BackgroundWhile aerobic training is generally recommended as therapeutic exercise in guidelines, the effectiveness of resistance training has recently been reported in the management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Acceleration training (AT) is a new training method that provides a physical stimulation effect on skeletal muscles by increasing gravitational acceleration with vibration. AT has recently been indicated as a component of medicine. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of AT in the management of NAFLD in obese subjects.MethodsA total of 18 obese patients with NAFLD who had no improvement in liver function test abnormalities and/or steatosis grade after 12 weeks of lifestyle counseling were enrolled in an AT program. These patients attended a 20-minute session of AT twice a week for 12 consecutive weeks.ResultsDuring the AT program, the NAFLD patients showed a modest increase in the strength (+12.6%) and cross-sectional area (+3.1%) of the quadriceps, coupled with a significant reduction in intramyocellular lipids (−26.4%). Notably, they showed a modest reduction in body weight (−1.9%), abdominal visceral fat area (−3.4%), and hepatic fat content (−8.7%), coupled with a significant reduction in levels of aminotransferase (−15.7%), γ-glutamyltransferase (−14.4%), leptin (−9.7%), interleukin-6 (−26.8%), and tumor necrosis factor-α (−17.9%), and a significant increase of adiponectin (+8.7%). On a health-related quality of life survey, the patients showed an improvement in physical functioning (+17.3%), physical role (+9.7%), general health (+22.1), and social functioning (+6.0%).ConclusionAT reduced hepatic and intramyocellular fat contents and ameliorated liver function test abnormalities in obese patients with NAFLD, which was coupled with improved physical function and body adiposity. AT is clinically beneficial for the management of NAFLD.

BackgroundExercise training is an effective therapy for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Hybrid training (HYB) of voluntary and electrical muscle contractions was developed to prevent disuse atrophy during space flight. HYB can be applied to obtain a strength training effect accompanying articular movement. In this pilot study, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of HYB in NAFLD.MethodsA total of 15 middle-aged obese women with NAFLD who had no improvement in serum alanine aminotransferase levels and/or liver fat deposition after 12 weeks of lifestyle counseling participated in an HYB program. HYB of the quadriceps and hamstrings was conducted for 20 minutes twice a week for 24 weeks.ResultsNAFLD patients showed attenuated intramyocellular lipid levels in the quadriceps after the HYB intervention (−15.5%). Levels of leptin (−17.4%), tumor necrosis factor-α (−23.2%), and interleukin-6 (−30.5%) were also decreased after the intervention. HYB led to a significant body weight reduction (−4.7%), which in turn was associated with a significant decrease in serum alanine aminotransferase (−35.8%), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (−21.6%), ferritin (−16.0%), oxidative stress (−17.8%) levels, and insulin resistance values (−2.7%).ConclusionIn NAFLD, HYB exerts an antiobesity effect and attenuates liver dysfunction and insulin resistance in association with an increase in muscle strength and a decrease in ectopic muscle fat. Therefore, HYB has great potential as a new type of exercise therapy for liver disease in patients with NAFLD.

Physical exercise has demonstrated benefits for managing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease ( NAFLD ). However, in daily life maintaining exercise without help may be difficult. A whole‐body vibration device ( WBV ) has been recently introduced as an exercise modality that may be suitable for patients who have difficulty engaging in exercise. We tested WBV in patients with NAFLD and estimated its effectiveness. We studied the effects of a 6‐month WBV program on hepatic steatosis and its underlying pathophysiology in 25 patients with NAFLD . Seventeen patients with NAFLD were designated as a control group. After WBV exercise, body weight in the study group decreased by only 2.5% compared with the control group. However, we found significant increases in muscle area (+2.6%) and strength (+20.5%) and decreases in fat mass (−6.8%). The hepatic (−9.9%) and visceral (−6.2%) fat content also significantly decreased ( P < 0.05). There was substantial lowering of hepatic stiffness (−15.7%), along with improvements in the levels of inflammatory markers; tumor necrosis factor alpha (−50.9%), adiponectin (+12.0%), ferritin (−33.2%), and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (−43.0%) ( P < 0.05). These results suggest that WBV is an exercise option for patients with NAFLD that is effective, efficient, and convenient.

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