Doing physical activity can help this organ get rid of the fats that predispose to this silent pathology. Here is some advice
Non-alcoholic liver steatosis affects 25% of Italians: that is, one in 4 Italians has “fatty liver”. A silent pathology, which should not be underestimated: the liver, in fact, is unable to dispose of the excess fats that reach it through nutrition and metabolism, accumulating them inside. Often associated with high levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides, insulin resistance and prediabetes, it especially affects those who are overweight. But a recent study opens up some possible good news: Aerobic exercise could help manage and counteract the effects of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. How?
Aerobics against liver steatosis
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The study was conducted by a team of Spanish and Chilean researchers and, although it took some animal models into consideration, the authors say they are convinced that its effects could also be replicable on people: aerobic exercise in fact seems capable of reducing size of lipid droplets that accumulate in the liver, in case of steatosis. “Our results reveal that moderate physical activity over time helps metabolize fats, because it reduces the size of these droplets and therefore the severity of the disease,” explains María Isabel Herández-Alvarez, from the Faculty of Biology at the University of Barcelona . The underlying mechanism is intuitive: when we train, the body needs more energy. To produce it, adipose tissue releases stored fatty acids and mitochondria burn them to generate energy. This process, called lipid oxidation, helps reduce the accumulation of lipids in cells. In summary, moderate, aerobic physical activity stimulates mitochondria to burn more fat, thus preventing the onset of obesity and metabolic diseases.
I study
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The credit for these effects should be attributed to mitofusin 2 (Mfn-2), a protein found in the outer membrane of the mitochondria and which could play a key role in modulating the interactions between lipid droplets and mitochondria, stimulating fat catabolism . Aerobic physical activity acts precisely on Mfn-2: “We observed a reduction in the percentage of saturated fatty acids in the hepatic mitochondrial membranes of mice subjected to physical exercise” – explains Herández-Alvarez. “This suggests that it increases the fluidity of such membranes.” “In mice lacking the gene for Mfn-2 and subjected to physical activity, we did not find changes in the metabolism and composition of fatty acids in mitochondrial membranes. These data indicate that the Mfn-2 protein has a key role in mediating the effects benefits of physical exercise on the regulation of fatty acid composition”, concludes the researcher.
Scientific confirmations
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The Spanish study is not the first to demonstrate a correlation between aerobic physical activity and reduction of hepatic steatosis. A 2015 meta-analysis of several scientific works had already confirmed this link. But until now, the precise mechanism through which exercise contributes to the liver’s lipid metabolism was not yet clear.
how to fight steatosis
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To reduce liver fat, experts recommend 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, light jogging, biking, or swimming. The ideal is to combine aerobics with 2-3 weekly sessions of weight training, with two or three sets of 8-12 repetitions at an intensity of 70-85% to improve insulin sensitivity and muscle strength. But these are only general indications: to encourage the adoption of physical activity in the long term, it is better to personalize training. This makes it easier for it to work.
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2024-02-12 10:04:11
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