Ziziphus jujube Fruit Supplementation Improves Liver Enzymes, Lipid Profile, and Hepatic Steatosis but Not Fasting Blood Glucose in Patients With NAFLD: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by the excessive accumulation of triglycerides within hepatocytes. Ziziphus jujube fruit (ZJF), a medicinal plant with well-documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has shown hepatoprotective effects in preclinical studies. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ZJF powder supplementation on fasting blood glucose (FBG), lipid profile, liver enzyme levels, and the severity of hepatic steatosis in patients with NAFLD. In this single-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial, 88 patients diagnosed with NAFLD were recruited. Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group, which received 30 g of ZJF powder daily alongside a low-calorie diet, or the control group, which adhered solely to a low-calorie diet for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was FBG. Secondary outcomes included lipid profile (total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides [TG], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C]), liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase [GGT]), and the severity of hepatic steatosis (assessed via ultrasonography). Measurements were taken at baseline and post-intervention. After adjusting for baseline values, weight, and waist circumference using ANCOVA, no significant between-group difference was observed for the primary outcome, FBG (p = 0.12). However, the intervention…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 88 participants or records.
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