Researchers at Saint Louis University, found that weight loss of at least 9 percent, helped patients to invest a type known as liver disease (NASH), a finding that enable physicians and individual patients , aim to lose weight so they can improve their livers.
The finding comes from a study of diet and drug orlistat (also known as Xenical and Alli), which does not improve the liver disease.
Brent Neuschwander-Tetri, a hepatologist at Saint Louis University Study Center researcher said, “is a useful study because we can now offer patients a reference point, a line they need to get to see an improvement.”
The study examined patients with NASH, which is a type of liver disease characterized by excess fat, causing inflammation and liver damage.
The researchers wanted to see if orlistat, limits the absorption of fat and if coupled with calorie restriction could lead to weight loss and improve liver disease in overweight patients with NASH, which was determined by a liver biopsy.
Fifty patients participated in the study, with all instructions to consume a diet of 1,400 calories and vitamin E, and half also received orlistat for 36 weeks, at which time a liver biopsy was repeated.
While orlistat itself was not directly linked to improved liver health, weight loss was and also if the researchers were able to assess the percentage of weight loss needed to improve liver damage.