Commentary
Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids have shown to regulate lipid metabolism and reduce fat accumulation in the liver. Masoumeh Akhlaghi et al. (Nutrition Research Center, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran) investigated the effect of flaxseed oil, as a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid, on fatty liver and cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Overall, the results showed that in the context of a low-calorie diet and moderate physical activity, flaxseed oil may benefit NAFLD patients to improve fatty liver grade, weight, and interleukin-6 compared to sunflower oil.
Decreasing aminotransferases, waist circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were benefits that came along with weight loss program as they changed similarly in both treatments. Benefits of flaxseed oil may be more substantial in patients with more severe cases of NAFLD and with higher levels of aminotransferases.
