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Shifting to a high-fibre diet can prevent, and even reverse, a common liver disease caused by dietary fructose, a new study has found.
Consuming large quantities of fructose, especially as added sugars in processed items like soft drinks, can cause liver damage by promoting fat accumulation.
This could lead to a form of fatty liver disease, characterised by inflammation, scarring, and potentially even liver cirrhosis. This kind of liver disease is especially difficult to diagnose, according to researchers, due to the absence of significant weight gain in patients.
The condition can in turn lead to heart disease if not treated, previous studies have shown.
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According to a new study published in the journal Nature Metabolism, increasing dietary fibre can alter gut bacteria in ways that protect the liver from such sugar-related damage and disease.
“We found that consuming a type of dietary fibre called inulin, abundant in vegetables, changes the bacteria in the gut to promote the consumption of harmful dietary fructose,” said Cholsoon Jang, an author of the study from the University of California, Irvine.
Vegetables that are high in inulin include Jerusalem artichokes, chicory root, leeks, asparagus, garlic and onions. Inulin is also found in wheat flour and bran, barley, and rye.
“Upon investigating the interactions between these two common dietary components – fructose and inulin – we identified an unexpected microbe-host interaction mechanism by which inulin enhances fructose breakdown by the small intestinal microbiota,” the scientists wrote.
The study specifically found that the gut bacterium Bacteroides acidifaciens acts as a key player in helping prevent liver disease when supplemented with inulin.
“Here we show in male mice that the gut microbiome, when adapted to dietary fibre inulin, catabolises dietary fructose and mitigates or reverses insulin resistance,” researchers wrote.
The research offers new strategies for protecting against insulin resistance and liver damage, scientists say.
“These findings provide a mechanism for how fibre can facilitate the gut microbiome to mitigate the host’s exposure to harmful nutrients and disease progression,” researchers wrote.
“Our study suggests a mechanism by which inulin-adapted B.acidifaciens eliminates dietary fructose, thereby suppressing metabolic dysfunctions,” they wrote.
The study points to opportunities offered by inulin for preventive medicine that uses dietary choices to strengthen gut health.
“By identifying specific gut bacteria and metabolic pathways involved, our findings can guide personalised nutrition strategies,” Dr Jang said.
“For example, by checking how well someone’s gut bacteria clear fructose before the body absorbs it, we can choose the right prebiotic or probiotic supplement for that person to improve results and reduce side effects,” he said.
