Antioxidant Found in Breast Milk Prevents Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Antioxidants are known to protect against some chronic illnesses – like cardiovascular problems and cancer – because of their capability to prevent cell damage. New study indicates that a common antioxidant may also defend against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Studies have proven that a diet rich in fruits and veggies can assist to protect against chronic diseases. On the other hand, it is not specific whether the antioxidants on their own safeguard against these illnesses, or whether other compounds in fruits and vegetables do.

New study connects one antioxidant in specific – generally found in breast milk and foods such as kiwi, soy, and celery – to the risk of developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is turning into significantly wide-spread.

Understanding the effect of PQQ in obese mice.

Investigators from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus start to examine whether an enhanced dose of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) given prenatally in obese mice could stop the progression of NAFLD.

The results were presented in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

Study Led Karen Jonscher and team provided a high-fat, high-sugar Western diet to pregnant mice to be able to induce obesity. Another group of pregnant mice was provided a healthy diet. In addition, a subgroup from each of the two groups obtained PQQ in their drinking water.

The mice’s babies were also provided the two diets for 20 weeks, along with having obtained PQQ through their mothers’ breast milk, with respect to the group they were a part of.

PQQ decreases liver fat.

Not surprisingly, the mice fed a Western diet obtained more weight than those provided a healthful one. Supplemental PQQ, whether given pre- or postnatally, had no effect on the weight gain.

However, PQQ treatment decreased both liver and body fat in obese babies. PQQ decreased liver fat in mice prior to they were born.

The investigators identified reduced indicators of oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory genes in obese mice that had been given PQQ. This indicates that the antioxidant also decreased liver inflammation.

Perhaps surprisingly, these positive effects persevered in the babies after the PQQ was taken out as part of the weaning process.

“When provided to obese mouse mothers during pregnancy and lactation, we identified it secured their babies from developing symptoms of liver fat and damage that result in NAFLD in early adulthood,” says Karen Jonscher.

PQQ is naturally identified in soil, interstellar dust, and human breast milk. The antioxidant is important for development in mammals, and it can also be identified in a wide range of plant foods, like as soy, parsley, celery, kiwi, and papaya.

Jonscher also emphasizes the advantages of early PQQ diet supplementation for the prevention of liver disease.

Adding to above comments study lead Karen Jonscher said,

“Probably supplementing the diet of obese pregnant people with PQQ, which has confirmed safe in various human studies, will be a therapeutic target worthy of more study in the fight to decrease the risk of NAFLD in babies.”