Can fatty liver be reversed with aerobic exercises? The Liver Doc shares workout plan

The Liver Doc shared in a new video that aerobic exercises are essential to reverse NAFLD, stating it is preventable and treatable with physical activity.

Social media-famous doctor Cyriac Abby Philips, aka The Liver Doc, took to Instagram to share an evidence-based exercise plan for people with non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease (NAFLD). He called it the most effective treatment for NAFLD and added that it should be a part of ‘all prescriptions for managing fatty liver, not a bunch of drugs and supplements’.

The Liver Doc shares evidence-based workout plan to help reverse NAFLD.

Exercises to reduce fatty liver

For the uninitiated, NAFLD affects one in four adults globally. It is linked to diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and lifestyle-related cancers and is associated with chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and liver cancer. It also reduces life expectancy by approximately four years.

Calling exercise the cornerstone of NAFLD treatment, the Liver Doc said that it is preventable, treatable and reversible. However, he pointed out that it has to be aerobic exercises.

1. Moderate to vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise

Option 1 could be moderate to vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise like brisk walking (100 steps in a minute), jogging, cycling, playing tennis, water aerobics, gardening, running, or climbing up and down the stairs. He also suggested doing whole-body exercises at home, including walking lunges, burpees, jump squats, side kicks, high knees, jumping jacks, and mountain climbers, which also improve your strength.

Tips:

• Do at least 135 minutes of exercise per week across 3-5 days per week.
• Ideally, your routine should progress to 150-240 min per week

2. High-intensity interval training (HIIT)

The second option includes high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises for experienced gymgoers. It can be a simple light interval training like a 20-minute walk or jog workout, or it can be a higher-interval training like a 40-45 minute jog run workout. It is also important to add strength training. You can use resistance bands or work with small weights at home.

The Liver Doc suggested people with NAFLD should do 1-5 high-intensity intervals of 2-4 minutes, interspersed with 2-3 min lower-intensity recovery between intervals. Do it 3-5 days per week.

Things to remember

While exercise is necessary to reduce fatty liver, another thing to remember is that you don't need to lose weight to reduce liver fat. Per The Liver Doc, the dose of exercise that reduces liver fat is independent of weight loss. “Majority of research evidence indicates that 150-240 minutes per week of at least moderate-intensity aerobic exercise can reduce liver fat by 2-4%,” he added. Meanwhile, as little as 135 minutes/week of workout is effective, and a minimum of 3 months are required for the effects to be seen.

This dose of exercise is likely to improve:

• Central fat (adiposity)
• Cardiorespiratory fitness
• Cardiometabolic health

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.