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BOOST is a study for people with advanced liver cirrhosis. The study is being run by a team in Plymouth, funded by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research. Several hospitals in the UK are taking part. These are: Plymouth, Hull, Aintree, Nottingham, St George’s, Glasgow, Exeter and Wolverhampton.

Cirrhosis is liver scarring, caused mainly by alcohol or fatty liver in the UK. People with cirrhosis have poorer quality of life than healthy people. As cirrhosis worsens, those affected develop more symptoms and require hospital admissions. Cirrhosis causes over 75,000 hospital admissions and costs the NHS £17 billion annually. Changes in gut bacteria mean there are fewer bacteria that can break down fibre into short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Increasing gut SCFAs may be effective to treat cirrhosis by restoring the gut lining. HMB, a naturally occurring substance that is already available as a dietary supplement to increase muscle strength, also increases SCFA levels in the gut.

This study aims to address the lack of treatment options for people with liver cirrhosis by testing whether the dietary supplement HMB (beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate) improves their physical function and quality of life.

If the study shows HMB is effective, we will work with national societies and healthcare professionals to ensure it is regularly used in routine patient care without delay as it is cheap and widely available.