Affecting 20%-30% of all adults in the world, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the leading cause of chronic liver disease in the world. So, a safe, natural method of reversing it would help a lot of people. A new study says there is one!
If you have NAFLD, cholesterol and triglycerides are quietly building up in your liver tissue. Being insulin resistant and being overweight are key factors in the progression of NAFLD.
This 24 week double-blind study put curcumin to the test against fatty liver. The study included 80 people with nonalcoholic simple fatty liver (NASFL). NASFL is the early stage of NAFLD when it still might be reversed. Each of them was given either a placebo or 500mg of curcumin a day.
Compared to the placebo, curcumin significantly reduced liver fat. Importantly, considering the risk factors, curcumin also significantly reduced weight, BMI, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose and long term markers of long term blood sugar and diabetes control (HbA1c).
This study adds to the impressively growing body of research supporting the use of curcumin for NAFLD. Several studies have shown curcumin to reduce liver fat. One study found a 78.9% reduction in liver fat versus 27.5% on placebo (Phytother Res. 2016;30(9):1540-8). Ultrasound studies have found improvement in the liver in 75% of people using curcumin compared to 4.7% of people given a placebo (Drug Res. 2017;67(4):244-251).
AJCN. July 2024;120(1):66-79.