Objective: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition defined by exceeding triglycerides accumulation in the liver. The condition can develop into fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Considering the ever-increasing prevalence of NAFLD, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of probiotic supplementation on glycemic and inflammatory indices in patients with NAFLD.
Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 42 patients with NAFLD who had been referred to a gastroenterology clinic. Subjects in the intervention and control groups consumed 2 capsules/day probiotic or placebo, respectively, for 8 weeks. Fasting blood sugar (FBS), insulin, insulin resistance, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were measured at baseline and at the end of the study.
Results: Means of FBS, insulin, insulin resistance, and IL-6 were significantly different between groups after intervention (p < 0.05), whereas TNF-α was not significantly modified (p > 0.05). In the probiotic group, insulin, insulin resistance, TNF-α, and IL-6 decreased significantly at the end of the study compared to the beginning of study.
Conclusion: Considering the effects of probiotic supplementation on the reduction of glycemic and inflammatory indices in patients with NAFLD, consumption of probiotics is recommended as a complementary therapy in these patients.
Keywords: blood glucose; cytokines; fatty liver; probiotic.