We all know that exercising has several benefits for our health. This physical activity is known for its benefits in maintaining a healthy body, both from the outside and inside. Besides being able to keep the body fit, exercising can also fend off various types of diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

This opinion is further supported by the results of studies conducted by researchers from the University of Campinas, Brazil. They found that weight-bearing exercises can have a positive effect on diabetics. The exercise is known to help reduce fat levels in the liver and maintain blood sugar levels. As we all know, the heart plays a vital role in producing, storing, and controlling blood sugar levels, while the accumulation of fat in the liver can cause several risks, from inflammation tothe disruption of liver function.

The liver should only produce glucose when we are fasting. However, interference with insulin signals can cause the liver to produce glucose even after we consume carbohydrates. This will cause high levels of sugar in the blood.

In their study, the researchers conducted a trial on obese mice, which were divided into three groups. The first group was treated with a standard diet, while the second group got a high-fat diet. The third group has the same diet with the second group, except that this group underwent physical activities, such as climbing stairs as many as 20 times a day. This treatment was carried out for 14 weeks.

The results showed that even though all mice remained obese, those who underwent physical activity showed blood sugar levels that were far better than other groups. This is caused by a metabolic change that makes the liver more sensitive to insulin. Besides this, physical activity is also known to help reduce liver fat by 25-30%. This is related to the high expression of genes related to lipogenesis (fatty acid synthesis) and lipolysis (lipid decomposition).

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Pixabay

Source(s):

• Pereira, R.M., Rodrigues, K.C.C., Anaruma, C.P., et all (2019). Short-term strength training reduces gluconeogenesis and NAFLD in obese mice. Journal of Endocrinology, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1530/JOE-18-0567.
• Medical News Today - How strength training may help people with diabetes (2019). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325534.php, 3 July 2019.