Effect of intermittent fasting on hepatic steatosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

BACKGROUND

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is marked by hepatic steatosis. While intermittent fasting (IF) lowers weight and lipids in obesity, its effect on MASLD-related liver fat remains unclear.

METHODS

We searched the databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase to find studies for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 17.0 were used to perform the meta-analysis, and the results were reported as mean difference (MD) or standardized mean difference (SMD), along with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Finally, eight studies with 389 subjects were included. Meta-analysis showed that: 1) IF significantly improved liver fat content (MD = -3.01, 95% CI [-5.84, -0.18]; P = 0.04) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) in patients with MASLD (MD = -18.64, 95% CI [-30.29, -6.99]; P = 0.002). 2) IF reduced body weight, body mass index (BMI), and triglycerides (TG) in Patients with MASLD, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

IF improves hepatic steatosis in MASLD, suggesting a potential to modify disease progression. However, rigorous multicenter randomized trials are required to confirm these findings and develop evidence-based clinical strategies for MASLD management.