Effect of intermittent fasting on hepatic steatosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies
PubMed 42373041 · doi:10.1016/j.clinre.2026.102875
What was done
The authors systematically searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase for studies evaluating the impact of intermittent fasting (IF) on hepatic steatosis in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Pooled effect sizes were calculated using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 17.0 as mean differences (MD) or standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
What was found
Eight studies with 389 participants were included. Intermittent fasting significantly improved: - Liver fat content: MD = -3.01 (95% CI [-5.84, -0.18]; P = 0.04) - Controlled attenuation parameter (CAP): MD = -18.64 (95% CI [-30.29, -6.99]; P = 0.002) - Body weight, body mass index (BMI), and triglycerides: all showed statistically significant reductions (P < 0.05, exact effect sizes not reported in abstract).
Why it matters
This meta-analysis provides pooled evidence that intermittent fasting reduces hepatic fat accumulation alongside improvements in body weight and lipid profiles in individuals with MASLD.
Limits
The total sample size is small (389 subjects across 8 studies). The abstract does not specify whether all included studies were randomized controlled trials, nor does it detail the specific fasting protocols, intervention durations, control comparators, or histological outcomes.
Cited by
- supports Fatty liver can be dramatically reduced within a couple of weeks through a low-carbohydrate diet, intermittent fasting, and choline supplementation.