A study from Massachusetts General Hospital has found that growth hormone may help improve liver health in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by reducing liver fat and inflammation.
NAFLD is a growing health concern worldwide, affecting 25% of the population and up to 80% of people with obesity in the U.S. It is closely linked to conditions like obesity and diabetes, both of which are becoming more common.
A more severe form of NAFLD, called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), occurs when the liver becomes inflamed and damaged. If left untreated, NASH can lead to liver fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis, or even liver failure. In fact, NASH-related cirrhosis is one of the top causes of liver transplants in the U.S.
How Growth Hormone May Help
Researchers chose to study growth hormone because it is known to reduce body fat and inflammation. People with higher body weight tend to have lower levels of growth hormone, which may contribute to their increased risk of NAFLD and NASH. The scientists wanted to see if increasing growth hormone levels could improve liver health in people with NAFLD.
The Study
The study involved 41 participants with NAFLD who were either overweight or obese. They were randomly assignedto receive either growth hormone or a placebo for six months in a double-blind trial (meaning neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was getting the real treatment).
At the end of the study, the results showed that:
- Liver fat was significantly reduced in those who received growth hormone compared to the placebo group.
- Liver inflammation and fibrosis (scarring) improved, as measured by MRI.
- Liver function tests and markers of inflammation also improved.
- The treatment was well tolerated, with no major safety concerns.
What This Means for Liver Disease Treatment
This research provides new insight into how hormones like growth hormone affect liver health. The findings suggest that increasing growth hormone levels may be a promising way to treat NAFLD and prevent its progression to more severe liver diseases.
While more research is needed, this study moves scientists closer to potential new treatments for NAFLD, a condition that affects millions of people worldwide.
The study, led by Laura Dichtel and her team, was published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
If you care about liver health, please read studies about a diet that can treat fatty liver disease and obesity, and coffee drinkers may halve their risk of liver cancer.
For more information about liver health, please see recent studies that anti-inflammatory diet could help prevent fatty liver disease, and results showing vitamin D could help prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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