty liver and specific methods (diet and exercise) to seriously improve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is “Fatty Liver” in the First Place?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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Fatty liver literally refers to “a condition in which excessive fat (mainly neutral fat\/triglycerides) accumulates in the liver.” Even a healthy liver contains about 3% to 5% fat, but when it exceeds 5%, it is diagnosed as a fatty liver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fatty liver is broadly divided into two types:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2460 Alcoholic Fatty Liver<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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This is a fatty liver caused by long-term, excessive alcohol consumption. When alcohol is broken down in the liver, the synthesis of neutral fat is promoted, making it easier to accumulate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2461 Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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This is a fatty liver that develops even in people who drink very little or no alcohol at all, and it has been rapidly increasing in recent years. The main causes are disruptions in lifestyle habits, such as obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia (hyperlipidemia), and a lack of exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Condition to Watch Out For: “MASH”<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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Within Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), there is “simple fatty liver,” where fat merely accumulates, and “Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH),” which involves inflammation and the destruction of liver cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(\u203bNote: Due to advances in medical knowledge, MASLD\/MASH are new concepts and terms updated from the traditional “NAFLD\/NASH”.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MASH is estimated to account for about 10% to 20% of all MASLD cases. Particular caution is required, as it is said that if left untreated, approximately 10% to 20% of people with MASH will progress to liver cirrhosis within 10 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Symptoms” of Fatty Liver \u2014 Why Is It Left Untreated?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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The biggest reason fatty liver is called a “silent killer” is that in its early stages, there are almost no noticeable subjective symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The liver is an extremely resilient organ that continues to work quietly even when damaged. Therefore, by the time symptoms like the following appear, the disease may have already progressed significantly (transitioned into hepatitis or liver cirrhosis):<\/p>\n\n\n\n