Co-supplementation of camelina oil and a prebiotic is more effective for in improving cardiometabolic risk factors and mental health in patients with NAFLD: a randomized clinical trial

Abstract

This trial evaluated the effects of co-supplementing Camelina sativa oil (CSO) and a prebiotic as modulators of the gut microbiota on cardiometabolic risk factors and mental health in NAFLD patients. In all, 44 subjects with NAFLD were allocated to either an intervention (20 g d⁻¹ CSO + resistant dextrin) or a placebo (20 g d⁻¹ CSO + maltodextrin) group and received a calorie-restricted diet (−500 kcal d⁻¹) for 12 weeks. Fasting plasma levels of gucose, insulin, hs-CRP, endotoxin, antioxidant enzyme activity, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α, and uric acid were measured at the baseline and post-intervention. The depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS) and the general health questionnaire (GHQ) were used to assess mental health. Co-supplementing CSO and resistant dextrin significantly decreased the level of insulin concentration (−0.84 μU ml⁻¹, p = 0.011), HOMA-IR (−0.27, p = 0.021), hs-CRP (−1.25 pg ml⁻¹, p = 0.023), endotoxin (−3.70 EU mL⁻¹, p = 0.001), cortisol (−2.43, p = 0.033), GHQ (−5.03, p = 0.035), DASS (−9.01, p = 0.024), and MDA (−0.54 nmol mL⁻¹, p = 0.021) and increased the levels of TAC (0.16 mmol L⁻¹, p = 0.032) and superoxide dismutase (106.32 U g⁻¹ Hb, p = 0.45) in the intervention group compared with the placebo group. No significant changes were observed in the levels of other biomarkers. Co-supplementing CSO and resistant dextrin in combination with a low-calorie diet may improve metabolic risk factors and mental health in NAFLD patients.