Dietary fiber supplement shows promise for fatty liver, with effects linked to gut microbiota

Article excerpt

A new study finds that xylo-oligosaccharides, a prebiotic fiber supplement, may improve fatty liver disease by altering gut bacteria and reducing harmful metabolic byproducts. Researchers from Finnish universities discovered that the supplement's effectiveness depends partly on a patient's existing microbiota composition, meaning the same treatment won't work equally well for everyone. The findings, published in npj Gut and Liver, represent the first human trial of XOS for fatty liver, a condition affecting roughly a quarter of the global population and with few proven treatments beyond lifestyle changes.