This COPD Medication May Reverse Fatty Liver Disease in Four Weeks, New Study Suggests
Find out how it works and other ways you can protect your liver health
Key Takeaways
- Scientists say an asthma medication may help the liver burn fat more efficiently.
- New research found formoterol largely reversed fatty liver disease in mice in just four weeks.
- Experts say lifestyle changes and existing medications can help lower fatty liver risk now.
Like high blood pressure, fatty liver disease has a way of sneaking up on people, often not causing noticeable symptoms until you receive a diagnosis. And when that diagnosis comes, you may not be sure where to start. While lifestyle changes help some people combat fatty liver disease, others find success with medication. Good news: New research suggests a medication commonly used for asthma, one that may already be in your medicine cabinet, could help reverse fatty liver disease in a matter of weeks. Here’s what to know.
What is fatty liver disease?
“Fatty liver disease is a condition where excessive amounts of fat accumulate within the liver that, if allowed to persist for an extended period of time, will cause abnormal functioning of the liver,” says Blen Tesfu, MD, a medical advisor at Welzo.
Dr. Tesfu adds that while fatty liver disease is commonly linked to insulin resistance, obesity, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and an unbalanced diet, some people develop the condition without obvious symptoms or warning signs.
Woman's World Answers
With many health problems, symptom relief and even reversing a diagnosis often work best when medication and lifestyle changes (like following a healthy diet and getting regular exercise) are combined. Fatty liver disease is no exception. Dr. Tesfu says GLP-1 medications and insulin sensitizers are just a few of the FDA-approved medications doctors may prescribe to help manage the condition.
New research on an unexpected fatty liver medication
If you or a loved one are one of the nearly 28 million people living with asthma, you may have heard of formoterol. Formoterol is a medication primarily used to treat and manage asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), explains Neelima G Reddy, MD, MSPH, FACG, a gastroenterologist with extensive expertise in clinical practice and pharmaceutical research. Like any medication, side effects are possible. While the drug is generally well tolerated, Dr. Reddy says some people may experience symptoms such as tremors, muscle cramps and heart palpitations.
In an animal study published in npj Metabolic Health and Disease, mice with fatty liver disease were given daily injections of formoterol. Researchers found the treatment largely reversed fatty liver disease in just four weeks. The medication may help the liver burn and process fat more efficiently, reducing fat buildup and inflammation in the liver.
What explains these results? “The researchers found that formoterol stimulated the liver to utilize fat from stores as an energy source for better efficiency than before,” explains Dr. Tesfu. “As such, the improvement in fatty liver disease is hypothesised to be due to this combination of improved fat utilisation and decreased inflammation.”
Dr. Reddy adds that formoterol appeared to help the liver process fat more efficiently at the cellular level, helping reduce fat buildup in the liver.
The future of using a COPD medication for fatty liver
Our experts say these findings may be promising for the future of fatty liver treatment. “Unique pathways are noted in this study, which have not been targeted by existing medications,” says Dr. Reddy. “So this may be an exciting opportunity to explore for clinical improvement of patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASALD), the new name for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).”
Does that mean if you have formoterol somewhere in your medicine cabinet for asthma or COPD, you should use it for fatty liver? Not quite.
Dr. Tesfu says the findings point to a potentially exciting new direction for fatty liver treatment. However, because the research was conducted in mice, formoterol would still need to undergo extensive human clinical trials before it could be considered as a treatment for fatty liver disease or conditions beyond asthma and COPD, which is a process that could take years.
Other ways to manage fatty liver disease
While we wait for more research on formoterol, here are three expert-recommended ways to support your liver health starting today:
Stay active
Whether you choose to ride a bike or take a brisk walk around your neighborhood, Dr. Tesfu recommends getting regular exercise for at least 150 minutes every week (that’s about 22 minutes a day). She adds that when muscles are strengthened through exercise, the body is better able to use insulin and lower the amount of liver fat.
Limit processed food and sugar
You don’t have to completely cut an occasional ice cream, but Dr. Tesfu recommends lowering the amount of snacks, processed meals and sugary drinks you consume to help lower the amount of excess fat in your liver. If you’re not sure where to start, Dr. Reddy says apps like MyFitnessPal or Lose It! will not only help you stay on top of how much you’re consuming, but also your exercise.
Maintain a healthy weight
Losing weight is often referred to as a journey for good reason. Dr. Tesfu says that even losing a little weight over time counts when it comes to fostering healthy liver function and lessening inflammation in the body.
The bottom line on this potential fatty liver medication
A fatty liver diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but you have more options than you might think. Between proven lifestyle changes, existing medications and promising new research on the horizon, there are real ways to protect your liver and improve your health. Talk to your doctor or gastroenterologist about which approach is right for you.
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