Vegan or vegetarian diet positively affects ammonia levels and metabolomic profiles in cirrhosis patients: Study

A recent study published in the Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology journal highlights the potential benefits of substituting meat-based meals with vegan or vegetarian alternatives in patients with cirrhosis. This research elucidates on how dietary choices can influence ammonia production and metabolomics in these patients by providing valuable insights for dietary management in cirrhosis.

The study focused on outpatients with cirrhosis who typically follow a Western meat-based diet. The participants with and without a history of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) were randomized into three groups. Each group received a burger containing 20 grams of protein, either from meat, vegan (V) or vegetarian (VG) sources. The study further monitored blood ammonia levels and conducted metabolomic analysis with the help of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry at baseline and hourly for three hours post-meal.

The study revealed significant differences in ammonia levels and metabolomic profiles between the groups. Also, serum ammonia levels increased in the meat group but remained stable in the vegan and vegetarian groups. This suggests that substituting meat with plant-based alternatives can reduce ammoniagenesis in the patients with cirrhosis.

The meat group experienced a decrease in metabolites associated with branched-chain amino acids and acylcarnitines, while lipid profile alterations were also observed. Also, higher levels of sphingomyelins and lower levels of lysophospholipids were observed in the meat group when compared to the vegan and vegetarian groups which highlighted the distinct changes of metabolomic analysis.