Lucknow, May 8 -- Researchers at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences have identified a possible biological mechanism linking advanced fatty liver disease with vitamin D deficiency, a finding that could reshape how doctors monitor and manage the condition. The study, led by Dr. Rohit Anthony Sinha along with PhD scholar Abhishek Yadav, suggests that liver damage caused by diets high in fat and sugar may impair the body's ability to activate vitamin D - a process essential for maintaining bone, immune and metabolic health. Published in the journal Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, the research found that fat-induced liver injury suppresses a key liver enzyme known as CYP2R1, which is responsible for converting vitamin D into its usable form. The findings were based on analyses of human liver samples as well as animal models. According to director of PGI Professor Radha Krishna Dhiman, the discovery offers a new explanation for why patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), also known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), frequently show low vitamin D levels even when sunlight exposure or dietary intake appear adequate. MASH is an aggressive form of fatty liver disease that can progress to fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver failure. Researchers say the newly identified pathway could be contributing to worsening liver damage in affected patients. "This work provides a mechanistic explanation for vitamin D deficiency frequently seen in advanced fatty liver disease," said Dr. Sinha. "Understanding this pathway may help form future strategies to slow disease progression." The researchers have recommended regular monitoring of vitamin D levels in patients with fatty liver disease, alongside dietary changes and lifestyle interventions already advised in clinical care. The study was authored by Abhishek Yadav, Anjali Shahi, Rohit Anthony Sinha, Saurabh Singh, Pradnya Medhe, Man Mohan Singh and Arun Goel....