Can a dietary supplement provide the first effective treatment for liver cirrhosis?
Liver disease, a major global health concern, leads to millions of deaths annually due to complications like cirrhosis and liver cancer. Excitingly, a new study is exploring the potential of the dietary supplement HMB to treat cirrhosis, a condition affecting thousands in the UK.
Liver disease accounts for two million deaths annually and is responsible for 4% of all deaths (1 out of every 25 deaths worldwide). The deaths are caused largely due to the complications of cirrhosis and
liver cancer
.
What makes cirrhosis far more dangerous is that it is irreversible, and measures are taken to manage the condition, and in some a liver transplant is required. However, recent research has begun to explore whether certain dietary supplements can help, not just in managing cirrhosis but possibly even reversing or halting its progression.
A new study led by scientists and clinicians from the University of Plymouth, the University of Southampton, and Imperial College London has looked into the possibility of treating cirrhosis with a dietary supplement.
Before we delve into the details, let's try to understand what liver cirrhosis is.
Cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver is scarred and permanently damaged. Scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue and prevents the liver from working normally. This scar tissue also partly blocks the flow of blood through the liver. As cirrhosis gets worse, the liver begins to fail. Liver cirrhosis can increase the risk of developing
liver cancer
, specifically hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Can a dietary supplement cure liver cirrhosis
A dietary supplement, Β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate, otherwise known as HMB, used predominantly to build muscle bulk, prevent muscle loss as a result of ageing or illness, is to be trialled as a potential treatment for chronic liver disease.
To understand this, the scientists and clinicians will test its potential in 60,000 people in the UK who have been diagnosed with cirrhosis.
In the UK, this condition is most commonly caused by harmful alcohol use or fatty liver disease. In severe cases, some patients even require a liver transplant. As the condition worsens, it leads to over 75,000 hospital admissions and costs the NHS £17 billion annually.
Through this study, the scientist will be looking at if taking HMB can offer a safe and effective way of improving patients' physical function and quality of life.
Experts in liver disease, dietetics, and immunology from the University of Plymouth, University of Southampton, and Imperial College, London will be leading the trial.
'Cirrhosis is a condition that can have a significant impact on a person's physical and mental wellbeing. But while there are treatments in development, at the moment, there is nothing we can prescribe that directly addresses the condition. HMB has been identified as having the potential to fill that gap, with no suggestions at this time that there will be adverse side effects.
This trial will hopefully enable us to test that fully, and establish whether HMB can indeed deliver real benefits for people with cirrhosis and those around them,' Dr Ashwin Dhanda, associate professor in Hepatology at the University of Plymouth and a Consultant in Hepatology at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, and the project's Chief Investigator, said in a statement.
7 Ways to check for fatty liver at home
Patients have played a crucial role in shaping the study design. Lesley Manning, who previously underwent a liver transplant, is part of the project team and represents individuals with lived experience of advanced cirrhosis. 'Living with advanced cirrhosis is very debilitating. It makes you feel like you have no energy or strength, and there are no treatments out there to help manage your symptoms. I believe you need to look after yourself and the BOOST trial is testing something simple and safe that may improve the quality of life of people with advanced cirrhosis,' she said.
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