1.
Circulating branch chain amino acids and improvement in liver fat content in response to exercise interventions in NAFLD.
Shi, X, Yin, H, Li, J, Huang, C, Chen, Y, Chen, Z, Liu, W, Weijuan Su, , Zhang, Y, Lin, M, et al
Scientific reports. 2021;(1):13415
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is likely to be associated with increased circulating branched-chain amino acids. We investigated the relationship between changes in branched-chain amino acids levels in the serum and improvement in liver fat content caused by exercise intervention in individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The exploratory study included 208 central obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease individuals from an exercise intervention randomized clinical trial for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The participants were randomly assigned to control, moderate, and vigorous-moderate exercise groups for 12 months. Changes in total branched-chain amino acids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine levels from baseline to 6 months were calculated. Liver fat content was determined by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Reductions in circulating levels of total branched-chain amino acids, leucine, and valine levels from baseline to 6 months were significantly associated with the improvement of liver fat content at 6 months and 12 months (p < 0.01 for all) after adjustments for age, sex, total energy intake, protein intake, intervention groups, HOMA-IR, BMI, liver fat content, total branched-chain amino acids, leucine, and valine at baseline, respectively. These associations were still significant after further adjustments for changes in HOMA-IR and BMI from baseline to 6 months (p < 0.05 for all). Our findings indicated that reductions in circulating branched-chain amino acids levels were associated with an improvement in liver fat content by exercise intervention among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which was independent of changes in BMI or HOMA-IR.
2.
Effect of Baduanjin exercise for hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Xiong, X, Wang, P, Li, S, Zhang, Y, Li, X
Maturitas. 2015;(4):370-8
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Baduanjin exercise for hypertension. Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, VIP, CBM and Wanfang databases were searched. Eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified. Baduanjin significantly lowered systolic blood pressure (SBP) (WMD=-13.00 mmHg; 95% CI: -21.24 to -4.77; P=0.002), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (WMD=-6.13 mmHg; 95% CI: -11.20 to -1.07; P=0.02), body mass index, blood glucose, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and improved high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and quality of life compared to no intervention. No significant difference between Baduanjin and antihypertensive drugs on SBP (WMD=1.05 mmHg; 95% CI: -2.07 to 4.17; P=0.51) or DBP (WMD=1.90 mmHg; 95% CI: -1.22 to 5.02; P=0.23) was identified. Baduanjin plus antihypertensive drugs significantly reduced SBP (WMD=-7.49 mmHg; 95% CI: -11.39 to -3.59; P=0.0002), DBP (WMD=-3.55 mmHg; 95% CI: -5.25 to -1.85; P<0.0001), blood glucose, and total cholesterol compared to antihypertensive drugs. Baduanjin is an effective therapy for hypertension. However, further rigorously designed RCTs are still warranted.