Children with overweight or obesity can develop nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) – an inflammatory condition in which fat builds up in the liver, replacing healthy tissue. Without intervention, NASH can progress to more advanced forms of liver disease, including cirrhosis and cancer. A recent study found that zinc supplementation improved liver function in children with NASH.

Researchers gave 60 children with NASH either 30 milligrams of zinc or a placebo daily for four months. Before and after the intervention, they assessed the children’s liver function via ultrasound and measured their liver and inflammatory biomarkers.

They found that the children who received the zinc supplements had lower serum alanine aminotransferase (a marker of liver damage) and C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation) than those who took the placebo. They also had higher HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

The findings from this small study suggest that zinc supplementation improves liver function and reduces liver inflammation in children with NASH. Further study may provide additional evidence supporting zinc’s use in NASH.

Zinc is an essential nutrient. It plays roles in immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and cell division and modulates the activity of more than 300 enzymes and 2,000 transcription factors. Learn more about zinc in our comprehensive overview article.