Atkins & Fatty Liver? - Liver & Pancreas Disorders Message Board

kimberp · 10-20-2003, 11:13 AM

Hello, I am new to this board and hoping you might be able to help ...

I have been on Atkins since July 03 and went to the doctor because I have been feeling very tired and not really losing much weight on the Atkins diet. My cholesterol has always been around 170 and no significant health issues.

After recent bloodwork, I appears that my cholesterol has gone up 51 pts (to 221)and my 'liver levels' (AST and ALT) are 52 and 161!

My doctor told me to get off of Atkins immediately and switch to a low fat diet as she suspects I might have a 'fatty liver' due to the amount of fat I was eating for the past few months.

She is in the process of ruling of hepatitis, etc. and I went for a sonogram this past Friday and from what the technicial told me that the radiologist said, my liver is 'borderline' fatty.

My question is .. can your diet have such an effect on the liver and can eating low fat 'clean' my liver?

Any help you can provide would be great.

Thanks!

paborn · 10-20-2003, 03:21 PM

I too am on the Atkins diet. My cholesterol and triglicerides were much improved after eight months of Atkins. My ALT ans AST were both over 100 though. I too had a ultrasound which showed a fatty change. The ultrasound technician told me what she saw looked normal for someone my age. (47).

forreal · 10-23-2003, 01:21 AM

A few years ago, I went on Atkins and got very ill. I have elevated liver enzymes, celiacs disease, thyroid problems. Anyway, my triglycerides and cholesterol were through the roof, I got severe edema, didn't lose that much weight, and started getting very weak with fainting spells. I was told to stop it ASAP.

Anyway, the safest bet IMO would be to do the liver cleansing diet, there is a book out by Dr. Cabot. Then either continue that or follow a more safe low carb diet like south beach diet.