Acupuncture for Fatty Liver
Acupuncture can meaningfully support fatty liver recovery. Clinical trials show improvements in liver fat and enzymes, with good safety.
What is fatty liver?
Fatty liver (also called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease – NAFLD, or the newer term MASLD) happens when excess fat builds up in the liver cells. It’s surprisingly common, especially in people who are overweight, have diabetes, high cholesterol, or drink too much alcohol. In its early stages, fatty liver often causes no symptoms, but blood tests may show raised liver enzymes, or an ultrasound may pick it up. If left untreated, it can progress to inflammation (NASH), scarring (fibrosis), and in some cases, cirrhosis. The good news is that NAFLD is often reversible with lifestyle changes, and acupuncture can help you move in the right direction.
Why consider acupuncture for fatty liver?
If you or someone you love has been told they have fatty liver (NAFLD/MASLD or NASH), you’ve probably heard the usual advice: eat better, move more, drink less. That’s solid. It can be hard to get momentum in your healing even if you get your habist sorted. Harder still when you’re tired, stressed, and your bloods aren’t budging.
Acupuncture fits here. It helps regulate the nervous system, reduces stress, improves sleep, and, importancly can lower liver fat and support healthier blood markers. Think of it as a natural nudge for your metabolism while you continue to work on habits.
What the best studies show
A growing body of research supports that acupuncture can play a meaningful role in recovery from fatty liver. Clinical trials and meta-analyses have found that acupuncture may reduce liver fat, improve liver enzymes, and support healthier metabolism.
For example, a 2023 randomised controlled trial in people with biopsy-proven NASH showed that electroacupuncture significantly reduced liver fat content compared with sham treatment. Similarly, a large systematic review and meta-analysis (2025) concluded that acupuncture is both safe and effective, reporting improvements in liver function, blood glucose, lipid levels, and even markers of liver fibrosis.
Earlier evidence also aligns with these findings. A 2021 meta-analysis confirmed consistent benefits on liver enzymes (ALT, AST) and cholesterol markers, while a randomised study in obese NAFLD patients found that combining electroacupuncture with lifestyle changes enhanced improvements in liver fat, insulin resistance, and waist-to-hip ratio.
“Eelectroacupuncture effectively and safely reduces relative liver fat content in NASH patients.”
Refference
Importantly, larger multicentre sham-controlled trials are now underway 1, 2, research quality is rapidly improving and bringing more clarity to acupuncture’s role in fatty liver treatment.
What improvements can you reasonably expect?
- Liver fat: Meaningful reductions over as little as 12 weeks have been shown with correctly structured electroacupuncture programmes.
- Liver enzymes (ALT/AST) & lipids: Meta-analyses show consistent downward shifts, especially when combined with lifestyle.
- Insulin sensitivity & waist measures: Improvements reported in trials combining EA with diet/exercise.
Acupuncture isn’t a magic wand, but when used correctly it can help the healthy balance shift.
What a course of care looks like
We individualise the treatment based on your situation, but this can give you a preliminary idea:
In general, we recommend electroacupuncture: 1-3 sessions/week for 12 weeks, then reasess based on your results including: ALT/AST, lipids, HbA1c/fasting glucose, waist, weight and when available, CAP or MRI-PDFF.
Of course, we recomment mediterranean-leaning eating, steady exercise (walking + light resistance), and alcohol minimised.
Is acupuncture safe if you have fatty liver?
In the studies above, acupuncture has proven to be very safe with no serious adverse events.
Ready to get started?
If you’re in Auckland and looking for a calm, evidence-guided plan for fatty liver, we’re here to help. We’ll personalise your acupuncture treatment plan taking into account your body and your wider health goals, and keep it practical: small steps, steady gains. Are you ready to take the first step toward your recovery?