Weight reduction is the cornerstone for the treatment of obesity-related liver diseases. Recently, a beneficial effect of exercise regimens for liver dysfunction, without weight reduction has been described. Thus a retrospective analysis determined if exercise training without dietary restriction in obese, middle-aged men could alter the pathophysiology of abnormal liver function.

The study enrolled 108 subjects who finished a 12-wk exercise training program without any dietary restriction and contrasted with 104 subjects who completed a 12-wk dietary restriction program. 

Also, 42 subjects (from both groups) who reported abnormal liver function and dubious liver fibrosis by nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score were investigated to gain better substantial outcomes for exercise-training effects.

The following observations were made-

• Exercise training demonstrated more reduction of body weight, waist circumference, and visceral adipose tissue area than dietary restriction.
• Exercise training demonstrated equivalent reductions in serum alanine aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels and equivalent improvement of insulin resistance to dietary restriction. 
• Exercise training remarkably increased the serum adiponectin level than dietary restriction.
• In subjects with abnormal liver function and suspicious liver fibrosis, exercise training effectively reduced the serum levels of inflammation and oxidative stress markers: ferritin and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances than dietary restriction.

Thus it was concluded that Exercise training helps to manage obesity-related liver diseases independent of detectable weight reduction. It may be due to an improvement in the hepatic inflammatory condition and its related oxidative stress levels.

Source: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 2013 Dec;45(12):2214-2222. DOI: 10.1249/mss.0b013e31829afc33. PMID: 23698242.