I am considering the Atkins plan and have some questions. First, I can understand the low-carb reasoning, but why must it must be coupled with high fat and protein? I have high readings of ggt liver enzyme which after tests my Dr. concluded I have "fatty liver". Would a diet high in protein do more damage to my liver?

I have been reading the book "Life Without Bread" and I would say based on that, YES!!!!!
If you can, get the book and read it.

There has never been a study showing liver damage from this woe. Further there has never even been one case of liver damage attributed to this program. Fatty liver is a byproduct of obesity and/or excessive alcohol use, and is cured by weigh loss or not drinking.
The answer is no it won't hurt you, it will more likely be the most effective way for you to lose weight, solving the problem. DLB

Hi Psness,

My husband was also diagnosed with fatty liver a few years ago. His liver enzymes were elevated but was negative for hepatitis. He had to get a liver biopsy to finally get a diagnosis. He weighed about 220 at the time and was told to lose weight. He eventually went on atkins and went to 180 lbs. Repeat liver enzymes went to normal ranges. Because I'm a med tech and work at a lab it was easy for me to track his progress. The one thing that was a problem for him (and still is actually) was consuming meals very high in fat. He would get horrible side pains to the point we almost went to the ER assuming he had appendicitis! The protein never bothered him. So he had to do a modified Atkins. He ate mostly chicken and lower fat fish and not more than one serving of beef a week. The other thing the biopsy showed was that he had 4+ iron granules present in his liver. I ran a ferritin level and it was 350 (very high). He had to give multiple blood donations to get it back down to normal ranges. So he was concerned about eating a lot of iron rich meat. Losing weight basically solved his problem. Now he just has to endure me teasing him about having had a liver that would have made great pate! Hope this helps!-Holly

My husband and I have lowered our liver enzymes and triglycerides and all the negative stuff on the Atkins plan.

Anyone have any more information about higher fat and fatty liver???

Carbs are associated with fatty liver disease:

http://www.childrenshospital.org/ne...ublevel341.html

http://www.everydayhealth.com/diges...atty-liver.aspx

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/83167.php

To fatten the liver of a duck, for frois gras ( sp ? ) the duck is forced fed corn.

The best way to treat fatty liver disease is with the same diet that treats diabetes. What could that diet possibly be?

http://www.gastro.com/Gastro/liverd...y_liver.aspx#a6

Foie gras - force feeding ducks is babarious and cruel. I hope that all countries will start banning this 'delicacy'. There are numerous petitions on-line which, if you feel strongly about this issue, you can sign :

http://www.stopgavage.com/en/index.php

http://www.nofoiegras.org/

You are right about that.

Atkins is not really a 'high protein' way of eating but a high fat/medium protein/low carb one.

(Edited to correct the typo Lisa noticed!!!)
Must be my old timer's disease kicking in

Elizellen--I know this was just a typo Low fat?

Atkins=adequate protein, higher fat.

Excessive carbohydrate intake, HFCS, excessive alcohol consumption, liver pathology such as hepatitis=fatty liver.

Fats do not cause fatty liver disease.

Decrease in carbohydrate consumption and losing weight will improve/resolve fatty liver if there is no other underlying pathophysiology.

Black has some exellent links. I would take a gander at these to help put your mind at ease.

Progress not perfection.

Lisa

Thanks for spotting my typo, Lisa

So let me get this right....

For someone who has been diagnosed with Fatty Liver (such as my 16 year old daughter) they should continue on very low carbing (as she has been) and NO adjustment is required in the kind of meats she is consuming...?? ie: She's not to start eating leaner low fat meats ...

Just something else to throw into the pot is that my daughters GP prescribed her last month a tablet which when taken with her meals helps stop her body absorbing fat.
Is this unwise ? What effect do you think this will have when her predominant source of body fuel is protein fat... Thoughts on this would be much appreciated...

I am sorry if I'm not coming across coherent, but I'm all in a muddle about the best way to help my daughter .. :0

Its very early days & we were only told today following a liver scan that it shows fatty liver damage.. (Its not all in one place but in various patches through it. I don't know how damaged this makes it, so we await to see another consultant :z

It's my understanding that it's fructose (half of table sugar is fructose, high fructose corn syrup is in everything) is the leading cause of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Fatty liver describes the liver's condition; not how it got that way.

In "The 6 Week Cure for the Middle-Aged Middle", Dr Eades wrote a great deal about fatty liver.

There is a mention of it in his blog:
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/...t-and-bad-fats/