Liver disease caused by too much fat buildup doesn't have to be chronic, study finds
of ConsumerAffairsResearchers at the University of Missouri found that diet and exercise can significantly improve liver disease caused by too much fat buildup.
Here's what they did
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They had one group of patients with liver disease follow a strict diet and do intense exercise for 10 months.
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Another group received the usual care for their liver disease.
Here's what they found
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The group who dieted and exercised improved their liver health much more than the other group.
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They lost weight, gained muscle, and improved their heart health.
Why is this important?
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This is one of the first studies to show that diet and exercise can actually reverse liver damage.
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This gives hope to people with liver disease that they can improve their health.
What's next?
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More research is needed to confirm these findings.
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But this study suggests that lifestyle changes can be a powerful way to treat liver disease.
In simpler terms: Eating healthy and exercising can help your liver get better if it's been damaged by too much fat. This is good news because liver disease is becoming more common.
More about the study
Other studies investigated the impact of either diet or exercise on the liver, not both, said study author Elizabeth Parks, Professor of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. In addition, similar studies were just observational, but at Mizzou, we have technology for metabolic imaging that can give in-depth data on liver disease.
Obesity is one of the most prominent risk factors in developing liver disease,and other conditions like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes can contribute. Lifestyle interventions can be used to treat these conditions and reverse liver damage.
Obesity and diabetes are going up in the country, and they are the two main risk factors for fatty liver disease, Parks said. We know diet and exercise can alleviate these health conditions. Liver disease is increasing too fast. We were able to show in our research how diet and exercise should be the mainstay of treatment for the disease.
Though more research is needed to validate and explore these findings, this breakthrough offers some hope.
Our findings suggest liver disease doesnt have to be a chronic, progressive condition, Parks said.
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Posted: 2024-10-10 19:14:04
