Researchers at McMaster University have found that a hormone already known for lowering appetite and helping with weight loss may also protect the liver from inflammation, according to ScienceDaily.
The study, published August 10, 2026 in Cell Metabolism, focused on GDF15 and found it could reduce liver inflammation and slow the development of scarring even when weight loss was not part of the result. That challenges the idea that the hormone’s benefits are limited to appetite control and changes in body weight.
The findings could be especially important for people living with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH, an advanced form of fatty liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure. According to the researchers, inflammation can remain a problem even after major weight loss.
McMaster researchers said GDF15 appears to trigger a brain-to-liver signaling pathway that leads to the release of glucocorticoids, which then help calm inflammation in the liver. The team also observed that the hormone may slow fibrosis, the buildup of scar tissue that can make liver disease worse.
Researchers said the work could help guide future treatments that target both body weight and liver inflammation. The study also builds on earlier McMaster research from 2023 showing that GDF15 helps the body maintain calorie burning during weight loss.
