The Effects of Sesame Oil on Glycemic Control, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress in Women with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the Context of a Weight Loss Program: A Parallel, Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Controlled Trial

Abstract

Abstract Background/objective Some dietary components such as phytochemicals, antioxidants, and monounsaturated acids (MUFAs) are related to the risk reduction of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). These components exist in sesame oil (SO). This study aimed to assess the effects of SO consumption on glycemic control, inflammation, and oxidative stress undergoing a weight loss diet in women with NAFLD. Methods 60 women with NAFLD (aged 20–50 years) participated in this randomized, double-blind, parallel, controlled trial. In this study, the routine oil was replaced with SO for 12 weeks. All the subjects received a hypocaloric diet (-500 kcal/day) during the intervention. Serum fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting serum insulin (FSI), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured at pre- and post-intervention phases. Results 53 subjects completed the intervention. Significant reductions in body mass index (BMI) and body weight (BW) were observed in both groups. After adjusting for confounders, SO resulted in significant improvements in FBG, FSI, HOMA-IR and QUICKI compared to the control group (p < 0.05). However, the reduction in hs-CRP and MDA were not significant (p > 0.05). Conclusions SO was shown to beneficially affect the glycemic control markers (including FBG, FSI, HOMA-IR, and QUICKI) in patients with NAFLD.