Flaxseed powder and liver fat in fatty liver disease
What it found
In 50 people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, taking 30 g of flaxseed powder daily for 12 weeks lowered liver fat and improved some liver and blood fat measures.
The authors say it also changed the mix of gut bacteria.
What they found
Studies in people
Liver fat
The flaxseed group's liver fat fell by an average of 5.28% from the start, while the control group's fell by 1.23%, which was not a significant change. In people whose liver fat started between 10% and 25%, the flaxseed group's liver fat fell by an average of 8.87%.
Body composition
After 12 weeks, the flaxseed group had lower body fat percentage, obesity degree and visceral fat area than at the start. They lost an average of 2.4 kg and body fat percentage dropped by 6.4%. There was no difference between the groups in skeletal muscle mass.
Liver function blood tests
The flaxseed group had significantly lower total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin and aspartate aminotransferase after 12 weeks than at the start. The control group's total and direct bilirubin also fell, but by less. No significant changes in alanine aminotransferase or cholinesterase were seen in either group.
Blood fats
The flaxseed group's total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1 improved significantly from the start. Triglycerides fell by 0.4 mmol/L, while HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1 rose by 0.10 mmol/L and 0.12 mmol/L. The control group showed minimal changes.
Blood sugar
No beneficial effects of flaxseed powder were seen on blood sugar control measures.
Gut bacteria
After 12 weeks, the flaxseed group had higher levels of Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria and a lower ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes than the control group. Several bacterial groups, including Bifidobacterium, were higher in the flaxseed group, while Coriobacteriaceae_UCG-002 was lower.
What the authors conclude
“Flaxseed powder intervention for 12 weeks had the effect of improving liver lipid deposition, liver function, body composition indicators, and lipid metabolism in patients with NAFLD.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that flaxseed powder for 12 weeks improved liver lipid deposition, liver function, body composition indicators, and lipid metabolism in patients with NAFLD.
- They say it also regulated the gut microbiota in NAFLD patients, increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria while reducing harmful bacteria.
- They suggest that flaxseed is one of the natural and effective foods for improving NAFLD.
How it was done
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a growing public health problem, and diet may help prevent and treat it. Earlier animal studies suggested flaxseed could improve fatty liver.
Fifty patients with mild to moderate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were split into two groups of 25. One group took 30 g of flaxseed powder daily before lunch or dinner plus health education, and the other group got health education only, for 12 weeks.
What it can’t tell you
- The trial was not blinded, so participants knew whether they were taking flaxseed.
- The study lasted 12 weeks, so it cannot show what happens over a longer period.
- The trial was in people with mild to moderate NAFLD, so the results may not apply to other groups.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Southeast University, China; Lianshui People's Hospital Affiliated to Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, China
The paper
- Title
- Flaxseed powder supplementation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized controlled clinical trial
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Tian Y, Zhou Y, Liao W, et al (2025). Flaxseed powder supplementation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Food & function. doi:10.1039/d4fo05847jFree full textPubMed 39878023DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error