This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Progressive resistance training shows no effect on liver fat in adults with obesity
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Progressive resistance training did not greatly reduce liver fat in adults who are overweight or have obesity compared with placebo, according to results of a randomized clinical trial published in Hepatology Research.
“To our knowledge there are 10 studies which have looked at some form of resistance-based exercise on liver steatosis in a range of populations,” Nathan Johnson, PhD, ESSAM AEP, of the Faculty of Health Sciences & Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Australia, told Healio.com/Hepatology. “Half of these have suggested a benefit, whereas the other half have not. Our study investigated the effect of resistance exercise, using the dose currently recommended in exercise guidelines and gold standard methods.”
Johnson and colleagues randomly assigned 29 inactive adults who were overweight or had obesity to an 8-week exercise regimen of progressive resistance training (PRT) or sham exercise placebo control. Fifteen participants were instructed to perform 10 exercises per session, eight to 12 repetitions, two to three sets per exercise at 80% to 85% of one-repetition maximum, 3 days per week, and 14 were included in the control group. The researchers observed for change in liver fat, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and abdominal s.c. adipose tissue (SAT), which were measured using magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging.
“Regular aerobic exercise reduces VAT and liver fat, however, not all individuals are able to adopt and adhere to such programs,” the researchers wrote. “PRT may be an alternative therapy, but there is limited available evidence.”
Results showed no significant group by time interactions for change in liver fat in the PRT groups vs. the control group (−0.07 ± 0.31% vs. 0.55 ± 0.77%), VAT (−175 ± 85 cm3 vs. 10 ± 64 cm3) or abdominal SAT (−436 ± 245 cm3 vs. 127.29 ± 182 cm3), regardless of an increase in muscle volume (55 ± 78 cm3 vs. −0.04 ± 8 cm3; P = .03).
“We found no benefit on liver and visceral fat in adults with obesity,” Johnson said. “This is in contrast with aerobic exercise which research consistently demonstrates a benefit.”
Although the sample size was low for the trial, Johnson and colleagues note it is the largest using a control and gold standard methods and is “comparable to other studies” that measured resistance training for liver fat reduction that had an observed effect. Therefore, larger studies with longer duration of supervised PRT are warranted, they wrote.
“Based on current consensus evidence, if liver steatosis reduction is the target, aerobic exercise should be core in any physical activity intervention,” Johnson said. “Resistance training has been shown to elicit other important health benefits, but its usefulness for liver steatosis reduction remains unclear.” – by Melinda Stevens
Disclosure: Johnson reports having received honoraria from Merck Sharp & Dohme. Please see the study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.