At a time when non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasingly becoming a public health problem in China, a recent study by the Army Medical University has brought good news to patients. On July 19, 2024, the research team of the school published important research results in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, revealing the positive role of the natural ingredient, quercetin, in improving fatty liver.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, as one of the most common chronic liver diseases in China, affects the health of more than 150 million Chinese people. In the face of this disease, there is currently no specific drug, and treatment mainly depends on lifestyle adjustments, including diet control and increased physical activity. Therefore, it is particularly urgent to explore effective new treatment strategies.
Quercetin, a flavonol compound widely found in fruits and vegetables such as onions, blueberries, and asparagus, has attracted the attention of scientists for its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown that it has potential benefits in preventing cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other aspects. Now, this new study has revealed its potential in fighting NAFLD.
Researchers from the Army Medical University conducted a rigorous randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial involving 41 NAFLD patients. In the study, half of the patients took 500 mg of quercetin daily, and the other half took a placebo for 12 weeks, after which the two groups exchanged intervention measures for another 12 weeks. The results are encouraging: in just three months, the liver fat content of patients in the quercetin group decreased significantly, with an average decrease of 17.4%, while the placebo group only decreased by 0.9%. In addition, the weight and BMI of patients in the quercetin group also decreased significantly, showing a good therapeutic effect.
It is particularly noteworthy that the study also found a gender difference effect: the reduction in liver fat content in female patients was about twice that of male patients, indicating that quercetin has a more significant effect on improving fatty liver in women. The researchers speculate that this may be related to the different physiological mechanisms caused by gender differences, but the specific mechanism still needs further research to clarify.
In terms of safety assessment, no negative effects of quercetin on the participants' blood routine, renal function, and blood pressure were observed during the study, and no adverse reactions were reported, which provides an important safety basis for quercetin as a potential treatment for NAFLD.
Although this study provides a ray of hope for the treatment of NAFLD, the research team also emphasized that larger-scale clinical studies and in-depth mechanism exploration are needed in the future to fully understand how quercetin acts on the human body, its long-term effects and safety, so as to bring safer and more effective treatment options to NAFLD patients.
At the intersection of nature and science, the discovery of quercetin brings hope to patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This study not only provides patients with another possible treatment option, but also provides a scientific basis for nutritional intervention and lifestyle adjustments, opening a new chapter in exploring natural therapies for the treatment of chronic liver disease. As the research deepens, we have reason to believe that more health solutions will come from the gifts of nature itself in the future.
This article was independently created and published by Herbfields.net.