Low-carb diet reduces liver fat

DALLAS, April 18 (UPI) -- To reduce liver fat quickly, U.S. researchers say reducing carbohydrates is more effective than cutting calories.

Dr. Jeffrey Browning, assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, says the findings could have implications for treating numerous diseases, including diabetes, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Researchers assigned 18 participants with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to either a low-carbohydrate diet -- less than 20 grams a day or the equivalent of a small banana or a half-cup of egg noodles -- or a low-calorie diet for 14 days.

For the final seven days, they switched to frozen meals prepared by Southwestern's Clinical and Translational Research Center kitchen that matched their individual food preferences, carbohydrate intake and energy needs.

The study, published online in advance of the print issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that after two weeks participants on the low-carb diet lost more liver fat.

Browning, the study's lead author, said that although the research was not designed to determine which diet was more effective for losing weight, both the low-calorie dieters and the low-carbohydrate dieters lost an average of 10 pounds.

However, Browning cautioned the findings do not explain why participants on the low-carb diet had a greater reduction in liver fat and that they should not be extrapolated beyond the two-week period of study.