AEROBIC EXERCISE ATTENUATES HEPATIC LIPID PEROXIDATION IN AN EXPERIMENTAL MODEL OF OBESITY-ASSOCIATED NAFLD

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.

This study investigated the effects of aerobic exercise on hepatic oxidative stress in an experimental model of obesity-associated NAFLD.

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.

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.

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.