Betel Chewing and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

Betel chewing is a common social practice in many regions of the world particularly in Southeast Asia and among the Asian immigrant populations in the West. Several studies have shown betel chewing to be associated with increased risk for various health complications including liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The exact mechanism by which betel causes liver damage has not been elucidated. We present a 31-year-old Asian immigrant in the United States of America (USA) with no family history of the liver disease and non-smoker who was found to have an unexplained persistent mild elevation of liver transaminases. She reported more than 16 kilograms of weight gain over an eight-year period in association with heavy betel chewing. Despite diet and exercise, she was not able to lose weight. Besides, she developed dyslipidemia and gradual worsening of glucose tolerance. Liver biopsy showed severe steatosis with features of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The gradual development and worsening of metabolic syndrome and NASH paralleling betel use are very indicative of the hepatic steatosis being caused by betel.