Abstract
A-F Betafood® is a whole food-based health product. The product contains phytonutrients and bioactives with antioxidant properties that may support gallbladder and liver function. Herein, we investigated the efficacy of A-F Betafood® on gallbladder and liver function. In this randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel study fifty overweight but otherwise healthy adults received A-F Betafood® or placebo for 12 weeks. Gallbladder function as assessed by gallbladder volume, ejection fraction (GBEF), ejection rate, wall thickness and liver function determined via aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase, and high-sensitivity c-reactive protein analysis at baseline and week 12 were the primary outcomes. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglycerides, and oxidative stress markers including oxidized low-density lipoprotein, tumor necrosis factor-α, adiponectin and malonyldialdehyde (MDA) were assessed as secondary outcomes. A-F Betafood®-supplementation significantly reduced gallbladder wall thickness (p = 0.049) by 9% compared to placebo from baseline to week 12. The A-F Betafood® group alone had significant improvements in gallbladder volume (32%; p = 0.044) and GBEF (19%; p = 0.047) at week 12. There were no changes in liver function, oxidative stress markers or blood lipid concentrations, though MDA concentrations decreased in both groups. Our findings demonstrate A-F Betafood®-supplementation significantly improves measures of gallbladder function and support healthy gallbladder function in the individuals with gall bladder condition.
Highlights
Gallbladder disease is a significant health burden in the developed world and its prevalence has risen by more than 20% in the past three decades [1]
The current study evaluated the efficacy of A-F Betafood®, a whole food-based health product, on gallbladder function using ultrasound measurements of gallbladder wall thickness, volume, gallbladder ejection fraction (GBEF), and gallbladder ejection rate (GBER)
The Per Protocol (PP) population comprised of 42 participants that consumed at least 80% of either product dose, who did not have any major protocol violations, and completed all study visits and procedures required for the analysis of the primary outcome
Summary
Gallbladder disease is a significant health burden in the developed world and its prevalence has risen by more than 20% in the past three decades [1]. Diet, rapid weight loss, metabolic syndrome, and conditions such as cirrhosis, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and gallbladder stasis increase the risk of gallstone formation [3]. Surgical removal of the gallbladder, cholecystectomy, is the most recommended treatment for gallbladder disease; the procedure increases the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cirrhosis and metabolic effects [4]. Oral dissolution therapy using ursodeoxycholic acid is currently one of the leading non-invasive alternative treatments for gallstones. Ursodeoxycholic acid dissolves small cholesterol gallstones by Nutrients 2020, 12, 540; doi:10.3390/nu12020540 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients
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