- Over 38.9% of 10,267 adults screened met criteria for liver disease, Lancet reports
- Youthful gut bacteria helped reduce liver inflammation in ageing mice study
- Study showed suppression of cancer-linked MDM2 gene in older mice's liver tissue
According to the Lancet Journal, out of 10,267 adults screened, over 38.9% met the criteria for some kind of liver disease. As liver health tends to naturally decline with age, which gives rise to fatty liver, liver cancer, and other liver-related ailments, people need to constantly take care of their liver through dietary choices. While there is continued research being performed to reduce the health burden on people struggling with liver health issues. A new study is showing promise as it utilises good gut bacteria that may possibly reverse ageing-related liver damage.
The approach to the new study rebooted the gut microbiome with youthful gut bacteria that may help stop ageing-related liver damage. The most crucial aspect of this study is that it may also help prevent liver cancer, which affects 2 to 4 cases per 100,000 per year, with mortality matching the caseload due to later diagnosis.
What Did The Liver Study Find?
The main focus of the liver study is on beneficial gut bacteria in mice, as it can benefit how your liver functions. Older mice were given their own youthful gut microbes, which helped alter their existing gut environment.
The animal-based study noted reduced inflammation markers and possible reduced DNA damage that can occur when unhealthy fats deposit on healthy liver tissue.
Note: No liver cancer cases are treated in the mice used for the study.
Researchers in this study also found that the treatment suppressed a cancer-linked gene called MDM2, causing older mice to biologically resemble younger ones.
How Gut Bacteria Influence Liver Health
The beneficial gut bacteria strains are responsible for enhancing liver function, particularly in reducing inflammation. The gut and liver are interconnected through blood flow, bile acids, and microbial signals, playing a crucial role in digestion, metabolism, and liver health.
- Ageing exposes the body to oxidative stress that alters the healthy gut bacteria needed to boost liver health.
- When the good bacteria in the gut become too imbalanced, then liver disease can occur, and if there are multiple nutrient deficiencies, then cancer cells can also multiply.
- Even after the introduction of healthy gut bacteria, liver cancer appeared in 2 out of 8 untreated ageing mice, so the correlation needs further investigation.
Also Read: A Gastroenterologist Explains Why Arbi Is Actually A 'Superfood' For Your Gut Microbiome
Key Breakthrough: Cancer-Linked Gene Suppressed
The key breakthrough of this study is that it can suppress the MDM2 gene that is linked to liver cancer. The youthful gut bacteria lower MDM2 levels in the body, thus reducing the age of the liver tissue.
The study also found that when enough good bacteria are introduced into people's gut microbiome, it can help reverse some damage and make liver tissue healthier.
What Type Of Gut Bacteria Was Used?
The gut bacteria used in the study were introduced via faecal microbiota transplantation. This could happen, as each mouse had its own preserved microbiome to introduce the gut bacteria at a later stage.
This method was used, as it poses a reduced immune risk as the body is able to familiarise itself with the gut bacteria that it needs.
Can This Help Humans?
The researchers of this study caution against absolute findings, as the study was performed in mice. Human trials haven't started yet, which could offer detailed insight into how exactly good bacteria transplants could improve liver health outcomes in patients.
The study only shows a promising pathway for future liver therapies that could take the introduction of good bacteria into its approach to reduce the chances of liver cancer regressing.
What This Means For Liver Health And Ageing
The study shows promise as it can better deliver health-supportive therapies that could help a vast majority who struggle with keeping themselves healthy. It can help with:
- Slowing liver ageing, as healthy tissue needs a conducive environment to function normally.
- Lowering liver cancer risk or at least helping with slowing down its progression.
- New microbiome-based therapies could be developed that could help make it easier for people who are dealing with liver abnormalities.
Gut bacteria are emerging as a key player in longevity as the study reshapes how people view ageing livers. There is a need to heed caution, as the study findings are based on mice; it has not been performed in humans.
Disclaimer: This content, including advice, provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
