Randomized controlled effect of treadmill walking exercise on liver enzymes, psychological burden, and erectile dysfunction in men with hepatitis C

Introduction
Exercise is a simple, safe, and affordable solution that can be easily taught to men with chronic illnesses to improve their psychological burden and sexual health.

Aim
Since the role of exercise in ameliorating the psychological burden associated with erectile dysfunction (ED) in hepatitis C (HC) men was not explored, this research aimed to explore this role.

Material and methods
This HC study was a randomized-controlled exercise-rehabilitation trial. Recruitment of HC men with ED was conducted from El-Sahel Teaching Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. Men (n = 46) were randomly assigned to a 12-week walking-exercise group (WEG, n = 23 HC men with ED received a one-hour treadmill walking 3 times weekly) or a control group (n = 23 HC men with ED, who did not change their daily physical activity during the research period). Besides Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), Arabic Version of the Five-Item Version International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), Profile of Mood States Questionnaire (POMSQ), and Ten-Statement Rosenberg self-esteem scale (TSRSE), HC participants’ liver enzymes, alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST) were assessed.

Results
Significant improvements of POMSQ, BDI, AST, IIEF-5, ALT, and TSRSE within the WEG only were seen. No significant changes occurred in the control group’s parameters.

Conclusions
Exercise (walking) is a good modality to improve liver enzymes, ED, and ED-associated psychological burden (depression, low self-esteem, and mood disturbances) in HC men with ED.