NASH – How can it be really treated?

While there are a lot of diseases in the world that have direct cures, there are still diseases which scientists and doctors have yet to find the remedies in the West, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is one of them.

What is NASH?

NASH is a type of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Different from simple fatty liver disease, patients with NASH do not just have fat built in the liver, but also have inflammation and liver cell damage. Without proper diagnosis or treatment, NASH can evolve into serious liver problems such as fibrosis, cirrhosis, or even liver cancer. One of the most challenging aspects of treating NASH is the diagnosis. Often named as a “silent” disease, NASH has few or no symptoms at all. Most of the time a liver biopsy is required, which means sticking a needle into the liver to collect a tissue sample for examination.

Treatment for NASH

To this date, there are still no medicines proven to treat NAFLD or NASH. Patients would often be recommended to engage in weight loss and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The reason behind is that losing up to 10% of body weight can help reduce liver inflammation, which is the major problem of liver damage in NASH. According to a study published by The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, there is a correlation between ALT (a kind of enzyme that is released to the bloodstream when the liver is damaged or inflamed) and the degree of liver inflammation, and patients with high ALT levels are more likely to have more severe hepatic inflammation than those with lower ALT levels.

Research on the effects of natural herbal compound against inflammation

Since managing inflammation appears to be the key to treating NASH, extensive research has been done in this area. Amongst all the research studies, natural herbal compound supplements have been found to lower ALT level with its anti-inflammatory effects.  

Various clinical studies were carried out to learn the effectiveness of natural herbal compound on treating NASH. In a study performed on humans, 8 patients of liver diseases were divided into two groups, with one group being provided with natural herbal compound supplements and the other group being provided only with placebos. After the 12-week study, all patients in the natural herbal compound group but none in the placebo group were found to have significant decrease in their ALT levels. However, after stopping the therapy, their ALT levels rose again, suggesting the positive effect of natural herbal compound on keeping ALT values within normal range and also minimising the degree of inflammation. 

In another similar study, the same effective results were observed. The subjects were divided into two groups, one being provided with natural herbal compound supplements and the other without. After 4 weeks, the natural herbal compound group showed a noticeable reduction in macrosteatosis (a phenomenon in which the cells retain too much fat), accompanying with a significant reduction in oxidative stress, a cause of hepatic inflammation. (Reseach Data Detail)

Natural herbal compound as the solution

Despite the fact that treating NASH takes time, taking supplements like natural herbal compound as shown from the clinical studies could be a good measure to help reduce inflammation in liver, in the hope of preventing NASH from developing into more serious problem.