Diet Shown to Improve Liver and Brain Health
New Evidence Links Liver Health to Brain Chemistry and Shows Diet Can Improve Both
Andreana P. Haley, Jack Knight-Scott, Marie Caillaud, Isabelle Gallagher, Jessica Park, Yanrong Li, Tianyu Wang, Hirofumi Tanaka, Jeffrey D. Browning
Background and Purpose
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a growing public health concern tied to obesity and chronic conditions, but its effects on brain health are less understood. This research brief is based on a study by Andreana P. Haley and colleagues that examined how liver fat is linked to brain chemistry and whether diet can improve both.
The study used a two-week randomized diet intervention among 44 adults with high metabolic risk in Texas. Researchers measured liver fat and brain chemicals using magnetic resonance spectroscopy before and after participants followed either a low-carbohydrate or low-calorie diet.
Nearly all participants with MASLD (97%) showed reduced liver fat, while most also showed decreases in glutamate and myo-inositol—brain chemicals linked to inflammation and cellular stress. Importantly, reductions in liver fat were associated with improvements in brain chemistry, suggesting a direct connection between liver and brain health.
These results suggest that even short-term dietary changes may improve both liver and brain health. Policymakers and health systems should consider expanding access to nutrition interventions, metabolic screening, and preventive care to address these risks early and cost-effectively.
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Key Findings
Myo-inositol levels were higher in research participants with MASLD at baseline. At the start of the study, participants with MASLD had higher myo-inositol levels compared to those without MASLD. This suggests changes in the brain may occur early in people with fatty liver disease.
Diet reduced liver fat in adults with MASLD. Participants followed a two-week low-carbohydrate or low-calorie diet. The study found a significant decrease in liver fat levels after both the low-carbohydrate diet and the low-calorie diet. Nearly all participants with MASLD (97%) experienced reductions in liver fat.
Diet lowered brain chemicals linked to neurotoxicity and inflammation. The study found levels of glutamate and myo-inositol decreased after both diets. Elevated levels of these chemicals can signal brain stress or inflammation. About 77% of participants showed reduced glutamate, and 70% showed reduced myo-inositol.
Changes in liver fat were linked to changes in brain chemistry. Reductions in liver fat were associated with reductions in the brain’s glutamate levels. This finding supports a connection between liver health and brain metabolism, or the process by which the brain uses energy to communicate between cells, think, and memorize.
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Implications for Policy
This study found liver health and brain health are connected, even in the early stages of MASLD. Short-term diet changes may offer a low-cost strategy to improve both. The findings underscore the importance of supporting nutrition programs and prevention strategies that target metabolic health. Health systems can play a key role by covering nutrition counseling and weight-loss drugs, supporting diabetes prevention programs, and integrating routine screening for metabolic risk factors.
Data and Methods
The study used a longitudinal design with a two-week diet intervention. The sample consisted of 44 adults in the Austin, Texas area. Average age was 54, 50% identified as White, 32% identified as Hispanic, and 82% were female. The 44 adults all had high metabolic risk, defined as having three or more metabolic risk factors, such as high blood sugar, excess abdominal fat, high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and insulin resistance; 30 of them had MASLD. Participants were randomly assigned a low carbohydrate diet or a low-calorie diet.
To measure liver fat and the concentrations of brain chemicals before and after the diet, researchers used magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which is a type of MRI that measures chemicals in the brain and liver, in addition to images. Using a variety of statistical tests, researchers analyzed participants based on their assigned dieting group, even if they did not fully follow the diet, to reflect real-world conditions.
About the Authors
Andreana P. Haley, haley@austin.utexas.edu, is professor of psychology at The University of Texas at Austin. Jack Knight-Scott is research associate at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Marie Caillaud is a neuropsychologist at the Centre de Recherche - CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal. Isabelle Gallagher is a Ph.D. student in psychology at UT Austin. Jessica Park is research assistant at the UT Clinical Neuroscience Lab. Yanrong Li is a Ph.D. student in psychology at UT Austin. Tianyu Wang is a postdoctoral researcher at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Hirofumi Tanaka is a CAPS Faculty Affiliate and professor of kinesiology and health education at UT Austin. Jeffrey D. Browning is associate professor of clinical nutrition, UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Funding for Research and Disclaimer
This research was supported by the University of Texas at Austin. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official view of the university.