Decoding The 'LIFER'

Dr. S. K. Sarin on liver health and disease.

- Rishali Yadav

Liver is called the ‘LIFER’. The liver is always healthy as long as you keep it healthy. Once you start insulting it becomes problematic” says Dr. Sarin, Chancellor, ILBS. In a candid conversation with Woman's Era, Dr. Sarin shares his insight on how important it is to maintain the healthy diet for healthy liver. He also shared many other facts and details while discussing. According to him, “Liver in our body has two major functions: one to control extra sugar and secondly to control the extra fat in the body. In simple terms one should only take calories in the form of energy as much as needed by the body to keep it healthy.”

Prof. (Dr.) Shiv K. Sarin, Chancellor of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, is a distinguished authority in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, renowned for his pioneering contributions to medical innovation. Here are some excerpts from the interview:

To begin with, could you elaborate on the pathophysiological mechanisms that connect hepatic steatosis (fatty liver) to the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes? How do these interrelated processes contribute to the broader spectrum of metabolic dysfunction?

Fatty liver is not a harmless condition—it can trigger serious, long-term health problems. Excess fat in the liver causes insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and elevated triglycerides. Beyond liver damage, it is strongly linked to major illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and chronic kidney disease. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now more widespread and dangerous than alcoholic liver disease, driven by unhealthy lifestyle habits and, in some cases, genetic factors.

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