The relationship between folic acid and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

In recent years, the incidence of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been increasing, which has become an explosive interest because of the growing impact on world health. NAFLD is the hepatic manifestation of systemic metabolic syndrome (MS), and the umbrella term that comprises a continuum of liver conditions, from nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), has a variable course but can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). currently, there is no pharmacological agent that is therapeutically approved for the treatment of this disease. Folic acid (FA) was one of a water‐soluble B vitamins, entirely absorbed from the diet. Numbers of clinical studies have confirmed that patients with NAFLD and insulin resistance are often accompanied by abnormal FA. We investigated the potential effects of FA on NAFLD through the metabolic pathways, DNA synthesis and methylation, oxidative stress in liver and intestinal flora. In addition, FA has an effect on HCC or other cancer. Therefore, FA might be a safe and economical potential treatment method for NAFLD.