New research has found that resveratrol, the polyphenol found in red wine, may help to prevent fat from building up in the liver, thus suggesting that it may help to protect against, or even treat, alcoholic fatty liver.
Joanne M Ajmo and colleagues conducted a study to investigate the effects of resveratrol on alcoholic fatty liver in mice. Results showed that mice given alcohol and resveratrol had significantly less fat in their livers, and metabolized fat that was already present in the liver far more quickly, than mice fed alcohol alone.
Long-term alcohol abuse is known to inhibit the signaling molecules sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) – which has been linked to longevity – and AMP-activated kinase (AMPK), which play an important role in fat metabolism in the liver. Resveratrol is known to be a potent activator of both SIRT1 and AMPK, indeed, the researchers believe that its protective role on the liver is “in whole or in part mediated through the upregulation of a SIRT1-AMPK signaling system.”
The researchers concluded: “Our study suggests that resveratrol may serve as a promising agent for preventing or treating human alcoholic fatty liver disease.”
Ajmo JM, Liang X, Rogers CQ, Pennock B, You M. Resveratrol alleviates alcoholic fatty liver in mice. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2008;295:G833-G842.
