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This is information for those with diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high triglycerides. You are at risk for fatty liver. There is always some fat in the liver, but too much causes inflammation–> scarring –> cirrhosis. You do not want cirrhosis, as then the liver stops functioning and your risk for liver cancer increases.
There have been studies on GLP-1 agonists in the past showing improvement in fatty liver. (You can’t reverse scarring, but you may prevent it getting to that point.). New GLP-1 combination medications with glucagon receptor agonists as well may be more effective. Survodutide is one of these medications.
This is a study out of the New England Journal published June 2024, “A Phase 2 Randomized Trial of Survodutide in MASH and Fibrosis.” MASH is metabolic dysfunction associated with fatty liver (steatohepatitis). We like this study, as it is double blind, random study over 48 weeks of 293 participants.
Study:
- Biopsy confirmed liver disease with fibrosis stage F1-F3
- Weekly injection of survodutide at 2.4, 4.8, 6.0 OR placebo
- 2 phases- 24 week rapid dose escalation phase, then a 24 week maintenance phase.
- They looked for histologic improvement (looking under a microscope at a biopsy showing the improvement in the liver tissue) with no worsening of scarring. They also looked at decrease in liver fat content by at least 30% and biopsy proven reduction in fibrosis by one stage.
Findings?
Improvement was seen in
- 42% of 2.4 mg group
- 62% in 4.8 mg group
- 43% in 6.0 mg group
- *only 14% improvement seen in placebo
- Decrease by at least 30% in fat content in the liver by 64%, 67%, 57% vs. 14% in placebo
- Improvement in stage of fibrosis by at least one stage: 34%, 36%, 34% vs 22% in placebo
There were adverse events of nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting in the treatment group more than placebo.
They conclude, “survodutide was superior to placebo with respect to improvement in MASH without worsening of fibrosis, warranting phase 3 trials.”
How can Biohackr Health help?
We carry semaglutide and tirzepatide, both are GLP agonists, with tirzepatide also being a gastric inhibitory polypeptide receptor agonist. Neither of these are exactly like the medication studied here, but they are cousins of it and shown in other studies to help.
TEST. Look to see if you are at risk for fatty liver. Diabetes/glucose control, cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, and your liver function tests can give you some insight.
ASSESS YOUR GLUCOSE LEVELS. Do a CGM (continuous glucose monitor).
TREAT. Probiotics, supplements, metformin, semaglutide, tirzepatide all can help. NAD may also help.
As with everything we advocate, you are different. You need to see what YOUR issues are. Treatment needs to start early. Once disease has truly taken root, in t
