Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Find Liver Disease Support and Resources?

• Find a Doctor
• Support Groups - Local support groups are great resources for people to connect and be able to share their experiences with others. Finding local resources is easy—go to the ALF Resource Center. If there are no support groups near you, we have created an online forum on the platform Inspire. Here you can connect with other patients with liver disease and t heir families to share experiences, information and support.
• Treatment Centers
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration (SAMHSA) Drug Abuse Treatment Referral HelpLine 800-662-4357
  • Additional Resources include:
    • Treatment service locator for alcohol and drug abuse or mental health
    • Buprenorphine physicians and treatment programs authorized to treat opioids, such as heroin or prescription pain relievers.
    • Treatment programs in your state that treat addiction and dependence on opioids, such as heroin or prescription pain relievers.
  • Also, if you have health insurance, many plans include behavioral health assistance, and we suggest contacting your member services to see if further information is available.
• Clinical Trials - Helpful resources to find a clinical trial can be found:
  • ALF Resource Center
  • National Cancer Institutes (NCI) – Educational resources on all types of cancer including liver cancer. 800-422-6237
  • Clinical Trials Registry – National Institutes of Health (NIH)
    • Clinical trial locator in the U.S. and other countries
    • Comprehensive for clinical trials in the U.S.
    • Advance search available by condition (e.g., HCV, NAFLD*, HCC etc.), recruitment (open studies vs. closed studies) and other criteria
  • World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform – World-wide clinical trial locator

How is Liver Disease Diagnosed?

Diagnosing liver disease may involve liver function tests, a liver biopsy and more advanced forms of imaging. Read more.

What is Viral Hepatitis?

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. It can cause liver damage, affecting its vital functions. It is often caused by various forms of hepatitis viruses; the most common in the U.S. are hepatitis A, B, and C. People can also get inflammation of the liver from heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and some medical conditions, such as diabetes and obesity. Learn more about the different types of Hepatitis: 

• About Hepatitis A
• About Hepatitis B
• About Hepatitis C

What is Fatty Liver Disease (now called Steatotic Liver Disease)?

Fatty liver disease (now called Steatotic Liver Disease) is a condition in which excess fat is stored inside liver cells, making it harder for the liver to function. One cause of fat buildup in the liver is heavy alcohol use, referred to as alcoholic fatty liver disease (now called Met-ALD). This is a common, but preventable disease and is the earliest stage of alcohol-related liver disease. Read more about the different stages of alcohol-related liver disease.

When the buildup of fat in the liver is not related to significant alcohol consumption, the condition is called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Please note that NAFLD has been newly renamed metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

What Should I Know About Liver Transplantation?

Liver transplantation is a surgical procedure performed to remove a diseased or injured liver from one person and replace it with a whole or a portion of a healthy liver from another person, called the donor.

• About Transplant
• Living Donor Liver Transplant

Where can I find a clinical trial?

Helpful resources to find a clinical trial can be found:

• ALF Resource Center
• National Cancer Institutes (NCI) – Educational resources on all types of cancer including liver cancer. 800-422-6237
• Clinical Trials Registry – National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Clinical trial locator in the U.S. and other countries
  • Comprehensive for clinical trials in the U.S.
  • Advance search available by condition (e.g., HCV, NAFLD*, HCC etc.), recruitment (open studies vs. closed studies) and other criteria
• World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform – World-wide clinical trial locator

Is There a Special Diet for Liver Disease?

Eating well is a great lifestyle change that can help your liver function at its fullest potential. Making changes in your diet include limiting fats and sugars while increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains. Learn more about:

• Liver Disease Diets
• Find a Dietitian
• Learn About Healthy Foods

Last updated on February 13th, 2024 at 11:13 am