Introduction
The NAFLD ailment results from the accumulation of fats in the liver cells without excessive alcohol consumption influences. For NAFLD, healthcare professionals stipulate that the demographics at risk entail people with high triglycerides, high cholesterol, and those who are obese or overweight. Furthermore, people with bad eating habits and those experiencing rapid weight loss remain susceptible to the disease (American Liver Foundation, 2022). The fascination with this topic arises from the comprehension that NAFLD occurs quietly without any apparent symptoms until a blood test happens. In some instances, the abnormal blood results from the liver function test can lead to a misdiagnosis. NAFLD affects a massive population in the United States because of its stealthiness and the high incidence and prevalence rate, hence the need for an unconventional solution.
Purpose
A liver transplant is the most feasible solution upfront in a healthcare setting, especially given NAFLD is the reason for most liver transplants (Alswat et al., 2019). Unfortunately, with the disease seeping into the population gradually, even liver donors seem to be at some stage of NAFLD, unbeknownst to them. NAFLD encompasses conditions ranging from simple steatosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to the eventual permanent damage of cirrhosis (Sherriff et al., 2016). It becomes even more interesting when there is credence to the fact that it is the most common liver disorder in the US and affects about a quarter of the adult population (NIDDK, 2021; Salinas, 2016). The purpose of the paper lies in showing how ineffective conventional techniques have been to the masses and how the idea of choline supplements might be the key to mitigating NAFLD.
Relevance
The current means of identifying patients who suffer from NAFLD lies in conducting a liver test function which may yield mixed results. The confirmation of excess fats in the liver has led to the introduction of invasive and noninvasive methods that, sometimes, produce void results. The stage at which it is possible to mitigate NAFLD lies in championing prevention measures such as healthy lifestyles, but this is also futile in the face of news that NAFLD could be genetically passed (Juanola et al., 2021). This paper aims to propose an outside-the-box solution; thus, it gains momentum and relevance, given it supersedes these limitations sufficiently.
The Choline Theory
Choline metabolism occurs in the liver allowing the breakdown of lipids. This proposal accomplishes the task of minimizing the risk to vulnerable demographics whose livers could fail due to low choline intake, genetics, age, gender, and estrogen levels. The intended goal is to further the theory that choline supplements could be vital in nullifying the NAFLD threat. Individuals with the disease lack adequate choline levels to maintain optimum liver functionality. When NAFLD patients got prescribed choline supplements in addition to doses of coenzyme Q10, polyunsaturated omega-3-series’ fatty acids, vitamin D, vitamin E, and silymarin in the proper parameters, the NAFLD side effects got significantly alleviated (Cicero et al., 2018). Therefore, there is a realistic chance that choline supplements could be the next best thing, especially for at-risk demographics.
Conclusion
The continued uptake in NAFLD diagnoses is not a trend that will slow down. It is a disease that has proven impossible to treat and hard to diagnose. With no cure for the disease available, it becomes necessary to adopt solutions beyond the norm, such as introducing choline supplements. It takes into effect that the best way to counter NAFLD at this moment is prevention which the supplements achieve sufficiently. Choline can strengthen the liver’s ability to break down lipids into energy, thus reducing any chances of accumulation.
References
Alswat, K. A., Fallatah, H. I., Al-Judaibi, B., Elsiesy, H. A., Al-Hamoudi, W. K., Qutub, A. N., Alturaify, N., & Al-Osaimi, A. (2019). Position statement on the diagnosis and management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.Saudi Medical Journal, 40(6), 531-540. Web.
American Liver Foundation. (2022). Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Web.
Cicero, A., Colletti, A., & Bellentani, S. (2018). Nutraceutical approach to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): The available clinical evidence.Nutrients, 10(9), 1153. Web.
Juanola, O., Martínez-López, S., Francés, R., & Gómez-Hurtado, I. (2021). Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Metabolic, genetic, epigenetic and environmental risk factors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(10), 5227. Web.
NIDDK. (2021). Definition & facts of NAFLD & NASH. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Web.
Salinas, R. A. (2016). Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: New insights. Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Sherriff, J., O’Sullivan, T., Properzi, C., Oddo, J. and Adams, L., 2016. Choline, Its Potential Role in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, and the Case for Human and Bacterial Genes. Advances in Nutrition, 7(1), pp.5-13.