Can Physical Activity Help in Hepatitis C Treatment? A Mini Review

Abstract

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a major public health problem worldwide and can lead in many cases to liver transplants. The liver condition of the patient is multifactorial, with genetic, biochemical profile immune system and lifestyle as a protagonist of such a process which has as one of the clinical outcomes hepatic fibrosis, increasing the progression of the cell subject to hepatocellular carcinoma. These parameters directly influence the fibrous framework of HCV patients that may be worsened by maintaining physical inactivity frame and biochemical profile disruption, since it favors the inflammatory and fibrogenic process. Since studies with patients with HCV and physical activity are quite scarce, they demonstrate the efficacy of physical activity on the fibrotic and hepatic condition of patients with hepatitis C virus, since this requires a prescriptive planning with quality and adequate for these individuals. Thus defining the best type of physical activity or exercise that will bring the best effects to patients with hepatitis C and other hepatic comorbidities, which can condition the lifestyle of these individuals and thus lead to better pathophysiological stages, avoiding the progression of the disease, providing an improvement of their health, and psychosocial since the physical activity and / or exercise guarantee the activation of elements linked to the neuroendocrine axis activating the secretion of endorphins guaranteeing the well-being of the patients with this pathology. Thus the objective of this review is to describe the main benefits of physical activity within the pathophysiological processes found in patients with HCV.