Fatty Liver: Causes, Symptoms, Diet, and More background image
May 27, 2021

Fatty Liver: Causes, Symptoms, Diet, and More

Dr. Thomas Wnorowski profile image

Dr. Thomas Wnorowski

PhD, CNCC, Clinical Nutrition Researcher & Biomedical Nutritionist

Featured Product:

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BodyBio PC (Phospholipid Complex)

BodyBio PC

From £64.99 GBP

When most people think of conditions caused by obesity, cardiovascular disease usually jumps to mind. But obesity is also strongly linked to a condition called fatty liver disease, or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. 

Fatty liver is one of those conditions that rarely causes problems, until suddenly, it causes big problems. Severe consequences range from heart disease to liver failure. 

Fortunately, fatty liver can be treated and reversed, given sustainable diet and lifestyle changes. Let’s look at what fatty liver disease is, symptoms, and how to treat it.

Table of Contents: 

What is fatty liver disease?

Fatty liver disease, also called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD, is a silent killer on the rise in the American population. The American Liver Foundation estimates that NAFLD is the most common liver condition in the United States, and a shocking 25% of U.S. adults have fatty liver disease. Five percent of U.S. adults have a more severe inflammatory form called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH. [1] 

NAFLD also affects ten to 20 percent of children in the U.S. and is expected to cause worsening liver conditions with age. [2]

Along with rising rates of obesity, metabolic dysfunction, and more, fatty liver cases are rising and can lead to grave long-term effects.

What causes fatty liver?

When we break it down, fatty liver is caused by three main issues: 

  1. Too much fat entering the liver
  2. Too much fat being made in the liver
  3. Not enough fat leaving the liver.

These three factors lead to build up of fat in and around the liver, which impairs the liver’s ability to do its job: detoxify our bodies. 

So what causes this buildup of fat? Obesity, metabolic dysfunction, and insulin resistance have been identified as main causes, which all comes back to a diet poor in nutrients and high in processed carbs, sugar, and refined oils, along with a lack of movement and a high-stress lifestyle.

Fatty liver symptoms

Fatty liver disease is easy to miss, especially in early stages, because it doesn’t really have any overt symptoms. When it begins to worsen, fatigue, liver swelling, abdominal pain, jaundice, and fluid retention can occur. In the late stages, scar tissue develops in the liver and it finally begins to shut down.

Your doctor may look for elevated liver enzymes to confirm fatty liver disease, but these will not be elevated in the initial stages, when diet and lifestyle changes are critical for reversing the condition.

Fatty liver treatment

Fatty liver can absolutely be treated––and even reversed––in the early stages with a transformation in diet and lifestyle. A person would also do well to prioritize certain nutrients and add detoxifying foods and practices to their daily routine. Let’s discuss these components one by one. 

Fatty liver diet

The most integral change for reversing fatty liver is to incorporate a healthy, sustainable diet. And when we say sustainable, we don’t just mean for the planet, we mean a diet that you can enjoy for the rest of your life that allows you to live healthily and well. 

This means generally avoiding:

  • Processed sugar
  • Processed carbs
  • Refined flours
  • Refined oils

This list encompasses most pre-packaged foods and fast food. Does it mean you can’t enjoy a slice of chocolate cake on your birthday? No, but it means you aren’t reaching for the donuts, candy, and pre-packaged snacks every single day. Instead, reach for whole foods, home-cooked meals, and lots of fresh produce. 

What you should eat: 

  • Animal protein: meat, eggs, fish, etc.
  • Nonstarchy vegetables: greens, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, radishes, bell peppers, etc.
  • Saturated fats: again eggs, ghee, coconut oil, etc.
  • MCT Oil: shown to attenuate liver damage in pigs [3]
  • Fruits: apples, bananas, berries, etc.
  • Nuts and seeds
  • The “rainbow:” as many colorful foods as you can find to get a host of different vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.
  • Balanced meals with protein, fat, and healthy carbs
  • Naturally detoxifying foods, like garlic, onions, broccoli family vegetables, beets, etc.

Now, you might have done a double take on one of these: saturated fats. Despite the bad press saturated fat has gotten over decades, it’s actually a crucial part of your cell membranes. Plus, saturated fat is the most stable fat, meaning it can handle high temperatures when cooking without oxidizing, which would be damaging to your health. You also need saturated fat for healthy brain cells and brain function. 

Despite the term “fatty liver,” it’s not dietary fat that is the culprit here (besides inflammatory seed oils of course). Healthy fats, both saturated and unsaturated, are crucial to a strong metabolism and providing essential fatty acids for your cell membranes. They also make you feel fuller for longer, reducing cravings and stabilizing your hormones. 

The real villain is sugar, specifically processed sugar, and even sometimes natural sugar if it’s being consumed in extremely high amounts. That’s why it's important to balance out natural sugar with fiber and fat, to slow absorption and allow the body to use it efficiently as fuel. 

You can read more about good vs. bad fats and oils in our blog post here. 

Exercise

We all know about the importance of exercise, but most of us have the wrong idea when it comes to the type of exercise we should really be doing every day. 

There’s the intense, hardcore exercise like HIIT workouts and heavy weightlifting, but then there’s movement like simple walking, stretching, yoga, or casual sports. To counteract NAFLD, the point is not to stress the body with intense training, but rather to simply move in a way that feels good and challenges you slightly. Over time you can increase the difficulty as it feels good to you. 

Supplementation

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) has been shown to manage fatty liver in rats.* [4] PC supports cell membrane health, facilitating fatty acid transport in and out of the cell, but it also supplies choline when needed. Choline is a vital nutrient that can help restore hepatic (liver) function.* 

If a person takes liposomal PC to address fatty liver disease, serum choline will reach its peak in about six hours. Once this occurs, PC will start to prevent fibrosis and cirrhosis by encouraging collagen breakdown and modulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-a [5].* The body inherently knows when to use PC as a cell membrane component, and when to break it down to get simple choline depending on its needs. Isn’t that amazing? 

Butyrate has also been shown to have an interesting connection to improving liver health by improving gut health. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid metabolite produced by the gut microbes in our colon. It is remarkably anti-inflammatory and supports the delicate cells that line our gut, and now research shows that butyrate-producing probiotics can also reduce triglycerides, improve insulin resistance, and lower inflammation in the liver.* [6]

Finally, studies on fish oil, particularly omega-3 essential fatty acids, have shown to be effective in reducing liver inflammation and oxidative stress in fatty liver as well as lowering triglycerides.* [7] However, fish oil use remains controversial, as it seems to have both positive and negative effects, especially depending on a person’s ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. [8] Always consult with a trusted healthcare provider before beginning fish oil or another new supplement. 

When you decide to add supplementation to your health protocol, you want to go with a trusted supplier backed by years of valid scientific research. Learn more about BodyBio PC, BodyBio Butyrate, and BodyBio Fish Oil. 

Understanding fatty liver disease

Even though fatty liver disease is on the rise in the U.S., the keys to fixing it are remarkably simple and rarely even prompt prescription medication. Refocusing on a whole-foods, balanced diet, movement, lowering stress, and strategic supplementation can turn this condition around well before it can cause further damage to cardiovascular health and more. Don’t forget to support your liver! 

Learn more about how BodyBio supplements support your health on the cellular level.

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Comprehensive Guide to Butyrate: What it is, Benefits, Side Effects, & More
Ashley Palmer | 06.16.2026

Comprehensive Guide to Butyrate: What it is, Benefits, Side Effects, & More

Butyrate is a necessary component to a balanced microbiome, also working as an inflammation guard*. One of several, short-chain fatty acids created from fermented resistant starches, low butyrate levels have been associated with serious health concerns.

Butyrate and IBS: What Your Gut Cells Actually Need
Ashley Palmer | 04.24.2026

Butyrate and IBS: What Your Gut Cells Actually Need

You've tried the probiotics. You've cleaned up your diet. You're doing everything you're supposed to do, and your gut still isn't cooperating.

If you have IBS, that frustration is familiar. Bloating, urgency, unpredictable mornings, the constant guessing game of what's going to set things off.

What often gets missed in the conversation around IBS isn't a trendy new supplement or a stricter elimination diet. It's something more foundational: what your gut's own cells actually need to function.

Here's a closer look at what butyrate does, why IBS and low butyrate levels are closely linked, and how supporting the gut at the cellular level can make a difference.

Table of Contents:

  • Understanding Butyrate

  • How Butyrate Works in the Gut

  • Why This Becomes an Issue for People With IBS

  • Supporting the Body More Effectively

  • Butyrate, IBS, and the Cellular Health Connection

  • How Butyrate Supports IBS Comfort Long-Term

Understanding Butyrate

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced in the colon when beneficial gut bacteria ferment dietary fiber, specifically resistant starch. It belongs to a class of compounds called postbiotics, the functional byproducts of a healthy microbiome.

Unlike probiotics, which are living bacteria, butyrate is a metabolite. It's a compound your body puts to work directly at the cellular level. Understanding the difference between probiotics and postbiotics, like butyrate, is a useful shift you can make when thinking about gut health.

Why the Body Relies on Butyrate

Your colon is lined with specialized cells called colonocytes. These cells run almost entirely on butyrate, providing up to 90% of their energy needs.

When colonocytes have what they need, they do their job well. They maintain the integrity of the gut lining, regulate what passes into the bloodstream, support a healthy inflammatory response, and help keep gut motility on track. Without enough butyrate, the gut’s main source of energy, the gut simply can't do its job well.

How Butyrate Works in the Gut

Butyrate supports three interconnected systems in the gut: the gut lining, the immune environment, and gut motility.

The gut lining is just one cell layer thick. Butyrate fuels those cells and supports the tight junctions between them, the structural connections that keep the barrier intact and functioning.

At the immune level, butyrate helps the body maintain a balanced inflammatory response in the colon without triggering overactivation. And because it directly influences the rhythmic contractions that move contents through the digestive tract, it plays a meaningful role in the irregular patterns that so many people with IBS experience.

What Happens When Butyrate Levels Are Supported vs. Strained

When butyrate is available in adequate amounts, the gut lining stays resilient, motility is more regular, and digestive comfort improves, whether you have a diagnosis of IBS or not.

If butyrate levels fall short, the gut barrier may become less stable, motility can become unpredictable, and the colon's immune environment may shift. How pronounced these patterns are varies from person to person. Diet, stress, genetics, and microbiome composition all play a role in your body’s patterns too.

Why This Becomes an Issue for People With IBS

Modern Stressors on Butyrate Production

Butyrate is made by gut bacteria that ferment resistant starch, a type of fiber found in foods like cooked and cooled potatoes, legumes, and underripe bananas. The modern diet is low in these foods. That means many people simply aren't giving their gut bacteria the raw materials they need to produce adequate butyrate levels.

Antibiotic use, chronic stress, and certain medications can also reduce the population of butyrate-producing bacteria in the colon. Over time, that compounds the butyrate production gap.

Why Common Approaches Often Fall Short

Probiotics can be a valuable part of gut health support, but most probiotic strains are not butyrate-producing species. They can shift the microbiome, but they don't directly address the fuel shortage that many IBS-related symptoms may stem from.

Fiber-based approaches come with a similar challenge. In some people with IBS, increasing fermentable fiber can worsen bloating and gas before it helps, because a disrupted microbiome may not efficiently use that fiber to make butyrate.

Since butyrate works at the cellular level, the signs of low butyrate can overlap common IBS symptoms, which is part of why the connection between the two gets overlooked.

Supporting the Body More Effectively

Foundational Support for Butyrate Production

Diet is the first step to improving the body's natural butyrate production. Foods high in resistant starch give butyrate-producing bacteria what they need to function properly.

Foods that naturally support butyrate production include cooked and cooled rice, potatoes, and legumes. A steady intake of resistant starch over time does more for the microbiome than occasional high-fiber days followed by low-fiber ones.

Stress management and adequate sleep can also support a more stable gut environment. Chronic stress directly affects microbiome composition and motility through the gut-brain axis. 

When Targeted Butyrate Support Makes Sense

For people whose microbiome is disrupted or whose diet can't consistently provide enough resistant starch, direct butyrate supplementation is another option for long-term support.*

Supplemental butyrate delivers the short-chain fatty acid directly to the colon, where colonocytes can put it to use.* Clinical research has shown that sodium butyrate supplementation is associated with improvements in abdominal comfort and bowel regularity in people with IBS.

Sodium butyrate and calcium magnesium butyrate are both effective options, and the differences between which works best for your body often come down to your individual health history and mineral needs.*

Butyrate, IBS, and the Cellular Health Connection

IBS is complex, and its causes vary from person to person. But one consistent finding in the research is that people with IBS tend to have lower levels of butyrate-producing bacteria and overall reduced short-chain fatty acids in the gut. That points to a cellular resource problem as much as a microbiome problem.

When the cells lining the colon are undersupported, the entire digestive environment becomes less stable. Gut barrier function, motility, immune signaling, and communication along the gut-brain axis all depend on colonocytes having what they need to function.

Supporting the gut at the cellular level is not a replacement for other gut health practices (whole food probiotics, exercise, etc.). It’s the foundation that makes those practices more effective. When your cells are supported, the body functions more efficiently as a whole.

How Butyrate Supports IBS Comfort Long-Term

IBS can feel like a moving target, and the path toward better digestive comfort is rarely a straight line or a quick fix. Supporting your gut at the cellular level creates a more stable foundation, and that starts with making sure colonocytes have the fuel they need.*

Butyrate works best as part of a consistent approach that includes diet, lifestyle, and targeted support where needed. Progress tends to be gradual, and that's expected. It reflects the time it takes for the gut lining to strengthen and the microbiome to rebalance.

IBS makes a lot more sense when you know what the gut's cells actually need. And that clarity is often where real progress begins.

Support your gut at the cellular level with BodyBio Butyrate.*

How Sugar and Stress Impact Gut Health (and How to Support It During the Holidays)
Ashley Palmer | 11.25.2025

How Sugar and Stress Impact Gut Health (and How to Support It During the Holidays)

Between the office party appetizers, your aunt's famous cookies, and that second or third glass of wine at dinner, your gut is working overtime this holiday season. Add in travel stress, family dynamics, and back-to-back celebrations, and you've got the perfect storm for digestive chaos. Your microbiome gets thrown off balance, bloating kicks in, and suddenly, you're fighting to recover while the next event looms ahead on the calendar.

But you don't have to choose between enjoying the holidays and feeling good. A few simple habits and smart supplement support like butyrate can keep your gut balanced and your energy steady, even when you're indulging more than usual.*

Table of Contents:

  • How Sugar Disrupts Gut Health

  • The Stress-Gut Connection

  • Alcohol's Role in Gut Imbalance

  • Supporting Your Gut During the Holidays

  • Butyrate Q&A: Your Holiday Gut Support Ally

  • Keep Your Gut (and Holidays) Happy

How Sugar Disrupts Gut Health

Sugar is everywhere during the holidays, from dessert spreads to seasonal lattes. And while your taste buds are celebrating, your gut (and metabolism) is dealing with the consequences.

Refined Sugar and the Microbiome

When you're eating more holiday cookies and desserts than usual, certain bacteria in your gut that love simple carbohydrates start to flourish. This temporary shift can show up as stronger cravings, more bloating, or mood changes, which may help explain why you keep going back to the cookie tray.

When this imbalance sticks around, it can affect your gut barrier (the protective lining that keeps your gut contents where they belong). When that barrier gets compromised, bacterial byproducts (waste and toxins produced by bacteria) slip into your bloodstream and trigger inflammation throughout your body. Since at least 70-80% of your immune system lives in your gut, keeping this barrier strong is especially important during the holidays when you're more susceptible to seasonal bugs. 

This systemic inflammation can even show up as breakouts or dull skin, another reminder of how deeply your gut health affects your whole body.

Sugar Spikes and Cellular-Level Stress

Those cookie-fueled blood sugar rollercoasters don't just zap your energy. They create stress at the cellular level. Your mitochondria have to work overtime to manage these ups and downs. The oxidative stress that results from these swings doesn't stay in your gut. It affects your whole body, compounding the stress you're already feeling and making recovery that much harder.

The Stress-Gut Connection

Between travel logistics, family gatherings, and year-end deadlines, the holidays can send your cortisol levels soaring. That stress response directly impacts how your gut functions.

The Gut-Brain Axis in Action

Your gut and brain are in constant conversation through the gut-brain axis. When stress rises (from travel chaos, family dynamics, or that never-ending to-do list), your body pumps out cortisol to help your body handle it. Cortisol slows digestion and weakens your gut barrier, exactly when you need them working their best.

Holiday Stress + Sugar = A Rough Combination

When emotional stress meets dietary stress, the side effects can multiply quickly. This is why bloating, constipation, and relentless sugar cravings often show up together during the busiest weeks of the year. Your gut is working overtime to keep up.

Alcohol's Role in Gut Imbalance

Holiday cocktails and wine (or your beverage of choice) add another layer of stress to an already taxed digestive system, particularly when it comes to gut barrier integrity.

How Alcohol Affects the Gut Barrier

Alcohol increases gut permeability, making that protective barrier more porous, and feeds inflammation in your digestive tract. It also depletes beneficial compounds like butyrate that your gut needs to stay strong.

The Next-Day Domino Effect

Ever notice how after a night with just one or two cocktails, you sleep poorly, crave sugar like crazy, and feel more stressed the next day? Each of these factors puts more strain on your microbiome, creating a cycle that's tough to break when holiday parties stack up week after week.

But that doesn’t mean you have to abstain from the fun altogether to shield your gut from harm. You just need a plan to minimize the side effects. 

Supporting Your Gut During the Holidays

You can protect your gut without skipping the celebrations with just a few, simple, strategic habits that make all the difference.

Lifestyle Swaps

You don't need to overhaul your entire holiday routine. A few small shifts make a real difference:

Hydrate between drinks. No seriously, alternate a tall glass of water after each drink, preferably with added electrolytes. Water + key minerals help your body process both sugar and alcohol more efficiently.

Pair sweets with protein or healthy fats. A handful of nuts with that cookie, or hard cheese with your dessert, slows glucose absorption and prevents wild blood sugar spikes.

Move daily. Even a 15-minute walk after meals helps regulate stress hormones and gets your digestion moving. Get the whole family involved for more quality time together!

Eat butyrate-rich foods. Foods like butter, ghee, and aged cheeses naturally contain some butyrate, while fiber-rich foods like cooked and cooled oats, slightly underripe bananas, and legumes help your gut bacteria produce more of it.

Smart Supplement Support: Butyrate

Butyrate is a postbiotic (a beneficial compound that your good gut bacteria naturally produce) that supports your gut lining, reduces inflammation, and helps keep your microbiome balanced. It's the perfect holiday event partner for your gut.*

During the holidays, butyrate helps you:

  • Skip the bloat with no more uncomfortable gas after meals*

  • Digest rich foods without the heavy, sluggish feeling*

  • Balance blood sugar after dessert (high spikes → gentle hills)*

  • Recover faster between celebrations by strengthening your gut barrier*

Butyrate is flexible. You can take it with or without food, and dose up or down based on your needs (up to six capsules per day). Already taking a probiotic that works for you? Butyrate works alongside it (more on that below).

Butyrate Q&A: Your Holiday Gut Support Ally

Q: Can I take butyrate with or without food?
A: Either way works. Take it however feels best for you. Some people prefer it with meals, others between. The most important thing is to stay consistent for gut protection.

Q: Is butyrate the same as a probiotic?
A: No, it's a postbiotic! Probiotics add beneficial bacteria to your gut. Butyrate is what healthy bacteria produce to keep your gut lining healthy and reduce inflammation.*

Q: Can I take butyrate with probiotics?
A: Absolutely. Probiotics repopulate the good bacteria, while butyrate strengthens the environment they need to thrive. They work well together. If probiotics are giving you some beneficial results but not all, butyrate can help bridge the gap.* 

Keep Your Gut (and Holidays) Happy

Sugar, stress, and alcohol are part of the holiday package, and that's okay (in moderation of course). They don't have to derail how you feel or leave you fighting to bounce back.

Your gut doesn't need perfection; it simply needs nutrition, hydration, movement, and smart support when things get hectic. Butyrate is the perfect holiday event partner to support your gut microbiome and gut lining through every celebration, so you can enjoy the season without total gut and metabolic disruption.

When sugar, stress, and alcohol impact your gut this season, support your microbiome with BodyBio Butyrate.*