Why "Healthy" People Are Getting Fatty Liver
The overlooked metabolic mess—and how postbiotics rebuild the gut signals that keep us lean and energized.
Insulin, blood sugar, excess fat and their consequences, are the battlefront for over 75% of Americans and these are just the individuals with observable lab or waistline challenges.
On a weekly basis, I see patients who have a “normal” waistline, normal blood sugar and insulin, yet have fatty livers on ultrasounds and high coronary calcium scores.
What gives?
What I am finding, and research is bearing out, is that we are starving our gut of the compounds it needs to regulate metabolism…even when we think we’re eating “healthy.” What I’m also discovering is that not everyone defines “healthy eating” in the same way.
Healthy eating is not consuming packaged foods with organic, non-GMO, sugar free, fat free colorful stickers, arranged in such a way as to trigger a “this must be good for me” response.
Unfortunately, this has starved, sterilized and neutered our beneficial gut bacteria! A process that has likely been going on for decades for most. So, the sooner we start supporting the messengers of life for our body, the sooner we get to experience a life of perpetual health accumulation.
Thankfully, we have people out there studying how to get us back on track.
A 2025 meta-analysis of 25 randomized controlled trials looked at postbiotic supplementation across a variety of populations.
What did they find?
Lower fasting insulin
Reduced triglycerides
Lower CRP (inflammation)
Reduced waist circumference
Improved insulin sensitivity
And this was in humans — not just mice.
Postbiotics = bacterial “by-products” or “metabolites” that still deliver health benefits even though the bacteria are no longer alive.
They are NOT probiotics (live bacteria) and NOT prebiotics (food for bacteria).
They are the substances bacteria make that actually do most of the therapeutic work.
The best news of all, is that a simple dietary shift could massively turn up your postbiotic exposure, no supplements required.
Below is a list of easily accessible foods that promote postbiotic activity:
Apples, berries, pomegranates
Oats (cook, cool and reheat - think apple crisp!)
Cooled potatoes, yams and rice
Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Kefir
Plain yogurt (look for a ZERO on the added sugar ingredient line)
Miso
Tempeh
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
Beyond diabetes, heart disease and obesity, creating a luscious microbiome via removal of ultra processed foods and adding in the above on a consistent basis, is a boon for behavioral issues.
Challenged by ADHD, anxiety, depression, bipolar? Go ballistic in creating the happiest microbiome imaginable and watch as healing overtakes your being, both mentally and physically.
This is not pie in the sky talk. This is how you get deep, lasting healing and build health margin into your life.