Research has found that resistant starch can help treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
A recent study released by researchers from multiple research institutions in China and Germany shows that daily intake of resistant starch can alter gut bacterial levels, reduce liver triglycerides and enzyme levels associated with liver injury and inflammation.
The research results were published in the latest issue of the American journal Cell Metabolism. The paper introduces that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease caused by liver fat accumulation affects about 30% of the global population. It can lead to serious liver disease and other diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Resistant starch refers to starch that cannot be enzymatically hydrolyzed in the human small intestine, which ferments in the large intestine. This type of starch is more difficult to degrade than other types of starch, and is slower to digest, absorb, and enter the bloodstream, making it less likely to cause an increase in blood sugar. This research team recruited 200 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Among them, 100 patients received resistant starch extracted from corn, while the other 100 patients received non resistant corn starch as a control. They all consumed 20 grams of starch and 300 milliliters of water before meals, twice a day for 4 months.
After a 4-month experiment, the liver triglyceride levels of patients in the resistant starch group were nearly 40% lower than those in the control group. In addition, patients in the resistant starch group also showed a decrease in liver enzymes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-related inflammatory factors.
By analyzing fecal samples from patients, the research team found that compared to the control group, the resistant starch group had lower levels of intestinal fecal Bacteroidetes, a key bacterium that can affect liver fat metabolism. The decrease in fecal Bacteroides is closely related to the decrease in liver triglyceride content, liver enzymes, and metabolites.
Researchers say that adding resistant starch to a normal and balanced diet is easier for people to persist compared to vigorous exercise or weight loss treatments.