A new study published in Liver International has revealed that maternal diets high in fat and sugar can trigger liver stress in unborn babies, with consequences that continue into early life. The research focuses on how the fetus’s bile acids are affected by the mother’s diet, potentially contributing to the development and progression of liver disease.
Bile acids are essential for digestion, helping the body absorb dietary fats in the small intestine. However, when these bile acids reach excessive levels, they become toxic and can damage the liver. While the mother can usually detoxify these acids, the fetus lacks this ability. Consequently, excess bile acids can build up in the fetal liver if they are not effectively re-circulated to the mother for detoxification, which can set the stage for liver complications.
The findings of this study suggest that exposure to excessive bile acids in the womb could be a key factor in the early development of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a condition that affects up to 30% of youth. MASLD, often characterized by fatty liver disease, can lead to long-term health issues.
Jed Friedman, Ph.D., associate vice provost for diabetes programs at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences and director of OU Health Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, emphasized the significant public health concerns raised by these findings. “Mothers with obesity or those who consume a poor diet can predispose the next generation to a higher risk for obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases, beginning in the womb. This creates a vicious cycle from mother to infant,” said Friedman, who co-authored the study with Stephanie Wesolowski, Ph.D., of the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
The study observed that by the time the offspring reached juvenile stages, they had developed liver damage. This damage included increased collagen levels, which are associated with fibrosis (the accumulation of scar tissue), and activation of liver cells that contribute to fibrosis. The high-fat diet also caused alterations in the function of liver genes, especially those involved in bile acid processing. Notably, these genetic changes persisted even after the offspring were weaned and began eating their own diet.
Additionally, offspring whose mothers consumed a high-fat diet had a higher number of bile duct cells, suggesting that the liver was attempting to compensate for the damage caused by the excess bile acids. These findings underscore the long-term impact of maternal nutrition on the liver health of offspring, further highlighting the need for better dietary guidance for expectant mothers.
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