Low-carbohydrate diets reduce cardiovascular risk factor levels in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Low-carbohydrate diets (LCDs) are increasingly advocated for the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD); however, their cardiovascular safety profile remains controversial. This analysis aims to evaluate the effects of LCDs on cardiovascular risk factors in MASLD patients.

Methods

PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched from inception to March 19, 2025. Two reviewers independently conducted data extraction. Meta-analyses were performed using fixed-effects or random-effects models, as determined by the heterogeneity of the included studies. Outcomes included blood pressure, glycemic markers, lipid profiles, and anthropometric indicators. Subgroup analyses explored carbohydrate thresholds (<26% vs. ≥2

SUBMITTER: Pi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12417190 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature