A new study has found that resistant starch can help lower fat and harmful enzymes in the liver for people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
This is an important discovery because NAFLD affects about 30% of people worldwide and can lead to serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
The study was led by Huating Li at Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital and was published in the journal Cell Metabolism. It involved 200 people with NAFLD and lasted for four months.
Participants were divided into two groups. One group was given resistant starch made from maize, and the other group received regular corn starch that had the same number of calories but did not have the same health effects. Both groups mixed 20 grams of their starch powder with water and drank it before meals, twice a day.
The results were impressive. The group that took resistant starch had about 40% less liver fat compared to the group that took regular corn starch. They also had lower levels of liver enzymes and inflammation—both of which are signs of liver problems. These health improvements remained even after considering weight loss.
The researchers also looked at the participants’ gut bacteria by analyzing their stool samples. They found that the people who took resistant starch had changes in their gut bacteria. In particular, there was a drop in a type of bacteria called Bacteroides stercoris, which is known to affect how fat is handled in the liver.
This shows that resistant starch could be a simple and low-cost way to treat NAFLD. According to Huating Li, it’s much easier for people to stick with a diet that includes resistant starch than to follow strict weight-loss plans or intense exercise programs.
The study also suggests that gut bacteria might be a good target for future treatments for liver disease. The research team plans to keep studying how resistant starch helps and to explore new ways to use it to treat NAFLD.
This research brings hope for millions of people around the world dealing with fatty liver disease. It also highlights the growing importance of gut health in treating chronic diseases.
If you care about liver health, please read studies that refined fiber is link to liver cancer, and the best and worst foods for liver health.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how to boost your liver naturally, and simple ways to detox your liver.
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