Efficacy of nutrition therapy with food rich in methionine for treating nonalcoholic fatty liver

Abstract

Introduction. Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver disease (NAFLD) can lead to Non Alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis, and liver cancer. The treatment for NAFLD involves modification of caloric intake and physical activity. NAFLD has a pro-oxidant nature; therefore, it is logical to suppose that the antioxidant methionine can be used as a treatment for this disease. Aim. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of high-methionine dietary therapy on patients with NAFLD. Materials and methods. A randomized clinical study was conducted over three months. In this study, 121 NAFLD patients participated, and the age of the participants was ≥ 20 years (experimental group included 56 and control group 65), all of whom were randomized and matched by sex, recluted from the ISSSTE hospital in Xalapa, Mexico. The patients were instructed to consume food to cover the recommended methionine daily doses, and the daily amount consumed was calculated. Methionine effect was measured as NAFLD regression and quality of life improvement. Results. Nutritional therapy induced NAFLD regression and diminished central fat accumulation, blood pressure, and the fatty liver index. Some parameters, such as liver enzymes, did not changed. The quality of life of patients improved after treatment. Conclusions. In this study, we show a hepatoprotective effect induced only in three months of chances in the diet, thus, a longer diet may generate more relevant benefits in the resistant parameters of our study.

Progress and hotspot of diet or exercise therapy in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

“…Oxidative stress can improve membrane permeability by causing membrane phospholipid peroxidation, thus promoting the release of inflammatory factors, which act on Kupper cells, hepatic stellate cells and hepatocytes, and finally induce the progress of NAFLD ( 46 ). Studies have confirmed that some foods, dietary patterns and nutrients can effectively reduce the level of oxidative stress in the body to achieve the effect of treating NAFLD, such as fish, lean meat ( 47 ), nuts ( 48 ) and other foods; such as the Mediterranean diet ( 49–51 ), DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet ( 52 ), RCR (Calorie-restricted regimen) diet ( 53 ) and other dietary patterns; such as carotenoids ( 54 , 55 ), vitamin C ( 56 ), vitamin E ( 57 ), polyunsaturated fatty acids ( 58 ), methionine ( 59 ), isoflavones ( 60 ) and resveratrol ( 61 ). It is worth mentioning that Marinello et al ( 62 ) found that organic acids in the diet can effectively treat NAFLD.…”