Combined effect of n-3 fatty acids and phytosterol esters on alleviating hepatic steatosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease subjects: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial

摘要

The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effect of n-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA, at an EPA:DHA ratio of 150:500) and phytosterol esters (PS) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients. We conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ninety-six NAFLD subjects were randomly assigned to the following groups: the PS group (receiving 3 center dot 3 g/d PS); the FO group (receiving 450 mg EPA + 1500 mg DHA/d); the PS + FO combination group (receiving 3 center dot 3 g/d PS and 450 mg EPA + 1500 mg DHA/d) and the PO group (a placebo group). The baseline clinical characteristics of the four groups were similar. The primary outcome was liver:spleen attenuation ratio (L:S ratio). The percentage increase in liver-spleen attenuation (<= 1) in the PS + FO group was 36 % (P = 0 center dot 083), higher than those in the other three groups (PS group, 11 %, P = 0 center dot 519; FO group, 18 %, P = 0 center dot 071; PO group, 15 %, P = 0 center dot 436). Compared with baseline, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) was significantly decreased in the three study groups at the end of the trial (PS, P = 0 center dot 000; FO, P = 0 center dot 002; PS + FO, P = 0 center dot 001) and TNF-alpha was significantly decreased in the FO group (P = 0 center dot 036), PS + FO group (P = 0 center dot 005) and PO group (P = 0 center dot 032) at the end of the intervention. Notably, TGF-beta was reduced significantly more in the PS + FO group than in the PO group (P = 0 center dot 032). The TAG and total cholesterol levels of the PS + FO group were reduced by 11 center dot 57 and 9 center dot 55 %, respectively. In conclusion, co-supplementation of PS and EPA + DHA could increase the effectiveness of treatment for hepatic steatosis.