Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Short Communication
  • Published:

Effects of oligofructose on glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: results of a pilot study

Abstract

Objective:

In experimental animals, recent results suggest that the addition of inulin-type fructans such as oligofructose (OFS) in the diet decreases triacylglycerol accumulation in the liver tissue. Therefore, we have investigated the effect of daily ingestion of OFS in seven patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), confirmed by liver biopsies.

Design:

They received 16 g/day OFS or maltodextrine (placebo) for 8 weeks in a randomized double-blind crossover design. Energy intake, body composition, liver steatosis and blood parameters were analysed after 4 and 8 weeks of dietary supplementation.

Results:

Compared to placebo, OFS decreased significantly serum aminotransferases, aspartate aminotransferase after 8 weeks, and insulin level after 4 weeks, but this could not be related to significant effect on plasma lipids.

Conclusion:

This pilot study supports the putative interest of OFS in the management of liver diseases associated with abnormal lipid accumulation in humans.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agrawal S & Bonkovsky HL (2002): Management of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: an analytic review. J. Clin. Gastroenterol. 35, 253–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bergman RN, Van Citters GW, Mittelman SD, Dea MK, Hamilton-Wessler M, Kim SP & Ellmerer M (2001): Central role of the adipocyte in the metabolic syndrome. J. Investig. Med. 49, 119–126.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brighenti F, Casiraghi MC, Canzi E & Ferrari A (1999): Effect of consumption of a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal containing inulin on the intestinal motility and blood lipids in healthy male volunteers. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 53, 726–733.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brunt EM, Janney CG, Di Bisceglie AM, Neuschwander-Tetri BA & Bacon BR (1999): Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: a proposal for grading and staging the histological lesions. Am. J. Gastroenterol. 94, 2467–2474.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chitturi S, Abeygunasekera S, Farrell GC, Holmes-Walker J, Hui JM, Fung C, Karim R, Lin R, Samarasinghe D, Liddle C, Weltman M & George J (2002): NASH and insulin resistance: insulin hypersecretion and specific association with the insulin resistance syndrome. Hepatology 35, 373–379.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Daubioul CA, Rousseau N, Demeure R, Gallez B, Taper HS, Declerck B & Delzenne NM (2002): Dietary fructans, but not cellulose, decrease triglyceride accumulation in the liver of obese Zucker fa/fa rats. J. Nutr. 132, 967–973.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Daubioul CA, Taper HS, De Wispelaere LD & Delzenne NM (2000): Dietary oligofructose lessens hepatic steatosis, but does not prevent hypertriglyceridemia in obese Zucker rats. J. Nutr. 130, 1314–1319.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Delzenne NM & Williams CM (2002): Prebiotics and lipid metabolism. Curr. Opin. Lipidol. 13, 61–67.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Diraison F, Moulin P & Beylot M (2003): Contribution of hepatic de novo lipogenesis and reesterification of plasma non esterified fatty acids to plasma triglyceride synthesis during non alcoholic fatty liver disease. Diabetes Metab. 29, 478–485.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson KG, Taylor GR, Clohessy AM & Williams C (1999): The effect of daily intake of inulin on fasting lipid, insulin and glucose concentrations in middle-aged men and women. Br. J. Nutr. 82, 23–30.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kok N, Roberfroid M & Delzenne N (1996): Dietary OFS modifies the impact of fructose on hepatic triacylglycerol metabolism. Metabolism 45, 1547–1550.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Letexier D, Diraison F & Beylot M (2003): Addition of inulin to a moderately high-carbohydrate diet reduces hepatic lipogenesis and plasma triacylglycerol concentrations in humans. Am J. Clin. Nutr. 77, 559–564.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luyck FH, Lefebvre PJ & Scheen AJ (2000): Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: association with obesity and insulin resistance, and influence of weight loss. Diabetes Metab. 26, 98–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pagano G, Pacini G, Musso G, Gambino R, Mecca F, Depetris N, Cassader M, David E, Cavallo-Perin P & Rizzetto M (2002): Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome : further evidence for an etiologic association. Hepatology 35, 367–372.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reid AE (2001): Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Gastroenterology 121, 710–723.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberfroid MB & Delzenne NM (1998): Dietary fructans. Annu. Rev. Nutr. 18, 117–143.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yu AS & Keeffe EB (2002): Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Rev. Gastroenterol. Disord. 2, 11–19.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zafrani ES (2004): Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: an emerging pathological spectrum. Virchows Arch. 444, 3–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank all the subjects who participated in this study, and MA Bioul for her technical assistance; N Rousseau and G Catillon for their help in patient anamnesis, and Orafti (Tienen Belgium) for their help in preparing the samples.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to N M Delzenne.

Additional information

Guarantor: NM Delzenne.

Contributors: CAD has performed all analysis and has written the first draft of the paper with NMD. YH and ED have managed the clinical follow-up of the patients. PL has performed the statistical analysis.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Daubioul, C., Horsmans, Y., Lambert, P. et al. Effects of oligofructose on glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: results of a pilot study. Eur J Clin Nutr 59, 723–726 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602127

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602127

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links