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Dietary Allowance of Methyl Donor Nutrients to Minimize Risks of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Progression

Not Applicable
Conditions
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: Folic acid, choline chloride
Registration Number
NCT05291104
Lead Sponsor
Fu Jen Catholic University Hospital
Brief Summary

Investigate the methyl donors requirement of NAFLD patients to correct the malnutrition, lipid-toxicity, microbiota dysfunction, and metabolomics biomarkers.

Detailed Description

Folate/choline/betaine, service as a methyl-donor nutrients, are essential nutrients involving in hepatic one-carbon and bioenergetic metabolism. Methyl-donor nutrients deficiency cause liver and muscle dysfunction as result of non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD) and its progressive lesions of steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrinogen cirrhosis and hepatoma. As methyl-donor nutrients intakes in Taiwanese population are highly insufficient, the dietary requirement of methyl-donor nutrients upon genetic, epigenetic and microbiota interaction to prevent or/and co-therapy of NAFLD progression is currently not known. In this study, we investigate whether intervention of methyl-donor nutrients improve or retard NAFLD progress. NAFLD patients are randomly divided into three groups and received placebo, folic acid, or choline, respectively. From first day to ten day, interventions are given double recommended daily intake dose of folic acid or double adequate Intakes dose of choline, then continuing with four times, and eight times dose for every 10 days. All supplements solve in cranberry juice. At the end of every ten days intervention prior, interventions are measurement of weight and body fat, and collection of blood and feces. The primary outcome measures are described to decreased body weight or body fat, improvement of liver function and fatty liver, and increasing methyl-donor nutrients levels.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
60
Inclusion Criteria
  • NAFLD/NASH patients
  • Folate levels in plasma < 6 ng/mL or choline levels in plasma < 5 micromol per liter
  • Folate intake < estimated average requirement or choline intake < 50% adequate Intakes
  • Homocysteine levels in plasma > 9 micromol per liter
Exclusion Criteria
  • Asymptomatic carrier of hepatitis B and C
  • Liver disease except NAFLD
  • Taking drugs that causes fatty liver
  • Inflammation about stomach or intestines
  • Pregnancy
  • Cancer except liver cancer
  • Heart disease, vascular disease, or psychosis
  • Intake alcohol over 100 g or unaccessible intake alcohol

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
InterventionFolic acid, choline chlorideInterventions are received folic acid or choline
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Plasma methyl nutrients levelsOne month

Folate and choline concentration in plasma are detected to refer methyl nutrients levels. Methyl nutrients levels change after finishing intervention.

Body fat percentageOne month

Body fat percentage are measured by using electronic body fat meter. Body fat percentage change after intervention.

Improvement liver dysfunction progressOne month

To estimate liver dysfunction, we detect biochemical markers in plasma, including alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and glutamyl transpeptidase. After finishing intervention, we assume improving liver function.

Liver fat proportionOne month

To estimate hepatic fat content, interventions are detected fat content in liver by using MRI or abdominal ultrasound. We assume changing liver fat proportion after finishing intervention.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change microbiotaOne month

After intervention change microbiota to improve NAFLD

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Taipei Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare

🇨🇳

New Taipei City, Taiwan

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