Liver fat can be pretty dangerous stuff, yet the only way to get rid of it is by losing weight.
But now, there may be another way. New research shows that exercise may help reduce fat around the liver, potentially making a healthier liver more accessible to millions of people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
NAFLD can be quite dangerous to long-term health. Liver fat can cause inflammation and scarring, leading to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and end-stage liver disease. There’s no cure for these conditions except for limiting liver fat storage.
A new study shows that about 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise—the exact amount recommended by public health experts—can significantly reduce liver fat in people with NAFLD.
For the study, researchers considered a 30 percent reduction in liver fat—measured by MRI scans—to be a meaningful improvement. They also reviewed 14 randomized controlled trials, so the work included a total of 551 participants. Read more…
