Phosphatidylcholine functional foods and nutraceuticals: A potential approach to prevent non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver condition in the developed world and may progress to more severe forms of disease such as cirrhosis or liver cancer. Thus, steps taken to reduce its prevalence through preventative nutritional approaches such as functional foods and nutraceuticals (FFN) should be pursued. It is well known that certain lipotropic nutrients such as choline and metabolites betaine and phosphatidylcholine (PC; lecithin) could prevent or alleviate fatty liver through a variety of mechanisms, including increased hepatic VLDL secretion. Animal and human studies have demonstrated clear protective effects of choline, betaine and PC for NAFLD as well as possible roles in CVD prevention from epidemiological data. Currently, choline consumption is below dietary recommendations due in large part to a general lack of understanding regarding the importance of this nutrient for human health. As lecithin is commonly added (in small amounts) in many processed foods due to its functional capabilities, it is projected that increasing its abundance in the food supply and increasing consumer education and acceptance of lecithin‐based functional foods and nutraceuticals may represent a progressive step towards preventing liver and whole‐body metabolic pathologies in many areas of the world.

Choline and Fructooligosaccharide: Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Cardiac Fat Deposition, and Oxidative Stress Markers

“…In food, choline mainly occurs in the form of lecithin, but may also be free or in the form of a phospholipid. 16 Feeding choline to animals previously treated with a ketogenic diet recovers mitochondrial dysfunction and steatosis. 16 FOS belongs to a class of naturally occurring fructose oligosaccharides obtained from a wide variety of plants.…”

“… 16 Feeding choline to animals previously treated with a ketogenic diet recovers mitochondrial dysfunction and steatosis. 16 FOS belongs to a class of naturally occurring fructose oligosaccharides obtained from a wide variety of plants. 16 It also improves carbohydrate metabolism and reduces free-radical availability, as observed in diabetic animals.…”

“… 16 FOS belongs to a class of naturally occurring fructose oligosaccharides obtained from a wide variety of plants. 16 It also improves carbohydrate metabolism and reduces free-radical availability, as observed in diabetic animals. 17 …”

Apple Pomace as a Novel Aid for Western Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Young Female Sprague Dawley Rats

“…Ursolic acid exists as several isomers including oleanolic acid [75]. Both ursolic and oleanolic acid have been reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-hepatotoxic activities [76][77][78][79][80][81][82].…”

“…Functional foods can be whole foods such as an apple or isolated components antioxidant compounds derived from apples [73]. Recent studies on the role of functional foods, particularly antioxidant and probiotic foods, as a treatment NAFLD have produced favorable results indicating potential for use as a treatment for NAFLD [80][81][82][83][84]. Although new drugs and physiological targets continue to be studied, lifestyle modification remains the standard for treating individuals diagnosed with NAFLD.…”