Gut Bacteria Molecule May Help Protect Children From Fatty Liver Disease: Study Suggests - Video

A naturally occurring compound produced by healthy gut bacteria may help protect children from developing fatty liver disease, even before birth, according to new research from the University of Oklahoma. The findings suggest that improving the maternal gut environment during pregnancy and breastfeeding could reduce the long-term risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in children.

MASLD is increasingly common among children, particularly those exposed to high-fat, high-sugar diets early in life. The condition often progresses faster in children than in adults and is closely linked to obesity and diabetes. Researchers report that children born to mothers with poor diets face a significantly higher risk, yet the disease often remains silent until liver damage is already present.

The study, published in eBioMedicine, focused on a compound called indole, which is produced by beneficial gut bacteria when they break down tryptophan, an amino acid found in foods such as nuts and poultry. Researchers fed pregnant and nursing mice a Western-style diet high in fat and sugar. A subset of these mice also received indole.

Although all offspring were later exposed to unhealthy diets, those born to mothers given indole showed markedly better health outcomes. They had healthier livers, gained less weight, maintained lower blood sugar levels, and developed smaller fat cells. Importantly, they showed significantly lower rates of fatty liver disease as they aged.

The researchers found that indole activated a protective gut–liver pathway involving the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and altered lipid metabolism in a favorable way. Levels of harmful liver fats remained low, while beneficial lipid types increased. When gut bacteria from protected offspring were transferred to other mice, those animals also experienced reduced liver damage, highlighting the central role of the microbiome.

While the research was conducted in animals and cannot yet be directly applied to humans, the findings point to promising prevention strategies. Currently, weight loss is the only effective treatment for pediatric MASLD, and no approved medications exist.

The researchers say that targeting maternal diet and gut health may offer a powerful way to reduce the burden of fatty liver disease in future generations.

REFERENCE: Ashok Mandala, Ram Babu Undi, Rachel C. Janssen, Kameron Y. Sugino, Wanke Zhao, Benjamin N. Nelson, April M. Teague, Nikhil Y. Patil, Karin Zemsky Berry, Rohan Varshney, Bryan C. Bergman, Michael C. Rudolph, Aditya D. Joshi, Raju V.S. Rajala, Karen R. Jonscher, Jacob E. Friedman. Reprogramming offspring liver health: maternal indole supplementation as a preventive strategy against MASLD. eBioMedicine, 2026; 123: 106098 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2025.106098