Research
Hormonal
Thiazolidinediones (specifically pioglitazone) improve liver steatosis and inflammation but cause significant weight gain.
Pioglitazone can improve liver inflammation and fat, but it causes significant weight gain. This trade-off makes it less ideal than weight loss alone for many patients. It is a prescription medication, so discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
Thiazolidinediones improved steatosis and inflammation but yielded significant weight gain.
Why this rating
Meta-analysis of RCTs, though heterogeneity exists.
Source
A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials for the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Giovanni Musso et al. · Hepatology · 2010
DOI 10.1002/hep.23623
Meta-analysis · 49 studiesCited 565×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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