Omega-3 fatty acid intake reduces risk of fibrosis severity in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Soy intake also plays an important role in reducing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-related complications
A recent study found that a diet that included isoflavones and omega-3 fatty acids, along with a diet that included soy and soy milk, could help reduce the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is rapidly increasing in Korea due to westernized dietary habits, obesity, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease can progress through steatohepatitis to end-stage liver disease such as cirrhosis or liver cancer, and is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. For the prevention and treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, lifestyle changes such as weight loss, regular exercise, abstinence from alcohol, and a balanced diet are important.
According to a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology by a research team at Indiana University School of Medicine in the United States in May, isoflavones and omega-3 fatty acids are associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. It has been shown to reduce the severity of fibrosis in patients. Fibrosis is an important index in the evaluation of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and if the severity is high, the progression to cirrhosis or the incidence of liver cancer increases.
The research team analyzed the effects of food and nutrients consumed within 6 months on the risk of fibrosis in 452 nonalcoholic fatty liver patients. The intake of isoflavones and omega 3 fatty acids showed a tendency to be low. In particular, this trend was more pronounced in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with the PNPLA3 rs738409 G-allele, which is an important genetic risk factor for the onset and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
The intake dose of isoflavones and omega-3 fatty acids was also found to have a significant effect on the severity of fibrosis. According to the results of the study, people who consumed 1.18 to 1.79 mg of isoflavones per day had a 45% reduced risk of fibrosis severity compared to those who consumed 0.8 mg or less of isoflavones per day. In addition, intake of 2.372 g of omega-3 fatty acids per day was found to reduce the risk of fibrosis severity by 69% compared to those who consumed 1.052 g or less of omega-3 fatty acids per day. The research team found that the intake of certain dietary nutrients, such as isoflavones and omega-3 fatty acids, may modulate the risk of fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with the PNPLA3 rs738409 G-allele.
In addition, in October last year, a research team from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran published a study result in the ‘Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences’ stating that soybean intake helps with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. did.
As a result of meta-analysis of 4 clinical studies related to the effects of soybean intake on liver enzymes, lipid concentration, and oxidative stress in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, soybean and soybean food intake increased body weight (MD; mean difference=-0.77). , was found to have a significant effect on reducing the plasma ALT level (MD=-7.53), which measures liver function, and the level of malondialdehyde, which is an indicator of lipid peroxidation (MD=-0.75). Therefore, the research team confirmed that soybean intake plays an important role in reducing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-related complications through anti-obesity and antioxidant properties.
Meanwhile, in a study published in the international journal ‘Complementary Therapies in Medicine’ in June 2019 by a research team at the Iran University of Medical Sciences, patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease contained 240 ml of soy milk daily. It has been reported that when a low-calorie diet is consumed for 8 weeks, there is a significant effect on the patient’s serum insulin, insulin resistance, and blood pressure.
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