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Publications

Journal Article Review Epublish

PubMed: 40410852 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-025-01406-w

Intermittent fasting and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: the potential role of the gut-liver axis.

Cell Biosci 15(1):64

Authors: Zhaoxi Zhang, Alice Pik-Shan Kong, Vincent Wai-Sun Wong, Hannah Xiaoyan Hui

Affiliations

  • School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
  • Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
  • Hong Kong Institute of Diabetes and Obesity, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
  • Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
  • Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
  • School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Abstract

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a growing public health concern linked to the increasing prevalence of metabolic syndrome, including obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). MASLD remains a significant clinical challenge due to the absence of effective therapeutic interventions. Intermittent fasting (IF) has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological strategy for managing MASLD. Although the exact mechanisms underpinning the possible beneficial effects of IF on MASLD are not yet fully elucidated, the gut microbiota and its metabolic byproducts are increasingly recognized as potential mediators of these effects. The gut-liver axis may act as an important conduit through which IF exerts its beneficial influence on hepatic function. This review comprehensively examines the impact of various IF protocols on gut microbiota composition, investigating the resultant alterations in microbial diversity and metabolomic profiles, and their potential implications for liver health and the improvement of MASLD.

MeSH

Liver Diseases, Fasting, Liver, Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Microbiota, Intermittent Fasting