A new study published in the journal Cell Metabolism has made an exciting discovery that could help millions of people with fatty liver disease.
Scientists found that a hormone called FGF21 can actually reverse liver damage in mice—even when they keep eating a fatty, unhealthy diet.
The study was led by Dr. Matthew Potthoff from the University of Oklahoma. Fatty liver disease, now called MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease), happens when too much fat builds up in the liver.
This can become serious and lead to a more dangerous condition called MASH, which includes liver inflammation and scarring (also known as fibrosis). Over time, it can cause liver failure or cirrhosis.
MASLD affects about 40% of people around the world. Right now, there is only one drug approved by the FDA to treat MASH, so researchers are working hard to find more effective treatments. This study offers hope that a new kind of medicine could be on the way.
FGF21 is a hormone made by the liver. In this new study, researchers gave FGF21 to mice with fatty liver disease. The results were impressive: the hormone reduced the fat in the liver and even reversed fibrosis. What’s even more surprising is that these improvements happened without changing the mice’s high-fat diet.
Dr. Potthoff explained that FGF21 works in two ways. First, it sends a message to the brain, which then changes nerve activity to protect the liver. Second, it also sends a signal directly to the liver, helping to lower cholesterol levels. While both effects are important, the brain signal seems to play the biggest role.
“It’s a feedback loop,” said Dr. Potthoff. “The liver tells the brain what’s going on, and then the brain responds by helping the liver heal. This connection between the brain and the liver is very important.”
FGF21 is similar to another type of medication that’s already popular: GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic. These drugs are used for diabetes and weight loss. Like FGF21, GLP-1 is a hormone that works through the brain to help control metabolism. This kind of hormone signaling may be a powerful way to treat diseases like MASLD.
What makes this study especially exciting is that FGF21 didn’t just slow down liver damage—it actually reversed it. That means this hormone might help not only with early fatty liver disease, but also with more advanced stages like fibrosis.
The research also helps explain how FGF21 works in the body, giving scientists new ideas for making the treatment even better in the future. Some drugs based on FGF21 are already in the final stages of human testing, so we may not have to wait long to see if this works for people, too.
If you’re interested in keeping your liver healthy, check out other studies like “Healthy liver, happy life” and research on how common medicines like ibuprofen may affect liver health.
This study brings real hope that a new treatment for fatty liver disease could be available soon.
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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