Aerobic exercise combined with whole body vibration in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized controlled trial

Introduction: A whole-body vibration device (WBV) as an exercise option may be suitable for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed to compare the effects of combined aerobic exercise with WBV training and aerobic exercise alone on the liver enzymes and lipid profiles in NAFLD. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 32 patients with grade 1 and 2 NAFLD diagnosed by ultrasound. Patients were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. Patients in the intervention group were subjected to WBV with a frequency of 35-50 Hz before starting aerobic exercise. Wherein, aerobic exercises were performed using a treadmill at 60%-80% of maximum heart rate. Each session included a 5-minute warm-up, 30 minutes of treadmill, and 5 minutes of cooling at the end. Subjects in the control group underwent the same protocol but did not undergo WBV. Sessions were performed three times per week. The intervention lasted for eight weeks for both groups. Liver enzymes (alkaline phosphatase [ALP], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST]), and lipid profiles (high-density lipoprotein [HDL], low-density lipoprotein [LDL], triglyceride, and cholesterol) were measured during a week before the exercises and after the trial. Results: Mean serum ALT levels (45.5 vs. 31.5; P=0.003) and triglycerides (226.7 vs. 209.3; P=0.004) levels significantly decreased in the intervention group after the intervention. Although all liver enzymes and lipid profiles serum levels except for LDL decreased significantly in both groups (P<0.05), AST, ALP, cholesterol, LDL, and HDL levels showed no significant differences between the two groups. Conclusion: The present study revealed that aerobic exercises with WBV significantly reduced ALT and triglyceride levels compared to aerobic exercises alone. In conclusion, the combined method can be recommended as a more effective method for patients suffering from NAFLD.