Assessing the clinical and biochemical efficacy of alpha-lipoic acid in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial

Given the importance of inflammatory and metabolic markers in the pathophysiology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), this study was designed to evaluate the effects of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation on inflammatory and serum levels of fetuin-A, sirtuin1 (SIRT-1), cytokeratin 18 (CK-18), and hepatic steatosis in patients with NAFLD. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial, 50 patients with NAFLD were randomized to receive daily supplementation with either two capsules of ALA (each capsule containing 600 mg ALA plus 400 mg/day of vitamin E) or two placebo capsules (two placebo capsules plus 400 mg/day of vitamin E) for 12 weeks. Significant reductions in homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) score and serum levels of insulin and fetuin-A were observed in the ALA group compared to the placebo group (all P < 0.05). ALA supplementation was significantly more effective than placebo in reducing hepatic steatosis by at least one grade.