How the Body’s Clock and Energy Centers in the Liver Relate to Metabolic Disease

Circadian disruption is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction implicated in metabolic liver disease.

• The liver shows pronounced daily rhythms in glucose regulation, fat processing, and bile production.
• Mitochondria play a key role in these processes, with their function changing throughout the day.
• Core components of the biological clock influence how mitochondria remodel and function.
• Evidence suggests that disturbances in circadian rhythms may contribute to conditions like metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), primarily based on studies in rodents.
• Restoring the connection between the biological clock and mitochondria could be a potential therapeutic approach, though this idea is still preliminary.
• Strategies involving time-restricted eating and specific compounds may align with these circadian processes, but their effectiveness is yet to be confirmed.

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