Why your liver might be warning you about sugar before diabetes shows up

After eating, elevated blood glucose levels stimulate the release of insulin, which facilitates the movement of glucose into cells and reduces the breakdown of fat.

In men with early-stage fatty liver disease linked to metabolic issues, blood sugar levels measured two hours after eating sugar are a better sign of metabolic problems than standard tests like fasting blood sugar or HbA1c, which may still appear normal at this stage.

In men with fatty liver disease linked to metabolic issues, higher levels of triglycerides and alanine aminotransferase in the blood are regularly found alongside the presence of fat in the liver, even when other blood markers of metabolism are within normal ranges.

Men with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease show higher levels of the hormone glucagon after fasting and after eating, compared to men without this liver condition, even if they do not have diabetes.

In men with fatty liver disease and normal blood sugar levels, insulin rises more than expected after consuming sugar, suggesting the body is producing extra insulin to maintain normal glucose before diabetes develops.