Intermittent Fasting and Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Fatty Liver Disease

Summary

Previous studies have investigated the effect of different dietary patterns on metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), for which lifestyle modification remains the primary treatment. The present study sought to determine the effect of intermittent fasting on anthropometric measurements, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-21, and autophagy markers including autophagy-related protein (ATG)-5 and BECLIN-1 levels, as well as on hepatic steatosis and fibrosis levels in overweight or obese patients with MAFLD to elucidate the efficacy of intermittent fasting in the management of MAFLD. The study included 48 patients diagnosed with MAFLD. Patients were randomly assigned into two groups: 22 received a dietary treatment involving 22-25 kcal/kg/day of energy for 8 weeks (energy-restricted diet group), and 26 followed the same dietary intervention and a 16:8 pattern (energy + time-restricted diet group). The patients were assessed for various parameters at baseline (T0) and at the end of the week 8 (T8). The extent of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis was determined using transient elastography on a FibroScan® device. Serum levels of FGF-21, BECLIN-1, and ATG-5 were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Conditions

• Intermittent Fasting
• Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease

Interventions

OTHER

Energy-restricted dietary intervention

The diets were planned based on current guidelines, manuals, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published in recent years on MAFLD \[5-6, 27-28\]. In this diet, carbohydrates constituted 50%-55% of total energy intake, proteins constituted 10%-20%, and fats constituted 25%-35%. The content of the diets was tailored to each patient, considering various factors such as sex, age, and physical activity status.

OTHER

Energy + time-restricted dietary intervention

Patients in the energy + time-restricted diet group followed the same dietary intervention and a 16:8 eating pattern where they were instructed to restrict their energy intake to an 8-h time window and not to consume energy-containing foods or drinks during the remaining 16 h. Participants were allowed to consume energy-free beverages such as water, coffee, and tea during fasting. The timing of the eating window during the day varied according to participants' lifestyles and habits. However, considering the importance of nocturnal fasting, the eating window in all patients started at 10:00-12:00 in the day and ended at 18:00-20:00 in the evening. The energy-restricted diet group did not follow any time restriction in the planning of main meals and snacks.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Marmara University

  collaborator OTHER

• Istanbul Bilgi University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-05-23

Primary Completion

2023-01-30

Completion

2023-09-12

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations