DASH Diet reveals Significant Benefits for Liver Health for Patients with NAFLD

In a recent randomized controlled trial, researchers investigated the potential effect of the Dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet in managing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The findings were published online in the European Journal of Nutrition on October 19, 2023.

The study's findings demonstrated that adhering to the DASH diet results in significant improvements in hepatic fibrosis, steatosis, and liver enzymes, including alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) in the management of NAFLD.

These significant improvements in steatosis, hepatic fibrosis, and liver enzymes illustrate the positive effects of dietary interventions for liver health, indicating that patients with NAFLD may benefit greatly from adhering to a DASH diet. With the increasing prevalence of NAFLD, lifestyle modifications such as the DASH diet are proving to be increasingly effective in promoting liver health and overall well-being.

Study Overview:

In a 12-week randomized controlled trial, seventy patients diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were enrolled. In this study, researchers randomly allocated the patients to either the intervention group, where they adopted the DASH diet (containing 50–55% carbohydrate, 15–20% protein, and 30% total fat), or the control group (maintaining a healthy diet containing 50–55% carbohydrate, 15–20% protein, and 30% total fat). Both groups followed calorie-restricted diets designed to be 500-700 calories lower than their energy requirements. The primary focus of this study was to investigate the effects of the DASH diet on hepatic fibrosis, hepatic steatosis, and liver enzyme levels, including ALT, AST, and GGT.

Key Results of the Study:

At the baseline, there were no significant differences between the two groups concerning hepatic fibrosis (P = 0.63), hepatic steatosis (P = 0.53), and liver enzyme levels ((P = 0.53), ALT (P = 0.93), AST (P = 0.18), and GGT (P = 0.76)), enabling an unbiased evaluation of the implications of the DASH diet on NAFLD in comparison to a conventional healthy diet.

Effects on Liver Enzymes like ALT and AST: ALT and AST are crucial for assessing liver health. The intervention group showed a significant reduction in levels of ALT and AST compared to the control group. Specifically, ALT levels decreased impressively by -8.50 ± 8.98 in the intervention group, while the control group showed a more significant reduction of -2.09 ± 7.29. Similarly, AST levels significantly dropped by -5.79 ± 6.83 in the intervention group, in contrast to the control group's slight decrease of -0.51 ± 6.62. These findings emphasize the potential of the DASH diet's ability to promote healthier liver enzyme levels among NAFLD patients.

Reduction in Hepatic Steatosis: Hepatic steatosis is a condition that is characterized by fat accumulation in the liver. Hepatic steatosis also significantly improved in the intervention group, with a 31-grade decrease compared to the control group's 9-grade reduction. This improvement in hepatic steatosis suggests the potential for the DASH diet to reduce the excessive fat accumulation in the liver.

Reduction in Hepatic Fibrosis: Hepatic Fibrosis is a crucial marker of NAFLD progression. The intervention group exhibited a remarkable drop in hepatic fibrosis, with a 23-grade decrease compared to the control group's 7-grade reduction. This substantial decrease in hepatic fibrosis indicates the potential for the DASH diet to enhance liver health significantly.

Clinical Implications of the Study:

The significance of this study reveals that adherence to the DASH diet demonstrated significant positive effects on hepatic fibrosis, hepatic steatosis, and liver enzyme levels, which holds profound implications for NAFLD patients. As the prevalence of NAFLD continues to rise, lifestyle and dietary modifications, such as the DASH diet, are emerging as progressively more successful strategies for those seeking to take control of their liver health and overall well-being.

The present trial emphasizes the potential benefits of adhering to the DASH diet as an effective non-pharmacological approach for enhancing liver health and combating the growing concerns associated with NAFLD. Future researchers will likely delve deeper into the effects of these interventions to explore the link between diet and NAFLD, marking a significant step forward in the way these conditions are approached in clinical settings.

Reference:

Sangouni, A.A., Nadjarzadeh, A., Rohani, F.S. et al. Dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet improves hepatic fibrosis, steatosis, and liver enzymes in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Nutr (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-023-03221-wi