Psyllium 10 g/day added to a weight-loss diet and physical-activity advice,
does it really help with Improved ALT and FibroScan liver-function measures over ten weeks in adults with overweight or obesity and MASLD?
research showsGrade C. In a ten-week trial randomizing 80 adults to psyllium 10 g/day or ground wheat 10 g/day while both groups received weight-loss and activity advice, ALT, P=.006, and a FibroScan fibrosis score, P=.001, favored psyllium, while AST was null, P=.98. Exact between-group effect sizes, confidence intervals, and the prespecified primary hierarchy were not verified, so this does not establish reduced MRI liver fat or disease modification.
ads claimSaying that psyllium removes liver fat adds an MRI or histologic outcome the study did not measure. The evidence concerns selected enzymes and an elastography-related measure.
Useful facts when choosing a product
- The trial used psyllium 10 g/day.
- Control participants received ground wheat and the same lifestyle advice.
- A FibroScan measure is not the same as MRI liver fat.
Chamgap Semantic Classification Code
Permanent code issued
S.psyllium.oral.masld-liver-markers.improve.milled-wheatSupplements and nutraceuticals > Psyllium 10 g/day added to a weight-loss diet and physical-activity advice > Oral > Improved ALT and FibroScan liver-function measures over ten weeks in adults with overweight or obesity and MASLD > Improvement claim > Milled-wheat control
Codex retrospectively verified the principal intervention, delivery, population, endpoint, and comparator from the existing reviewed verdict and issued a permanent semantic code. Secondary outcomes on the page are not transferred as separate claims. The code identifies the intervention and claim; it never contains the evidence grade, score, or safety result.
Exact Claim Classification
These independent facets prevent evidence from different forms, routes, populations, effects, and comparators from being mixed.
| Intervention class | S · Supplement or nutraceutical |
|---|---|
| Canonical ingredient or intervention | Psyllium 10 g/day added to a weight-loss diet and physical-activity advice |
| Source or part used | Single supplement ingredient specified in the verdict; unreported manufacturing details remain unverified |
| Formulation or processing | Psyllium 10 g/day added to a weight-loss diet and physical-activity advice |
| Route | Oral |
| Dose | Psyllium 10 g/day added to a weight-loss diet and physical-activity advice |
| Duration | Ten weeks |
| Population | 80 randomized, 78 completed, ten weeks |
| Effect or condition | Improved ALT and FibroScan liver-function measures over ten weeks in adults with overweight or obesity and MASLD |
| Primary endpoint | ALT, AST, and FibroScan liver-function or fibrosis-related measures |
| Comparator | Milled-wheat control |
| Duplicate-detection key | psyllium|oral|80 randomized, 78 completed, ten weeks|masld-liver-markers|Ten weeks |
What the research actually shows
Eighty adults with overweight or obesity and MASLD were block-randomized to psyllium or ground wheat, both 10 g/day, and 78 completed ten weeks. Both arms received a weight-loss diet and physical-activity advice. Adjusted ALT and the FibroScan score favored psyllium, while AST had P=.98.
Why this is classified as C (50)
Selected surrogate signals are offset by unclear effect sizes and prespecification, completer-focused analysis, small sample, and ten-week duration, giving C with 50 points.
Counterpoint. Psyllium requires adequate fluid and can pose specific risks in dysphagia or intestinal narrowing.
Rejudgment record. Codex PubMed, PMC, and scoring cross-check — Accepted ALT and FibroScan signals from an independent randomized trial while accounting for unverified effect sizes and primary hierarchy, surrogate outcomes, completer focus, n<200, and ten-week duration
| Endpoint | S | Surrogate marker - laboratory or imaging measures |
| Replication | R1 | Single confirmatory trial |
| Independence | I2 | Decisive evidence is publicly or non-profit funded |
| Effect size | EX | The clinical size of the effect could not be judged |
Stored derived and displayed grades match; this is not a current recalculation or validity check (C).
Sub-claim grades by effect
This ingredient is marketed for several effects. A single overall grade blends strong and weak claims together, so each effect is graded separately here. The overall grade reflects the strongest disconfirming or core claim.
| Effect (sub-claim) | Grade | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Improved ALT and FibroScan measures over ten weeks | C | Some between-group P values were positive, but effect size and prespecified hierarchy are unclear. |
| Reduced MRI-measured liver fat | ? | This was not measured. |
Cross-check — AI research and Codex final gate
Evidence Table
| Study | Design | Sample | Funding | Endpoint | Result | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akbarzadeh Z et al. 2026 | Randomized block design comparing psyllium with ground wheat | 80 randomized, 78 completed, ten weeks | Academic Isfahan University research; no conflicts reported | ALT, AST, and FibroScan liver-function or fibrosis-related measures | ALT P=.006 and FibroScan score P=.001; AST P=.98 | Short surrogate evidence with unclear effect size and prespecified hierarchy |
Receipt — 2 References
Of 2 cited sources, 1 had limited original-page access (blocked or summary-only) and were verified via index/summary, marked partial; the rest were verified at the original page. As of 2026-09-07.
Final verification and publication gate: Codex · Evidence date: 2026-09-07 · Corrections: none
Cite this verdict
[Chamgap] Psyllium for Ten-Week ALT and FibroScan Changes in MASLD — Evidence Grade C·50. 2 cited sources checked. Source: https://chamgap.com/en/verdicts/liver/psyllium-masld-alt-fibroscan-ast-null/ · CC BY 4.0CC BY 4.0 — free to use with attribution; do not distort grades, numbers, or verdict meaning.
What this document does and does not do
Chamgap is an information source. It reports what research has and has not confirmed; it does not tell readers what to take or buy. That decision belongs to readers and, when needed, medical or legal professionals. This verdict reflects literature available up to the search date and may change as new research appears. Nothing here is medical advice.