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Exercise Dosing for NAFLD and NASH (AMPED) Trial

This study is investigating how different amounts of exercise can help treat nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its more severe form, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Currently, there isn't a cure or approved drug for these conditions, making exercise an important treatment. Researchers want to understand the best way to use exercise as a specific treatment. You might be able to join if you are 18-69 years old, have a body mass index (BMI) over 25, and have been diagnosed with NASH and liver fibrosis (scarring) stages 1-3 through a liver biopsy within the last six months. The main goal is to see how much liver fat changes after 16 weeks of exercise.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 45 participants. It is exploring how different doses of aerobic exercise affect liver fat.
What's involved
Participants will engage in aerobic exercise sessions. The primary endpoint, change in liver fat, will be measured at 16 weeks.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Liver fat will be measured at 16 weeks to assess the primary outcome.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT04987879

NASH AMPK Exercise Dosing (AMPED) Trial

Completed
NAAges 18–69InterventionalTreatment
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
~20 participants
Updated 2026-08-12 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Exercise

At a glance

Recruiting sites
0 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in liver fat
Measured over 16 weeks

Conditions

NAFLD

Explore related trials

Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

NCT04987879

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Penn State Hershey Medical Center

    Hershey, Pennsylvaniano site contact published

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Study leadership

  • Christopher Sciamanna, MD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Who to contact

This trial hasn't published a contact. View it on ClinicalTrials.gov

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Age 18-69 years
Sedentary \[\<90 min/wk of exercise identified by the Get Active Questionnaire (GAQ)
BMI \>25kg/m2
Liver biopsy within six months prior to enrollment showing:
NASH defined by NASH Clinical Research Network (CRN) histology scoring system (NAS) \>4 and MRI-PDFF \>5% and;
Liver fibrosis stage 1-3

Exclusion

Active cardiac symptoms
Body mass index (BMI) \>45kg/m2
Cancer that is active
Inability to walk \>2 blocks
Institutionalized/prisoner
Other liver disease
Pregnancy
Secondary hepatic steatosis
Severe comorbidities
AUDIT-C questionnaire identified significant alcohol use
Substance abuse/active smoking
Uncontrolled diabetes (changes in drug dosing over previous three months or A1c \>9%)
GAQ response indicates exercise may be unsafe.

What this trial measures

  • Change in liver fat16 weeks

    Degree of liver fat change as measured by magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) across different doses of exercise in patients with NASH.