What Causes Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?

Insulin Resistance

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease can be caused by insulin resistance in an affected individual. Insulin is a hormone the pancreas produces that moves glucose in the blood to the cells that need it to produce energy. Insulin resistance occurs due to several mechanisms and means the cells do not respond appropriately to rising levels of insulin. The pancreas has to make larger amounts of insulin to remove sugar from the blood effectively. After repeating this process over time, the pancreas will no longer be able to produce enough insulin to manage blood sugar levels in a healthy range. Insulin is important to reduce the activity of a compound required for the adipose cells to release the fatty acids stored within them. In states of starvation, the process of fat release, transport, and conversion to glucose in the liver is imperative. However, insulin resistance in non-fasting states causes adipose tissues to release fats back into the blood when the amount of fat exceeds a certain level. The extra fat is then taken up by the muscles and redeposited in the liver, which can lead to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

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