Research

Energy balance

Mitochondrial dysfunction, characterized by impaired fatty acid oxidation and respiratory chain activity, is a primary driver of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) pathogenesis.

Fatty liver is deeply linked to how your cells produce energy. If your mitochondria aren't working well, fat builds up in the liver regardless of diet. Focus on improving overall metabolic health and mitochondrial function through lifestyle changes that support cellular energy production, rather than just restricting specific macronutrients.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Accumulating evidence indicates that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a central role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, and that NAFLD is a mitochondrial disease.
Yongzhong Wei et al. · World Journal of Gastroenterology · 2008

Why this rating

Based on a review of multiple human and animal studies showing consistent ultrastructural and functional mitochondrial defects.

Source

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and mitochondrial dysfunction

Yongzhong Wei et al. · World Journal of Gastroenterology · 2008

DOI 10.3748/wjg.14.193

narrative_reviewCited 361×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →