Vitamin E could be a game-changer for people battling fatty liver disease, according to a major study that shows brilliant results for patients struggling with liver fibrosis.
Researchers tracked 3,746 people diagnosed with fatty liver disease over roughly two years.
The findings, presented at the American Society for the Study of Liver Diseases Annual Meeting, demonstrate that Vitamin E made a real difference in reducing liver fibrosis, which is essentially scarring that can lead to serious complications down the line.
This research reinforces what many doctors have suspected about vitamin E's therapeutic benefits when combined with proper diet and exercise.
Vitamin E could help patients struggling with liver fibrosis
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Fatty liver disease has become incredibly common, now affecting between a fifth and a third of people globally.
Left untreated, it can progress to cirrhosis and even liver cancer, which is why finding effective treatments matters so much.
Vitamin E works by calming inflammation in the liver, cutting down on fat buildup, and acting as an antioxidant shield for liver cells against damage from free radicals.
Some doctors have been prescribing 800 IU of vitamin E daily for years now.
While foods like sunflower oil, olive oil, nuts and spinach contain vitamin E, you simply can't get enough through diet alone to treat the condition.
Which foods and drinks make fatty liver worse in the first place?
Dr Meena Malhotra, a double board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine and founder of Heal n Cure Medical Wellness Centre, told GB News that sugary drinks are a major culprit.
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"Any drink with fructose acts as alcohol without buzz," she explained. "In a hypercaloric state, fructose found in sodas and fruit juice, produces insulin resistance and fatty liver."
And it's not just regular sugar causing problems.
"Artificial sweeteners like acesulfame, aspartame, erythritol etc, cause fatty liver progression by the same mechanism of causing insulin resistance," Dr Malhotra added.
Refined carbohydrates are another big problem for liver health.
"Foods with high glycemic load, meaning refined carbs like dishes made with flour (bread, pasta, noodles, pastries, etc) or fruit juices / sweetened beverages, are one of the biggest causes to produce fatty liver," Dr Malhotra said.
Vitamin E works by calming inflammation in the liver
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Trans fats and rancid oils found in fried foods also make things worse, with the doctor highlighting some particularly harmful meal combinations to avoid.
She said: "High-refined carb meals with beverages sweetened with HFCS or artificial sweeteners are one of the worst meals for metabolic/liver health. Pasta or pizza or with soda, sandwiches with processed meats, chips or fries with soda, doughnuts, etc, are a few examples of that."
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