Prevention-oriented lifestyle

The best defense against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is to maintain a good weight and normal cholesterol and blood sugar levels. This strategy, along with avoiding excess alcohol and other substances that could be harmful to liver, can help reduce your risk of liver disease.

Prevention of liver diseases consists mainly of avoiding risk factors for liver disease or of prophylaxis by immunization.

Liver diseases are prevented by

- Abstinence or reduced alcohol intake (Alcoholic liver disease, deterioration of other liver diseases)

- Caution regarding intimate contact/ use condoms when sexually active (HBV, HCV, HDV) - the hepatitis B virus is also present in saliva and, unlike HIV, can be transmitted through this fluid

- Careful hygiene when travelling (HAV)

- Avoid accidental exposure to blood or needlestick (HBV, HCV) - the chance of HBV infection by needle is approx. 500 times greater than that of HIV infection

- Avoid syringe sharing if IV drug abuse (HBV, HCV)

- Avoid potentially hepatotoxic drugs for the prevention of liver disease progression

- Avoid potentially hepatotoxic supplements for the prevention of liver disease progression, e.g. some mushrooms (amanita species), iron, mistletoe, senna fruit extract, valerian root, vitamin A.

- Institute low-fat diet

- Avoid potentially hepatotoxic chemical agents, e.g. aerosol cleaners, insecticides

- Hepatitis A vaccine
Indicated for travellers to endemic hepatitis A areas, illicit drug users, homosexual males, patients with chronic liver disease or clotting factor disorder.

- Hepatitis B vaccine
Indicated for all health care personnel, hemodialysis patients, patients requiring frequent blood transfusions, staff and residents at developmentally disabled home, male homosexuals and their sexual contacts, IV drug abusers, sexual contacts of chronic HBsAg carriers, patients with chronic liver disease.

- Finally, while the risk of transmission of hepatitis B and C through a blood transfusion is low, if a person will be undergoing surgery and may need a blood transfusion, she may wish to donate her own blood or to select a specific person (usually a relative) to donate blood to her. These are known, respectively, as autologous blood and directed blood donation. If this route of blood donation is desired, it should, if possible, be planned out well in advance of surgery.

Even though some liver diseases are impossible to prevent, there are many strategies that people can adopt to protect their livers and to maximize health. All people, especially women, should consume alcohol only in moderation. People with liver disease should eliminate alcohol from their lives altogether. People with a family history of hemochromatosis or primary biliary cirrhosis should have blood work regularly performed to test for these liver diseases. If either disease is found to be present, treatment should be started soon. For the best results to be achieved, treatment should begin during the earliest stages of the disease before any symptoms develop.

As a general rule, all people should attempt to maintain a normal weight and to keep their diets low in saturated fats. This can reduce likelihood of developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (although other factors may have a role in the development of this disease). As much as possible, all hepatotoxic medications must be avoided. Cigarette smoking must be terminated, as it has been linked to the development of liver cancer and may enhance the hepatotoxicity of some medications.