These Three Herbal Antioxidants Help Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is now the most common cause of chronic liver disease and the leading cause of liver cancer. Though it affects as many as 30% of people, there has been little advance in its conventional treatment. There is increasing research, though, on natural treatments.

In nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, fats, including cholesterol and triglycerides, collect in liver tissue.

Several herbs have been shown to help. Meta-analyses show that curcumin significantly improves liver enzymes, cholesterol, insulin resistance and waist circumference: all crucial things to improve in NAFLD (Complement Ther Med 2020;48:102283; Food Sci Nutr. 2024 Dec 1;13(1):e4144).

Silymarin, the active component in the great liver herb milk thistle, has been shown in a meta-analysis to significantly improve total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and fat build up in the liver in people with NAFLD (Ann Hepatol. March-Apr 2024;29(2):101174).

Resveratrol has also been shown to improve liver enzymes and fat build up in the liver (Nutr Res 2014;34(10):837-43).

A new meta-analysis has added to the evidence for these three powerful polyphenol antioxidants.

Meta-analysis including 11 controlled studies found that the combined effect of curcumin, resveratrol and silymarin was a significant improvement in hepatic stenosis, or fat build up in the liver. The most effective of the three was curcumin, followed by resveratrol.

When it came to liver enzymes, meta-analysis of 23 studies found that the three polyphenols significantly reduced ALT and AST, with the most effective being silymarin, followed by curcumin.

Though the polyphenols did not affect cholesterol, curcumin also significantly improved triglyceride levels.

Curcumin was the most effective at lowering fasting blood glucose, followed by resveratrol. Curcumin also significantly improved insulin resistance and body mass index.

The polyphenols also significantly improved markers of inflammation.

This study supports the evidence that these three polyphenols can benefit people with NAFLD, improving fat build up in the liver, liver enzymes and inflammation. Curcumin may have been the most versatile and powerful, being the best for liver stenosis, while silymarin was best for liver enzymes and resveratrol significantly improved liver stenosis and “metabolic parameters.”

This study adds to the growing body of evidence that a number of natural supplements can help people with NAFLD

Food Sci Nutr. 2024 Nov 14;12(12):10010–10029.

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