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The Study

An Open-Label Exploratory Clinical Trial Evaluating the Effects of GLS (Coptidis Rhizoma-Evodiae Fructus 2 : 1) on Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

In simple terms

This study is like a fair race between two treatments where people were randomly assigned to each team. It shows that one treatment (GLS) seemed to work better than the other (PPC) for fatty liver disease. But because the doctors and patients knew who got which treatment, it’s possible their expectations affected the results.

63%

Analysis score

63/ 90

Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.

Where the score came from

Reporting0
Methodology68
Publication100
Statistical77
Study type (basis of the score)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Level 1b - Individual RCT
What’s the bottom line?

Grown-ups with fatty liver got either a special herb mix (GLS) or a common liver pill (PPC) for 12 weeks, plus diet and exercise tips. The herb mix worked better at cleaning fat from the liver and shrinking bellies.

Where does this study sit?

Systematic Reviews & Meta-analyses

Max 100

Randomized Trials

Max 90

Cohort Studies

Max 72

Case-Control

Max 58

Cross-Sectional

Max 44

Case Reports & Series

Max 30

Expert Opinion

Max 5
StrongerWeaker
Randomized Trials
Level 1b
63

63 / 100

Quality score

Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. Considered the gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.

Can establish causation

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Key takeaways

Summary

Based on the study abstract and findings.

  1. 1Yes, these changes mean healthier livers and lower risk of diabetes and heart disease.
  2. 2The herb group lost 3.45 kg vs 1.95 kg, liver fat dropped more (35.6 vs 20.8 dB/m), and bad liver enzymes and fats in blood improved more.
  3. 3Their body's stress hormone (FGF-21) also dropped more (32.0 vs 23.5 pg/mL).

Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data

Publication

Journal

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM

Year

2022

Authors

Yang Zhang, Jian-Xing Luo, Yan-Ge Li, Hongyong Fu, Fang Yang, Xiaoyu Hu

Open Access
6 citations
Analysis v3
Fit Body Science verdict — we translate health studies into clear verdicts backed by peer-reviewed research.

Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.