The Effects of Physical Exercise on Fatty Liver Disease

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of obesity has made nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) the most common chronic liver disease. As a consequence, NAFLD and especially its inflammatory form nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are the fastest increasing etiology of end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. Physical inactivity is related to the severity of fatty liver disease irrespective of body weight, supporting the hypothesis that increasing physical activity through exercise can improve fatty liver disease. This review summarizes the evidence for the effects of physical exercise on NAFLD and NASH. Several clinical trials have shown that both aerobic and resistance exercise reduce the hepatic fat content. From clinical and basic scientific studies, it is evident that exercise affects fatty liver disease through various pathways. Improved peripheral insulin resistance reduces the excess delivery of free fatty acids and glucose for free fatty acid synthesis to the liver. In the liver, exercise increases fatty acid oxidation, decreases fatty acid synthesis, and prevents mitochondrial and hepatocellular damage through a reduction of the release of damage-associated molecular patterns. In conclusion, physical exercise is a proven therapeutic strategy to improve fatty liver disease.

Caspase Recruitment Domain Protein 6 Protects Against Hepatic Steatosis and Insulin Resistance by Suppressing Apoptosis Signal–Regulating Kinase 1

“…(1,3) Currently, no effective drugs are available for the treatment of NAFLD and NASH, and only lifestyle changes and weight control can be recommended. (26) Here, we showed that Card6 down-regulation was associated with fatty livers and that Card6 negatively regulated insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, and the inflammatory response in both dietary and genetic NAFLD. Card6 inhibited p38 and Jnk signaling by suppressing the activation of their upstream kinase Ask1.…”

[Retracted] Effect of Moderate‐Intensity Aerobic Exercise on Hepatic Fat Content and Visceral Lipids in Hepatic Patients with Diabesity: A Single‐Blinded Randomised Controlled Trial

“…However, these studies observed the high measure of maximal oxygen uptake (VO 2peak ) in mild NAFLD, confirming the vital function of exercise training in the management of this type of patients [12]. Also, other studies provided that physical exercise and dietary control reduce steatosis [13][14][15], liver fat content [16][17][18], depression status [19,20], ventilatory marker dysfunctions [21], and slow down progression of T2DM [22].…”

Combined effects of lifestyle risk factors on fatty liver index

“…Sufficient doses of physical exercise could also have a major impact in reducing the adverse metabolic effects of unfavorable lifestyle. Regular physical activity may also be expected to lead to significant long-term health benefits in reducing hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance [35,45,[48][49][50]. In accordance with this view, moderate or vigorous physical activity were recently shown to reduce fat, inflammation and oxidative stress in the liver even in cases without any notable changes in BMI status [35].…”