BACKGROUND: The global rise in obesity has been accompanied by an increasing prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), for which effective non-pharmacological therapeutic strategies remain limited. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects of aerobic exercise on hepatic oxidative stress in an experimental model of obesity-associated NAFLD. METHODS: Newly weaned Wistar rats were fed a highly palatable, obesity-inducing diet. After obesity was established, the animals were randomly assigned to either a trained group (n=12) or a sedentary group (n=12). The trained group underwent moderate-intensity treadmill running for eight weeks. Hepatic lipid peroxidation was assessed using the TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) assay. RESULTS: Aerobic training significantly reduced hepatic TBARS levels (P<0.0005), in an average of 1.8 nmol MDA/mg protein compared to the sedentary group. These benefits were significant regardless of weight gain maintenance. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that regular physical exercise attenuates hepatic lipid peroxidation in an experimental model of obesity-associated NAFLD. The results support that physical exercise is an effective non-pharmacological strategy for modulating oxidative stress and preventing disease progression.
Lima et al. (Thu,) studied this question.