Is equol the key to the onset and treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K07978
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53010:Gastroenterology-related
• Research Institution: Fukushima Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Takahashi Atsushi 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (40404868)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 藤田 将史 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 助手 (80813998)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: NAFLD / 更年期女性 / エクオール / 女性ホルモン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Equol is a metabolite of soy isoflavones produced by gut bacteria in certain individuals. Equol is structurally similar to estrogen and acts as either estrogen receptor agonist or antagonist. We elucidated the association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease（NAFLD) and equol in postmenopausal women.We evaluated 439 women in their 50s-60s who underwent health check-ups. Of the 439 subjects, 121 (27.5%) women were equol producers. The proportion of participants who were NAFLD (28.9% vs. 39.9%) were significantly lower in the equol producing group than in the nonproducing group. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that equol production was significantly associated with NAFLD(OR=0.62, 95% CI: 0.39-0.98). Equol is significantly associated with NAFLD in postmenopausal women.

Free Research Field

消化器内科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

閉経に伴う女性ホルモンの減少は、閉経女性の肥満や非アルコール性脂肪性肝疾患（NAFLD）の原因となる。更年期障害に対し女性ホルモンの補充療法がおこなわれるが、発がんが懸念される。そのため、性別や年齢を問わずNAFLDの治療として食事・運動療法が展開されている。血糖や脂質異常などに関するエクオールの有用性が報告されているが、本研究ではNAFLDにエクオールが関連することが明らかとなった。この結果は、NAFLDの発症予防や病態改善に一石を投じるものと考えられる。