Weight lifting is a common form of exercise that can strengthen and tone muscles. It can be performed by athletes in competitive sports but is also often done for cosmetic reasons. Weight lifting can bestow numerous health benefits on the body, but some activities associated with lifting weights can have negative impacts, including in the liver. As with any medical condition, though, you should consult a physician to have any potential medical problems diagnosed and addressed correctly.
Weight Lifting
Using dead weights to strengthen the muscles in the body, successful weight lifting incorporates many aspects of an individual's lifestyle -- your diet, supplementation and rest periods are key to a successful weight lifting plan. In many cases, weight lifting is also combined with other forms of exercise, such as cardiovascular workouts, to achieve a well-rounded exercise regimen.
Benefits
Weight lifting improves your body's muscle strength, and it also helps tone and define your muscles. The exercise can have many internal benefits, including helping you lower blood pressure and cholesterol while strengthening the heart and reducing the risk of heart disease. The stress of weight-bearing exercises also helps improve bone density and prevent osteoporosis.
Supplement Use
Many practiced weight lifters use supplements to bolster their muscle mass gain. These supplements come in a wide range of forms, from all-natural protein powders to illegal and unsafe anabolic steroids. Because supplements can vary widely in both their efficacy and safety, it is important to consult a doctor about these supplements prior to taking them -- some can interact badly with other medications or the body itself, causing medical problems to surface.
Liver Problems
The liver has several functions in the body, and one of them is its role in filtering out pharmaceuticals, alcohols and other unwanted toxins found in the body. The use of some medications and supplements, as well as smoking and drinking excessively, can tax the liver and put it under stress. In some situations, they may also lead to liver problems as severe as liver disease and liver failure.
Relationship
While many forms of exercise can improve liver health according to liver function tests, weight lifting is excluded from this benefit, according to a study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. But according to LiverDisease.com, weight lifting is often recommended for individuals with liver disease because it strengthens the bones and guards against osteoporosis, which can be caused or worsened by liver disease. Increased muscle mass also helps energize the body in advanced stages of liver disease, and it helps lower the risk of developing a fatty liver. But also, the use of some supplements, such as creatine, can lead to liver difficulty, particularly if the supplements are misused, or the supplements are taken by someone who already has liver disease. Consult your physician about weight lifting or taking supplements if you have liver problems.
