A study led by scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital has found that growth hormone could help improve liver health in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
The research suggests that growth hormone reduces liver fat and inflammation, offering potential hope for those living with this widespread condition.
NAFLD occurs when fat builds up in the liver, not due to alcohol use, and is strongly linked to obesity and diabetes.
These risk factors are becoming increasingly common, contributing to the high prevalence of NAFLD—affecting about 25% of people globally and up to 80% of individuals with obesity in the United States.
The progressive form of NAFLD, called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is more severe. NASH causes liver inflammation, liver cell damage, and often fibrosis—a condition where scar tissue forms in the liver.
If left untreated, NASH with severe fibrosis can lead to cirrhosis or even liver failure. In fact, NASH-related cirrhosis is one of the leading reasons for liver transplants in the U.S.
In this study, researchers focused on growth hormone because of its known ability to reduce body fat and inflammation.
They wanted to see if administering growth hormone to adults with overweight or obesity and NAFLD could improve liver health, including reducing fat, inflammation, and fibrosis in the liver.
The study involved 41 participants, who were randomly assigned to receive either growth hormone or a placebo over six months.
This double-blind approach ensured that neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was receiving the actual treatment until the study was complete.
The results were promising. The group that received growth hormone showed significant reductions in liver fat and improved markers of inflammation and fibrosis, as measured by MRI scans.
Additionally, their liver function tests and other indicators of inflammation improved compared to the placebo group. Importantly, the treatment was well tolerated, with no safety concerns reported during the study.
This research highlights the potential of growth hormone as a therapy for improving liver health in people with NAFLD. The findings also provide new insights into how natural hormones in the body can influence conditions like NAFLD, which is often tied to lifestyle factors.
As obesity and diabetes rates continue to rise, effective treatments for NAFLD and NASH are becoming more urgent. While further research is needed, this study brings scientists closer to understanding how targeted hormone therapy could offer a new way to combat liver-related health issues.
If you care about liver health, please read studies about simple habit that could give you a healthy liver, and common diabetes drug that may reverse liver inflammation.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about simple blood test that could detect your risk of fatty liver disease, and results showing this green diet may strongly lower non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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