A Whole-Food-Based Health Product (A-F Betafood®) Improves Gallbladder Function in Humans at Risk of Gallbladder Insufficiency: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

摘要

A-F Betafood is a whole food-based health product. The product contains phytonutrients and bioactives with antioxidant properties that may support gallbladder and liver function. Herein, we investigated the efficacy of A-F Betafood on gallbladder and liver function. In this randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel study fifty overweight but otherwise healthy adults received A-F Betafood or placebo for 12 weeks. Gallbladder function as assessed by gallbladder volume, ejection fraction (GBEF), ejection rate, wall thickness and liver function determined via aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase, and high-sensitivity c-reactive protein analysis at baseline and week 12 were the primary outcomes. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglycerides, and oxidative stress markers including oxidized low-density lipoprotein, tumor necrosis factor-α, adiponectin and malonyldialdehyde (MDA) were assessed as secondary outcomes. A-F Betafood -supplementation significantly reduced gallbladder wall thickness ( = 0.049) by 9% compared to placebo from baseline to week 12. The A-F Betafood group alone had significant improvements in gallbladder volume (32%; = 0.044) and GBEF (19%; = 0.047) at week 12. There were no changes in liver function, oxidative stress markers or blood lipid concentrations, though MDA concentrations decreased in both groups. Our findings demonstrate A-F Betafood -supplementation significantly improves measures of gallbladder function and support healthy gallbladder function in the individuals with gall bladder condition.