Effect of sea salt on the fatty liver induced by a high fat diet

Abstract

High fat and salt intake link with various health issues, but the combined impact of high fat and salt, especially sea salt (SS) with minerals, on health are still not fully investigated. Therefore, the effect of SS on HFD-induced obese mice was investigated. The study was conducted on male C57BL/6 mice for 13 weeks, following 4 diets: normal diet (control), HFD, HFD with 0.7% SS (LS) and HFD with 2.8% SS (HS). SS countered HFD-induced hepatic fat accumulation and gene expression, accompanied by increased hepatic Ca²⁺ content. SS and Ca²⁺ reduced OA-triggered lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells more effectively than NaCl. Ca²⁺ notably reversed OA-induced reduction in isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (Idh2) expression in HepG2 cells. However, HFD-altered metabolites were intensified by SS intake. While SS reduced HFD-induced liver fat, not all HFD-impacted liver functions improved. Ca²⁺ in SS may contribute to the regulation of fat accumulation potentially through TCA cycle activation.