Going meatless for a meal can benefit liver patients: study

Going vegan or vegetarian for just one meal can lower levels of harmful ammonia in adults whose livers are permanently damaged by cirrhosis, according to a study published Thursday.

Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Medicine and Richmond VA Medical Center presented a burger containing 20 grams of protein to 30 carnivorous adults being treated at the medical center.

10 were handed a patty made of pork and beef; 10 were given a vegan meat substitute; and the rest were served a vegetarian bean burger. Participants also received low-fat potato chips, a whole-grain bun, and water. No condiments or toppings were allowed.

Blood and urine samples were taken before and after the meal, with the study authors reporting that participants who ate the meat burger had higher amino acids associated with ammonia production and hepatic encephalopathy than those who ate a non-meat burger.

Hepatic encephalopathy is a brain disorder caused by severe liver damage.

When the body digests food, bacteria in the intestines produce ammonia. The waste product is typically processed in the liver, but severely damaged livers can’t perform that function, which allows the toxic chemical compound to build up in the brain.

The researchers note that gut bacteria and diet can influence ammonia levels.

“It was exciting to see that even small changes in your diet, like having one meal without meat once in a while, could benefit your liver by lowering harmful ammonia levels in patients with cirrhosis,” VCU gastroenterologist Dr. Jasmohan Bajaj said in a statement.

“We now need more research to learn if consuming meals without meat goes beyond reducing ammonia to preventing problems in brain function and liver disease progression,” he added.

Preliminary results from the study were published in the Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology journal. Bajaj and his team say further investigation of the effect of vegan diets on cirrhosis and ammonia levels is warranted.

In the meantime, they hope physicians encourage their liver patients who eat meat to substitute it with protein from plant or dairy sources.

“It can be so hard to make long-term dietary and behavioral changes,” Bajaj acknowledged. “Liver patients with cirrhosis should know that making positive changes in their diet doesn’t have to be overwhelming or difficult.”