AUTHOR=Liu Xiaohui , Shen Hong , Chen Mingfeng , Shao Jun 

TITLE=Clinical Relevance of Vitamins and Carotenoids With Liver Steatosis and Fibrosis Detected by Transient Elastography in Adults

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.760985

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2021.760985

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Vitamins and carotenoids may be involved in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Previously related publications mainly focused on vitamin D and vitamin E, and studies on other vitamins and carotenoids and NAFLD are scarce.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> This study aimed to explore the clinical relevance of vitamin A, B vitamins (vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, and choline), vitamin C and carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein + zeaxanthin) with liver steatosis and fibrosis in the 2017–2018 NHANES (<italic>N</italic> = 4,352). Liver steatosis and fibrosis were detected by transient elastography. Logistic regression, linear regression and restricted cubic splines were adopted to explore the non-linear dose-response relationships.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Higher intakes of vitamin C [0.68 (0.50–0.93)] and β-carotene [0.71 (0.54–0.93)] were inversely associated with liver steatosis. Higher levels of serum vitamin C [0.45 (0.32–0.62)] were inversely associated with liver fibrosis, while higher intakes of choline [1.43 (1.04–1.98)] and α-carotene [1.67 (1.01–2.74)] were positively associated with liver fibrosis. In addition, marginally inverse association between lutein + zeaxanthin and liver steatosis and positive association between vitamin B12 and liver fibrosis were found. In linear regression, the above-mentioned associations between vitamin C, β-carotene, and lutein + zeaxanthin and liver steatosis, and serum vitamin C, choline, α-carotene, and vitamin B12 and liver fibrosis were also found. The above-mentioned associations were mainly linear, while the relationship between β-carotene and liver steatosis might be non-linear.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Vitamin C, α-carotene, β-carotene, lutein + zeaxanthin, choline and vitamin B12 may be associated with liver steatosis and fibrosis.</p>