Conclusion This meta- analysis supports the potential use of microbial therapies in the treatment of NAFLD and sheds light on their potential mode of action .
Context Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease ( NAFLD ) is a highly prevalent and underdiagnosed comorbidity of many chronic diseases that is associated with altered intestinal bacterial communities .
This association has prompted research into alternative treatments aim ed at modulating intestinal microbiota .
Given the novelty of these treatments , scarce evidence regarding their effectiveness in clinical population s exists .
Objective This meta- analysis sought to systemically review and quantitatively synthesize evidence on prebiotic , probiotic , and synbiotic therapies for patients with NAFLD in r and omized controlled trials .
Supplementation with probiotics modifies gut flora and attenuates liver fat accumulation in rat nonalcoholic fatty liver disease model
This study aim ed to evaluate the relationship between gut probiotic flora and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in a diet-induced rat model , and to compare the effects of two different probiotic strains on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease . Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were r and omized into 4 groups for 12 weeks : control ( st and ard rat chow ) , model ( fat-rich diet ) , Lactobacillus ( fat-rich diet plus Lactobacillus acidophilus ) , and Bifidobacterium ( fat-rich diet plus Bifidobacterium longum ) groups . Probiotics were provided to rats in drinking water ( 1010/ml ) . Gut bifidobacteria and lactobacilli were obviously lower at weeks 8 and 10 , respectively , in the model group compared with the control group . Supplementation with Bifidobacterium significantly attenuated hepatic fat accumulation ( 0.10 ± 0.03 g/g liver tissue ) compared with the model group ( 0.16 ± 0.03 g/g liver tissue ) . However , there was no improvement in intestinal permeability in either the Lactobacillus or the Bifidobacterium group compared with the model group . In all 40 rats  , the hepatic total lipid content was negatively correlated with gut Lactobacillus ( r = −0.623 , p = 0.004 ) and Bifidobacterium ( r = −0.591 , p = 0.008 ) . Oral supplementation with probiotics attenuates hepatic fat accumulation . Further , Bifidobacterium longum is superior in terms of attenuating liver fat accumulation than is Lactobacillus acidophilus
Conclusion This meta- analysis supports the potential use of microbial therapies in the treatment of NAFLD and sheds light on their potential mode of action .
Context Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease ( NAFLD ) is a highly prevalent and underdiagnosed comorbidity of many chronic diseases that is associated with altered intestinal bacterial communities .
This association has prompted research into alternative treatments aim ed at modulating intestinal microbiota .
Given the novelty of these treatments , scarce evidence regarding their effectiveness in clinical population s exists .
Objective This meta- analysis sought to systemically review and quantitatively synthesize evidence on prebiotic , probiotic , and synbiotic therapies for patients with NAFLD in r and omized controlled trials .