Walking to eliminate fatty liver

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Extract from the article: If you want to keep your liver healthy, enemy No. 1 is not alcohol, but fat. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), also known as ‘fatty liver’, has become the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Affecting a quarter of adults and al

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If you want to keep your liver healthy, enemy No. 1 is not alcohol, but fat. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), also known as ‘fatty liver’, has become the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Affecting a quarter of adults and almost 10% of children and adolescents, this disease is mainly the result of an accumulation of fat in the liver, linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes and imbalances in blood lipids. How to combat fatty liver? A study by Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) has shown that physical exercise, particularly walking, has beneficial effects in patients with fatty liver (NAFLD).  Walking helps to prevent the storage of fat in the liver.

If left untreated, excess fat can lead to symptoms such as a swollen belly, chronic fatigue and itching. There are two simple and effective solutions to this problem: a healthy diet and regular exercise.Walking is ideal for preventing the accumulation of fat in the liver.

Walking: benefits for the liver

Walking, even at moderate intensity, activates the basic metabolism and encourages the body to burn more calories, and therefore more fat.It strengthens the cardiovascular system, stimulates the muscles and improves the body's ability to burn stored fat, including in the liver.

Over time, the triglycerides present in the liver are gradually used up by the body, reducing the risk of liver complications.

NAFLD is reversible if detected and treated early. But if it is ignored, it can progress to a more serious form with inflammation, called NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis), which can lead to fibrosis and even irreversible cirrhosis. Taking care of your liver now with an activity like daily walking is therefore an essential preventive measure.

How much and how often should you walk?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that adults engage in between 150 and 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, or around 22 to 43 minutes a day.According to a recent 2023 study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, these recommendations are more than enough to reduce fat storage in the liver, even without weight loss.

The results of this study show that participants who walked for 150 minutes a week were 3.5 times more likely to see a significant reduction in liver fat than participants who did less than 150 minutes of weekly physical activity. Brisk walking - at the rate of five 30-minute sessions a week - would therefore help to achieve and maintain a healthy liver.

When do you see the first effects of walking on the liver?

The positive effects of brisk walking can be seen after just two weeks of daily exercise. In fact, as soon as the body increases its energy consumption, it begins to use stored fats, including those present in the liver.However, a healthy, balanced diet remains essential to optimise these results and prevent the fat from reaccumulating in the liver.

Walking, a natural, risk-free treatment

Walking is not only an accessible form of exercise, it is also a natural and effective method of maintaining liver health.Unlike drugs, it treats the very cause of hepatic steatosis by acting directly on the body's consumption of fats. A change in eating habits is also recommended.If you have a lot of weight to lose, it's best to start with a low-calorie diet. This can be replaced or followed by a low-glycaemic index Mediterranean diet. By favouring good fats (monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids) and a good supply of antioxidants, it helps to improve liver health.

Raymond DZAKPATA