What does science say about Fasting and fasting-mimicking diet and Fatty liver disease (MASLD/MASH)?
- We don’t say yes or no. We show what has been studied.
- Working in a lab or in animals does not mean it works in people.
- Don’t stop or change your treatment without talking to your doctor.
What has been studied
- Lab studies (cells)Tests on cells in a dish.Source: PubMed · as of 10 Nov 2026 · Open the search at PubMed1study
- Animal studiesTests in mice, rats or other animals.Source: PubMed · as of 10 Nov 2026 · Open the search at PubMed63studies
- Studies in peoplePublished studies with human participants.Source: PubMed · as of 10 Nov 2026 · Open the search at PubMed100studies
- Registered trials in peopleTrials entered in a public registry, whatever their result.ClinicalTrials.gov: 8 · as of 10 Nov 2026 · Open the search at ClinicalTrials.govEU CTIS: 0 · as of 10 Nov 2026 · Open the search at EU CTISBy phase:No phase (6)Phase 4 (2)By status:Recruiting (5)Not yet recruiting (1)Completed (1)By invitation only (1)Countries (4):United States (3)China (2)Denmark (1)Netherlands (1)With a linked publication (results): 2 of 8The registries do not tell us here whether results were posted; a linked publication is shown instead.8trials
- Approved treatmentApproved by a medicines regulator for this disease.No
Examples of what we found
The trials
No phase
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Low Birth Weight Individuals
Recruiting · Denmark
ClinicalTrials.gov · NCT05842850No phase
Intermittent Fasting, Mediterranean Diet and NAFLD
Not yet recruiting
ClinicalTrials.gov · NCT06615817No phase
Intermittent Fasting for NAFLD in Adults
Recruiting · United States
ClinicalTrials.gov · NCT04899102No phase
Reversal of Lipid-Induced Insulin Resistance
Recruiting · United States
ClinicalTrials.gov · NCT02193295No phase
Alternate Day Fasting, Exercise, and NAFLD
Completed · United States
ClinicalTrials.gov · NCT04004403
Thinking of paying for it? Read this first
- Ask for published results. Stories, thank-you letters and "patients report" are not results. Ask where the results were published.
- Know what you pay for. Ask in writing: what exactly is included, who gets the money, and what happens if you stop.
- Ask your own doctor first. Some products interfere with chemotherapy, radiation or other medicines. Your treating doctor can check this.
- Do not stop standard treatment for it. Do not stop or delay your treatment without talking to your care team.
Other treatments people ask about
- Curcumin (turmeric)Step: Large trials
- Dichloroacetate (DCA)Step: Large trials
- Fasting and fasting-mimicking dietStep: Large trials
- High-dose vitamin CStep: Large trials
- Ketogenic dietStep: Large trials
- MelatoninStep: Large trials
- MetforminStep: Large trials
- StatinsStep: Large trials
- Vitamin DStep: Large trials
- Cannabis and cannabinoids (CBD, THC)Step: Reports in people
- Amygdalin (laetrile, "vitamin B17")Step: Animal studies only
- Mistletoe extractStep: Animal studies only
- IvermectinStep: Lab studies only
Not medical advice. Talk to the care team before changing treatment.