The Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group investigates antioxidant supplements for liver diseases, as reported in the most recent issue of Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
Several liver diseases have been associated with oxidative stress. Accordingly, antioxidants have been suggested as potential therapeutics for various liver diseases.
The evidence supporting these suggestions is equivocal.
Professor Bjelakovic and colleagues from Serbia assessed the benefits and harms of antioxidant supplements for patients with liver diseases.
The research team identified trials through electronic and manual searches until 2009.
The researchers included randomized trials comparing antioxidant supplements vs. placebo or no intervention for autoimmune liver diseases, viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease and cirrhosis.
Random-effects and fixed-effect meta-analyses were conducted.
The team identified 20 randomized trials with 1225 participants.
The trials assessed beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium.
The majority of the trials had high risk of bias and showed heterogeneity.
Overall, the assessed antioxidant supplements had no significant effect on all-cause mortality or liver-related mortality.
Stratification according to the type of liver disease assessed did not affect the conclusions.
The researchers found that antioxidant supplements significantly increased the activity of gamma glutamyl transpeptidase.
Professor Bjelakovic's team concludes, "We found no evidence to support or refute antioxidant supplements in patients with liver disease."
"Antioxidant supplements may increase liver enzymes."
Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010: 32(3): 356-67
15 July 2010
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