Non-alcoholic fatty liver, and the disease states caused by it, currently affect a projected two million people worldwide, most likely to affect those in the age group of 40-60 years old. The fact that it can be targeted by nutritional intervention in a number of ways makes it a key target for nutraceutical manufacturers, who often seek preventive formulations due to the fact that its lack of early symptoms and the complicating role in many other chronic diseases positions it to cripple economies. It is linked largely to excess consumption of fat, sugar, and calories, as well as a sedentary lifestyle, and can affect the progression of diabetes, as well as diseases of the heart, liver, and kidneys.
 
In a recently-published randomized, placebo controlled trial, appearing in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology, a proprietary blend of bergamot and wild artichoke, marketed as Bergacyn FF by DolCas Biotech, found that in 102 mildly hypercholesterolemic patients between the ages of 35 and 70 with liver steatosis, the botanical complex had significant impact on both liver fat and body weight.
 
The participants either received a daily dose of 600 mg of Bergacyn FF or a maltodextrin-based placebo, and, additionally, the participants in both groups who were overweight or obese were instructed to reduce their caloric intake by 400-500 calories per day.
 
According to the authors of the study, daily supplementation over a period of 12 weeks resulted in a 9% reduction in liver fat, and, it appears that the most notable margins were in those over 50 years of age. After that cutoff, the reduction in liver fat increased to 15%, which was attributed solely to Bergacyn FF and not the dietary changes, researchers said. Subgroup analyses also found that in addition to overweight and obese people seeing more pronounced benefits, specifically women and overweight/obese persons having an android “apple” shape phenotype experienced the greatest possible benefit.
 
“An unexpected outcome of the study was Bergacyn’s impact on weight loss,” Dr. Shavon Jackson-Michel, director of medical and scientific affairs at DolCas Biotech. “The absolute difference made by Bergacyn FF for body weight reductions over placebo was approximately 4 pounds. The total weight loss in the Bergacyn FF group over 12 weeks fell just under 10 pounds. The new research supports the traditional wisdom of botanical synergism and how standardized ingredient formulations could be the best way forward for multifactorial processes such as NAFL.”