The Effect of Eight Weeks Resistance Training and Low-Calorie Diet on Plasma Levels of Liver Enzymes and Liver Fat in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)

Fatty liver disease is a type of fat aggregation in the liver cells which increases the risk of cirrhosis, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of resistance training (elastic band) or low-calorie diet on Plasma levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanin aminotransferase (ALT) and liver parenchymal tissue in NAFLD patients.
A total of 33 men with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (age 35-50 years) were randomly assigned to three groups: elastic band Exercise (n = 12), low–calorie Diet (n = 11), and the control (n = 8) groups. The training group performed elastic band training 3 days per week for eight weeks. In the diet group, the calorie restriction was 500 Kcal/day less than energy requirement for eight weeks. The plasma levels of liver enzymes (ALT, AST) and liver fat were measured before and after the eight week intervention. The paired samples t test and ANCOVA was used for within group changes and between group differences, respectively. The significant level was determine at p AST enzyme significantly decreased in both groups. The plasma levels of ALT significantly decreased only in the diet group. Both interventions improved the liver sonographic diagram. No significant difference was found between the two intervention groups.
Both methods of resistance training with elastic band and low-calorie diets are effective in the improvement of liver fat and plasma levels of hepatic enzymes.