Vitamins and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A molecular insight

Abstract

The incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rising rapidly across the globe. NAFLD pathogenesis is largely driven by an imbalance in hepatic energy metabolism, and at present, there is no approved drug for its treatment. The liver plays a crucial role in micronutrient metabolism, and deregulation of this micronutrient metabolism may contribute to the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Vitamins regulate several enzymatic processes in the liver, and derangement in vitamin metabolism is believed to play a critical role in NAFLD progression. The anti-oxidant activities of vitamins C and E have been attributed to mitigate hepatocyte injury, and alterations in the serum levels of vitamin D, vitamin B12 and folate have shown a strong correlation with NAFLD severity. This review aims to highlight the role of these vitamins, which represent promising therapeutic targets for the management of NAFLD.

Keywords

• Anti-oxidant
• Autophagy
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
• Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B