A latest study suggests using resistant starch within the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that may go through the digestive tract without getting digested. The nutrient ferments in the big intestine and feeds healthy gut bacteria. Oats, whole grains like sorghum and barley, beans and legumes, cooked and cooled rice, potatoes and green bananas are a few of the natural sources of resistant starch.

Around 30% of the world’s population has non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The WHO has classified it as an epidemic.

Earlier studies have shown that gut microbiome has a detailed link with NAFLD. Researchers conducted a dietary clinical study by evaluating 200 participants with NAFLD for 4 months. The study was published within the journal Cell Metabolism.

All of the participants were on a well-balanced weight loss program in the course of the study period. As well as, they got 40 grams of a starch powder drink before meals twice a day for 4 months. Half of them got a resistant starch powder constituted of maize, while the remainder got a calorie-matched, non-resistant corn starch.

At the tip of the study, researchers noticed that the liver triglyceride levels of the group that received resistant starch treatment were around 40% lower in comparison with people within the control group. Their liver enzymes and inflammatory aspects also improved.

While analyzing the fecal samples of the participants, scientists observed a unique microbiota composition within the resistant starch group, indicating reduced levels of Bacteroides stercoris, the form of bacteria that affects fat metabolism within the liver.

“We found that the variety of helpful bacteria increases when resistant starch is metabolized by microorganisms within the colon. At the identical time, the variety of harmful bacteria decreases. This results in a more balanced gut microbiome and has a positive impact on health,” study first creator Yueqiong Ni said.

The team further experimented by transplanting the fecal microbiota from the resistant starch group to mice on a high-fat and high-cholesterol weight loss program. They found significant improvement in liver tissue, liver weight and triglyceride levels in them.

“We came upon that the participants within the study benefited from a resistant starch weight loss program, as the buildup of fat within the diseased liver was reduced. Moreover, we observed a rise in certain sorts of bacteria within the gut of the participants; these bacteria positively influenced fat reduction and transport within the liver. As well as, reduced NAFLD and inflammation biomarkers indicate an alleviation of liver damage,” study leader Gianni Panagiotou said.

Health advantages of resistant starch

• Improves metabolic health
• Improves insulin sensitivity and thus reduces probabilities of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Keeps you satiated and should assist in weight reduction
• Boosts gut health by making more gut bacteria
• Reduces constipation and should help with digestive disorders like inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis and Chron’s disease.

Published by Medicaldaily.com