Canadian researchers have highlighted the benefits of camu camu, a berry native to the Amazon, on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
- Camu camu, a fruit from the Amazon rainforest, reduced liver fat by 7.43% in overweight, hypertriglyceridemic adults.
- Taking one capsule containing 1.5 g of camu camu extract also decreases plasma levels of aspartate and alanine aminotransferase.
- Camu camu supplementation also modifies the composition of the intestinal microbiota.
Hepatic steatosis, or “fatty liver” in common parlance, is when this organ contains too much fat (triglycerides) inside cells that normally contain little or no fat. When the accumulation of fat in the liver occurs without any high alcohol consumption, it is called fatty liver disease or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
While dietary and hygiene measures can slow the progression of the disease, there is currently no approved drug treatment that has proven effective for fatty liver disease. However, previous animal research has reported that a polyphenol-rich extract of the camu-camu berry prevented hepatic steatosis in bats suffering from diet-induced obesity.
Fatty Liver Disease: Camu Camu Reduces Liver Fat by 7.43% in Patients
In a new study, published in the journal Cell Reports Medicinescientists from Laval University (Canada) wanted to determine the effects of camu camu, a fruit from the Amazon rainforest, on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and assess changes in metabolic profiles and gut microbiota. To do this, they recruited 30 overweight adults with hypertriglyceridemia. For 12 weeks, they either took a capsule containing 1.5 g of camu camu extract or a placebo at different times. Participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure liver fat.
The authors observed a 7.43% reduction in liver lipids when volunteers took camu camu extract. With the placebo, they found an 8.42% increase in liver fat. “That’s a significant difference of 15.85%,” stressed André Maretteauthor of the research. Another finding: the fruit reduced levels of aspartate and alanine aminotransferase in plasma and promoted changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiota.
Gut microbiota makes large polyphenol molecules smaller
According to the team, this reduction in liver fat results from the polyphenols contained in camu camu and their relationship with the intestinal microbiota. “The microbiota metabolizes large polyphenol molecules that cannot be absorbed by the intestine, transforming them into smaller molecules that the body can assimilate to reduce liver fat.”explained André Marette.
“Polyphenols could reduce lipogenesis, i.e. the formation of lipid droplets in the liver. They could also stimulate the degradation of lipids by oxidation. A combination of both mechanisms probably explains the high efficacy of the extract, because we play on both tables. (…) However, we hypothesize that the initial intestinal microbiota influences the response to polyphenols. If we find the factors involved, we may be able to modify the microbiota and increase the efficacy of the extract,” he added.
Although camu camu extract is readily available in capsule form, the professor stresses the importance of checking the content of certain polyphenols, as not all commercial products are equivalent.
