“What do a fatty liver and insulin resistance have to do with one another?”, actually quite a lot. Many studies have shown fatty liver and insulin resistance to be associated, though the relationship between the two in the development of diabetes is still unclear. According to Howard Hughes Medical Institute, scientists have recently identified genetic factors that predispose people to developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Interestingly, the same genetic factors are linked to insulin resistance as well, even in people of normal weight.
It has been found that treatments developed for insulin resistance and metabolic disorders often are helpful in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. These treatments include weight loss, metformin, and thiazolidinediones. Diet changes seem to have a very beneficial effect on both fatty liver and insulin resistance. Vitamin E has also been known to improve symptoms of both conditions as well.
Soft drink consumption may have a major influence on both fatty liver and insulin resistance. In particular, soft drinks which are high in fructose corn syrup are becoming a major concern for public health. Studies show that 80% of patients with or without metabolic syndrome drank excessive amounts of soft drinks, compared to 17% in the healthy group. Another study also found that 31 g of soft drinks a day raises the chance of getting non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by 1.45 times.
Fatty Liver and Insulin Resistance Studies
Many recent studies have shown the correlation between fatty liver and insulin resistance. One such study shows obesity and insulin resistance as a cause for fatty liver. They tested 44 individuals who were randomly chosen, to drink on glass of wine per day for women and two glasses a day for men in three months. What the found was that the red wine had almost nothing to do with the fat in the liver. The fat in liver was directly affected by the amount of obesity and insulin resistance in the individual instead.
Gerald I. Shulman, an HHMI investigator at Yale University School of Medicine, led a group of scientist to perform a genetic analysis which linked a gene to the increased risk of nonalcoholic liver disease. In the study they found that a particular gene (APOC3) produced high levels of apolipoprotein C3. This circulates in the blood and impairs the body’s ability to process dietary fat. In the study, 7 individuals were put on a calorie-restricted diet. This improved insulin sensitivity and reduced fat in the liver. Overall, the study showed that fatty liver and insulin resistance are directly related.
