Probiotics and Prebiotics as a Strategy for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, a Narrative Review

Valentina Castillo; Fernanda Figueroa; Karoll González-Pizarro; Paz Jopia; Claudia Ibacache-Quiroga

doi:10.3390/foods10081719

Probiotics and Prebiotics as a Strategy for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, a Narrative Review

Foods. 2021 Jul 25;10(8):1719. doi: 10.3390/foods10081719.

Authors

Valentina Castillo¹, Fernanda Figueroa¹, Karoll González-Pizarro^{1

2}, Paz Jopia², Claudia Ibacache-Quiroga^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Escuela de Nutrición y Dietética, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2360102, Chile.
² Centro de Micro-Bioinnovación, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2360102, Chile.

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic non-communicable disease, with a prevalence of 25% worldwide. This pathology is a multifactorial illness, and is associated with different risks factors, including hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and obesity. Beside these predisposing features, NAFLD has been related to changes in the microbiota, which favor the disease progression. In this context, the modulation of the gut microbiota has emerged as a new therapeutic target for the prophylaxis and treatment of NAFLD. This review describes the changes in the gut microbiota associated with NAFLD and the effect of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics on the gut microbiota, liver damage, anthropometric parameters, blood lipids, inflammation markers and insulin resistance in these patients.

Keywords: gut microbiota; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); prebiotics; probiotics; synbiotics.

Publication types

Review

Abstract

Publication types

Grants and funding