Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Dec 16, 2025 5 hours, 44 minutes ago
Medical News: Fermented Drink Shows Promise in Combating Fatty Liver and High Cholesterol
A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Tunis El Manar in Tunisia and the Autonomous University of Baja California in Mexico has found that drinking kefir milk may protect the liver, lower cholesterol, and reduce fat buildup caused by a high-fat diet. Kefir, a fermented milk drink rich in probiotics, was tested on lab rats to observe its effects on obesity-related health problems.
Rats on a high-fat diet showed improved liver health and lower fat levels after drinking kefir milk daily
This
Medical News report highlights how kefir helped restore healthy enzyme activity, improve liver and heart tissues, and balance blood fats in obese rats. The researchers studied four groups of rats: one on a normal diet, one given kefir milk, one fed a high-fat diet, and another on a high-fat diet with kefir milk. After 60 days, the group receiving kefir milk showed significantly better health than the group fed only a high-fat diet.
Kefir Reduced Harmful Fat and Improved Organ Function
The rats that drank kefir milk had lower body weight, reduced fat deposits, and better blood test results. In particular, kefir reduced levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides, which are fats linked to heart disease and liver problems. At the same time, it increased helpful antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), which help protect the body from oxidative stress.
Kefir also helped protect the liver from damage by lowering harmful enzyme levels such as ALT, AST, and LDH, which usually increase when the liver is injured. The study also showed that kefir preserved the structure of liver, pancreas, and heart tissues, suggesting it may help prevent organ damage caused by unhealthy diets.
Detailed Chemical and Histological Tests Confirm Benefits
The scientists performed multiple tests to measure oxidative stress, fatty acid levels, and enzyme activity in the rats. On a molecular level, kefir’s main compound—called kefiran—was found to interact positively with antioxidant enzymes, helping reduce damage from harmful molecules in the body. Fat samples from the rats showed that kefir lowered the production of unhealthy fats and improved the fatty acid profile.
Histological (microscope-based) analyses of tissues confirmed these results. Rats on the high-fat diet alone showed signs of liver damage and fat accumulation, while rats given kefir showed less tissue damage and fewer fat cells in organs like the liver and heart.
Kefir May Be a Natural Option to Reduce Metabolic Disease Risk
This study adds to the growing evidence that natural probiotics like kefir can support better health by regulating blood fat levels, protecting organs, and reducing the damage caused by unhealthy eating. While the results are promising, the researchers note that further studies, especially in humans, are needed before kefir can be
widely recommended as a therapeutic food.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Antioxidants
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/12/1500
For the latest liver health or obesity, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/health-news
Share
Tweet
Share
