Brañes MC, Gillet R, Valenzuela R. Efficacy of Submicron Dispersible Free Phytosterols on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Pilot Study.
J Clin Med 2023;
12. [PMID:
36769628 DOI:
10.3390/jcm12030979]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
No pharmacological treatment is yet approved for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Plant sterols have shown healthy properties beyond lowering LDL-cholesterol, including lowering triglycerides and lipoprotein plasma levels. Despite pre-clinical data suggesting their involvement in liver fat control, no clinical study has yet been successful.
AIMS
Testing a sub-micron, free, phytosterol dispersion efficacy on NAFLD.
METHODS
A prospective, uncontrolled pilot study was carried out on 26 patients with ≥17.4% liver steatosis quantified by magnetic resonance imaging. Subjects consumed daily a sub-micron dispersion providing 2 g of phytosterols. Liver fat, plasma lipids, lipoproteins, liver enzymes, glycemia, insulinemia, phytosterols, liposoluble vitamins and C-reactive protein were assessed at baseline and after one year of treatment.
RESULTS
Liver steatosis relative change was -19%, and 27% of patients reduced liver fat by more than 30%. Statistically and clinically significant improvements in plasma triglycerides, HDL-C, VLDL and HDL particle number and C-reactive protein were obtained, despite the rise of aspartate aminotransferase, glycemia and insulinemia. Though phytosterol plasma levels were raised by >30%, no adverse effects were presented, and even vitamin D increased by 23%.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results are the first evidence in humans of the efficacy of submicron dispersible phytosterols for the treatment of liver steatosis, dyslipidemia and inflammatory status in NAFLD.
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