High-Intensity Aerobic Exercise Improves Both Hepatic Fat Content and Stiffness in Sedentary Obese Men with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 7; no. 1; p. 43029
• Main Authors: Oh, Sechang, So, Rina, Shida, Takashi, Matsuo, Tomoaki, Kim, Bokun, Akiyama, Kentaro, Isobe, Tomonori, Okamoto, Yoshikazu, Tanaka, Kiyoji, Shoda, Junichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 22.02.2017; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 38; 38/77; 59/5; 59/57; 692/4020/4021/1607/2750; 692/499; 96/21; Aerobics; Diffusion Tensor Imaging; Exercise; Fatty Acid Synthases - genetics; Fatty Acid Synthases - metabolism; Fatty acids; Fatty liver; Ferritin; Ferritins - metabolism; Gene expression; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Inflammation; Intra-Abdominal Fat - metabolism; Kupffer Cells - cytology; Kupffer Cells - immunology; Kupffer Cells - metabolism; Leptin; Leptin - metabolism; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - cytology; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - metabolism; Lipid Metabolism - physiology; Liver - diagnostic imaging; Liver - metabolism; Liver diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Monocytes; multidisciplinary; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - complications; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - pathology; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Obesity - pathology; Phagocytes; Physical fitness; Physical training; Resistance Training; Science; Sedentary behavior; Ultrasonography
• DOI: 10.1038/srep43029
• ISSN: 2045-2322

We compared the effects of 12-week programs of resistance training (RT), high-intensity interval aerobic training (HIAT), and moderate-intensity continuous aerobic training (MICT). The primary goal was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of the exercise modalities for the management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A total of 61 sedentary obese men with NAFLD were randomized into one of the following exercise regimens (RT, HIAT, or MICT). Hepatic fat content was decreased to a similar extent in the RT, HIAT, and MICT groups (−14.3% vs. −13.7% vs. −14.3%) without significant changes in weight and visceral fat. The gene expression levels of fatty acid synthesis were significantly decreased in the subjects’ monocytes. Hepatic stiffness was decreased only in the HIAT group (−16.8%). The stiffness change was associated with restored Kupffer cell phagocytic function (+17.8%) and decreased levels of inflammation such as leptin (−13.2%) and ferritin (−14.1%). RT, HIAT, and MICT were equally effective in reducing hepatic fat content, but only HIAT was effective in improving hepatic stiffness and restoring Kupffer cell function. These benefits appeared to be independent of detectable weight and visceral fat reductions; the benefits were acquired through the modulation of in vivo fatty acid metabolism and obesity-related inflammatory conditions.