Exercise is a cornerstone in managing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), according to a study led by an Indian-origin researcher.MASLD, previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a chronic liver disease that occurs when fat builds up in the liver in people who don’t drink much alcohol. It can affect people with diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol.
The study, led by Hirsh D. Trivedi and team at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in California, US showed that exercise can be beneficial even for patients who have progressed to cirrhosis — severe scarring of the liver.
Besides weight loss, exercise can aid in reducing liver fat, improving inflammation biomarkers, and enhancing cardiovascular health, revealed the study, published in the Liver International journal.
Personalised exercise regimens should be prioritised for all patients, including those receiving pharmacotherapy,” said the researchers in the paper.
“Exercise is a great therapeutic tool across all stages of liver disease, including advanced liver disease! Would not limit physical activity solely based on liver disease stage and even folks living with cirrhosis can safely and effectively exercise,” said Jonathan G. Stine, part of the research team at the Department of Medicine, at Cedars-Sinai, in a post on the social media platform X.
The findings, based on a review of several pre-clinical and clinical studies showed that increased physical activity, mainly with exercise, is associated with reduced liver disease incidence and better outcomes. The team also urged for adopting an evidence-based, systematic approach to prescribing exercise for MASLD patients.
“Exercise will remain an essential intervention for the management of steatotic liver disease, with the bulk of evidence supporting its benefits in MASLD. Regular physical activity improves insulin sensitivity, reduces hepatic fat accumulation, and lowers biomarkers of liver inflammation,” said the team, calling for more research to refine exercise protocols.