A NEW study has found that vitamin E supplementation can significantly improve liver health in adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
The study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of vitamin E’s effectiveness in reducing liver inflammation and improving liver histology in patients with this condition.
Researchers conducted a systematic review of randomised controlled trials, analysing data from seven studies that met the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The results showed that vitamin E significantly reduced levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), two key markers of liver inflammation. The standardisation mean differences were -0.82 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.13−-0.51) and -0.68 (95% CI: -0.94−-0.41), respectively.
In addition to lowering inflammation markers, vitamin E also had a positive impact on liver histology. The meta-analysis revealed that vitamin E significantly reduced steatosis, lobular inflammation, and hepatocyte ballooning, which are key indicators of liver damage. Moreover, patients receiving vitamin E were nearly twice as likely to experience resolution of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.
However, the study found that vitamin E did not significantly reduce fibrosis, a key marker of advanced liver damage, with a mean difference of -0.23 (95% CI: -0.51−0.05). Despite this, the overall findings suggest that vitamin E has notable benefits in reducing liver inflammation and improving liver histology in MASLD patients.
In conclusion, the findings of this study support the use of vitamin E as an effective treatment option for reducing liver inflammation and improving histology in patients with MASLD. While vitamin E may not significantly impact fibrosis, it has benefits in other aspects of liver health that make it a promising option for managing this liver condition. However, further research is needed to explore it’s long-term effects and potential integration into broader treatment protocols.
Aleksandra Zurowska, EMJ
Reference
Chee NMZ et al. Vitamin E improves serum markers and histology in adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: Systematic review and meta-analysis. JGH. 2024; doi.org/10.1111/jgh.16723.
