Nearly everywhere you look, fatty liver disease is considered almost exclusively a dietary problem. Most health-focused websites primarily dwell on the liver-healing benefits of cutting sugar and unhealthy fats out of your diet and losing inches off your waistline. While dietary changes and liver detoxing supplements are an essential piece of the puzzle, consistent physical activity can play a key role in preventing lipid buildup and improving liver health.
When people think of rigorous exercise, many focus on its cosmetic impact on your body. Gyms lure clients with promises of lean muscles, washboard abs, and the ideal body shape, while marketing materials for workout programs are filled with finely sculpted fitness models. Although it may be your ultimate goal to look like one of these perfect specimens, consistent physical exertion can have a tremendous impact on your internal health even if you do not see a drastic transformation in your external appearance. Even with little or no weight loss, aerobic exercise has been shown to improve cardiovascular health, improve insulin sensitivity, protect against dementia, and, perhaps most importantly, reduce fat buildup in the liver.
In a recent clinical study, 24 people with fatty liver disease were recruited to explore the effect of regular workouts on liver health over the course of 3 months. Their every-other-day exercise routine started out easy and gradually grew more intense as the study proceeded, beginning with just a 5 minute warmup and 10 minutes of cardio but eventually progressing to 45 minute sessions. By the end of the study, 90 days of consistent workouts had dramatically reduced both fibrosis and hepatocyte ballooning, two key markers of fatty liver disease. These liver health improvements came despite minimal weight loss, as measured in body mass and waist circumference. At the same time, these changes were not permanent. A follow-up survey one year after the study was completed found that those who failed to maintain their exercise routine suffered a complete relapse in the progression of their fatty liver condition.
Why does vigorous exercise help provide such a protective effect against fatty liver? Strenuous physical activity, especially in the aerobic zone, has been shown to reduce inflammation throughout the body. Since fatty liver disease is a chronic inflammatory condition, intense workouts help repair damaged liver tissue and restore optimal function. With a combination of the anti-inflammatory properties of steady exercise and the antioxidant properties of natural supplements, your body can present a powerful two-factor defense against the harmful inflammation that causes fatty liver disease.
