Cranberry Extract Found to Help Support Blood Sugar and Liver Health

Alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the buildup of extra fat in liver cells that is not caused by alcohol. Risk factors include obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels. A new study has found that adding a cranberry supplement to a weight loss diet plan may help improve insulin resistance and liver enzyme levels in people with NAFLD.

Forty-one people struggling with liver health participated in the study. They all followed the same weight loss diet plan. In addition, half of them were given 288 mg of cranberry extract daily and the other half were given a placebo. Insulin resistance and liver enzymes were measured at baseline and at the end of the study.

While both groups saw significant reductions in alanine aminotransferase, a key liver enzyme, the reductions were significantly greater in the cranberry group. Both groups also saw significant improvements in insulin resistance indicating better blood sugar health, but the improvements were appreciably greater in the cranberry group.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences. It was published online ahead of print on April 1, 2020 in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition.