A dietary supplement used to build muscle - or prevent muscle loss as a result of ageing or illness - is to be trialled as a potential treatment for chronic liver disease.
Β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate, otherwise known as HMB, is used predominantly to build muscle bulk and function but previous studies have demonstrated it can have clinical applications.
In a new study, scientists and clinicians will test its potential to benefit some of the 60,000 people in the UK who have been diagnosed with cirrhosis, a condition that results from scarring to the liver.
In the UK, cirrhosis is most commonly caused by harmful alcohol use or fatty liver disease. In severe cases, those affected either face the prospect of a liver transplant or simply being treated for some of the symptoms of the disease.
As cirrhosis worsens, patients' symptoms can worsen and it is estimated that the condition causes over 75,000 admissions and costs the NHS £17 billion annually.
The BOOST study will explore whether taking HMB can offer a safe and effective way of improving patients' physical function and quality of life.
The study is being carried out by experts in liver disease, dietetics and immunology from the University of Plymouth, University of Southampton and Imperial College, London. The trial will be managed by
Peninsula Clinical Trials Unit (PenCTU).
Running until 2027, it is being supported with funding of £500,000 from the Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) programme run by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
In Plymouth, the project will involve members of the University's
Hepatology Research Group and
Dietetics, Human Nutrition and Health Research Group,
NIHR ARC South West Peninsula (PenARC) and PenCTU, as well as clinicians and patients at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, which is also a sponsor of the project.
Dr Ashwin Dhanda, Associate Professor in Hepatology at the University of Plymouth and a Consultant in Hepatology at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, is the project's Chief Investigator.
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