Tier 2 — strong

Efficacy of N-Acetylcysteine on Liver Function and Metabolic Profiles in Patients with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD): A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial

Mehrdad Sinaeinejad, Mehdi Karimi, Mohsen Razavizadeh, Abbas Arj, Seyyed Hamed Tabatabaei, Masoud Mortezazadeh, Niyousha Shirsalimi, Samira Pirzad, Abbas Mofidi, Mehdi Kashani
Addict Health 2025 17(1):1-9

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 41431629
PubMed Central
PMC12718416
DOI
10.34172/ahj.1667
Funding
None.
Competing interests
The authors declared no competing interests.

Study snapshot

DesignDouble-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial
ModelHuman
Sample69 adults with MASLD: 34 NAC and 35 placebo
InterventionNAC 600 mg three times daily versus placebo
Duration8 weeks
EndpointsHepatic steatosis grade; ALT; AST; Glucose; Insulin resistance; CRP; Glutathione; Lipid profile

What the study showed, in plain terms

Randomized 2025 MASLD trial testing 1,800 mg/day NAC for eight weeks.

Key findings

NAC did not significantly improve hepatic steatosis grade, liver enzymes or lipid profile versus placebo, although several glycemic, inflammatory and glutathione markers improved.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Modest sample, eight-week duration and multiple secondary biomarkers; metabolic changes should not be presented as proven reversal of fatty liver.

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Last verified

Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology