Exercise As A Treatment For Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Meta-Review

Abstract

To examine the effect of exercise on NAFLD biomarkers including aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT); triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL); and glucose (GLU) and insulin (INS). METHODS: We searched five electronic databases to identify randomized controlled trials that: 1) included adults with NAFLD; 2) had an aerobic (AE) and resistance (RE) exercise intervention alone or combined (CE) without dietary or pharmacological intervention; 3) included a non-exercise control group; 4) reported > 1 NAFLD biomarker pre-and post-intervention, and 5) were published in English. The pooled Hedge's g effect size (ES) of the postminus pre-intervention change versus control for each NAFLD biomarker was calculated with a random effects model in STATA with significance p<0.05, and then back converted to the original unit for clinical interpretation. RESULTS: Of 263 potential studies, 18 qualified that included 795 middle aged (50.7±6.3yr) adults (56% men) with obesity (32.1±3.7kg/m2). Subjects had an intrahepatic triglyceride TG content ranging from >5% to 12%. AE (n=405), RE (n=67) or CE (n=43) were performed at moderate to vigorous intensity 3.5±0.9d/wk for 42.7±9.9min/session for 14.

Exercise Prescription Intervention Rehabilitation Suggestions for Fatty Liver Patients

“…There are no specific drugs or treatment for fatty liver at this time. According to numerous references, fatty liver can be reversed, especially when the patients adhere to a proper exercise program, dietary recommendations, and/or appropriate medications [ 1 ]. It has been reported that adopting exercise therapy in an effort to ultimately stop medication may be a more scientific and ideal way to treat fatty liver [ 2 , 3 ].…”