Effect of Circuit Resistance Training and L-Carnitine Supplementation on Body Composition and Liver Function in Men with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Background: Exercises and L-carnitine supplementation are effective for liver function. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare effect of circuit resistance training and l-carnitine supplementation on body Composition and Liver Function in men with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 40 men with NAFLD were selected through purposive sampling and were randomly assigned to one of four groups includes: (1) resistance training, (2) supplement, (3) combined (exercise- supplement) and (4) control. Circuit resistance training was performed for 12 weeks, three sessions per week, with a training intensity of 40% - 80% maximum one-repetition. In the combined and supplementation group, 10 mg L-carnitine supplement per kg body weight was consumed daily with three main meals. To analyze the data, dependent t-test and one-way analysis of variance were used at P ≤ 0.05. Results: After exercise, there was a significant decrease in body mass index and body fat percentage in the resistance training group and combined (exercise-supplement) group when compared to the control and supplementation groups. There was also a significant decrease in the level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the intervention groups including exercise, supplement, and combined (exercise-supplement) groups compared to the control group. The percentage of changes in AST and ALT was significantly higher in the combined group than in the training and supplement groups. Conclusions: According to the findings of this study, circuit resistance and complementary L-carnitine training are effective for improving liver function. This improvement was more evident in the combination of training and L-carnitine supplementation, and these shifts are independent of changes in body composition.