The Magic Pill – Liver Disease

The Key Points: 

Suggestions on how to get started:

Please talk to your GP before starting a new exercise regime.

  • Just moving a little every 30 to 60 minutes can have profound effects on your physical and mental health, reducing your risk of liver disease. Instead of being sat at your desk all day, after each meeting get up and do a few minutes’ walk.
  • You don’t have to run a 5k to get active or become active, just going for a 10-minute walk in the morning and evening is a good starting point.
  • Pick an activity that you enjoy and see if a friend or family member wants to get involved. Getting active with a friend or family member can help to get you motivated and stay motivated.
  • When first starting out, start off slowly and build the duration and intensity of exercise up over time. This helps to adapt your body over time and reduce the amount of muscle soreness the next day.
  • Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity 5 times a week, ensure not to have more than 2 days of rest between each exercise session.

The Magic Pill – Liver Disease: The Key Points

  • Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is when excessive fat accumulates in the liver, this causes inflammation and increases the risk to other diseases especially type 2 diabetes.
  • Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for NAFLD this can later progress to chronic liver disease if not treated early1. Therefore, interventions such as being physically active and eating a healthy balanced diet can help to reduce your risk to liver disease.
  • During physical activity you burn calories as your body requires this for energy. When you burn calories, you can create an energy deficit which results in fat loss. This can help you manage a healthy weight and reduce your risk to NAFLD and other chronic health conditions.
  • As well as physical activity burning calories and helping to manage weight, physical activity also increases a number of protective anti-inflammatory markers to reduce inflammation. It also increases insulin sensitivity, which is important for glucose regulation2.
  • Being physically active regularly is one of the most important lifestyle interventions you can do to reduce your risk of liver disease.

References:

    1. Armstrong, M.J., Houlihan D.D., Bentham, L., Shaw, J.C., Cramb, R., Olliff, S., Gill, P.S., Neuberger, J.M., Lilford, R.J., and Newsome, P.N. (2012). “Presence and severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a large prospective primary care cohort.” Journal of Hepatology. 56(1):234-40.
    2. Utzschneider, K.M., and Kahn, S.E. (2006). “The role of insulin resistance in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 91(12):47-53-4761.