Effects of upper-body resistance exercise training on serum nesfatin-1 level, insulin resistance, and body composition in obese paraplegic men.

BACKGROUND: As a recently discovered adipokine, nesfatin-1 is conducive to insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, energy balance, and probably obesity. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of upper-body resistance exercise training (RET) on nesfatin-1 levels, insulin resistance, lipid profile, and body composition in obese paraplegic men. METHODS: Twenty obese paraplegic men were randomly assigned into control and upper-body RET groups. Upper-body RET was performed for 8 weeks, 3 sessions per week at an intensity corresponding to 60-80% maximum amount of force that can be generated in one maximal contraction in 5 stations (bench press, seated rows, sitting lat pulldown, arm extension, and arm curls). Body fat percentage was determined according to 4-sites skinfold protocol of Durnin and Womersley and Siri equation. Obesity for spinal cord injury patients in the current study was set at BMI >22 kg/m2. Data were statistically analyzed by paired and independent t-test (P < 0.05). RESULTS: We found significant improvements in serum levels of nesfatin-1 (21.13%), insulin sensitivity (8.95%), and high-density lipoprotein (10.87%). Other lipid profile markers, i.e. low-density lipoprotein (4.32%), cholesterol (8.20%), and triglyceride (15.10%) reduced significantly after upper-body RET. Moreover, upper-body RET led to a significant reduction in body mass index (2.36%), body fat percentage (2.79%), and waist-to-hip ratio (2.40%). CONCLUSION: Upper-body RET improved insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, and body composition in paraplegic men. Serum nefastin-1 may be a potential marker of success in weight management in this population.

The effect of moderate endurance training on gastrocnemius retinol-binding protein 4 and insulin resistance in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND: Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) is suggested to be involved in the occurrence of insulin resistance. There are contradictory studies about the effects of exercise training on RBP4 levels and insulin resistance. Hence, we designed this study to investigate the impact of moderate endurance training on gastrocnemius RBP4 and insulin resistance in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. METHOD: Forty male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: healthy control (HC), diabetic control (DC), healthy training (HT), and diabetic training (DT). Animals in HT and DT groups ran on a treadmill on the basis of overload principle for 6 weeks, three sessions per week. Rats in DC and DT groups are affected by diabetes using STZ (50 mg/kg of body weight). Gastrocnemius RBP4 content was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance at P < 0.05 level. RESULTS: Serum blood glucose level (P = 0.001) and insulin resistance (P = 0.001) increased in DC compared with HC group, whereas serum insulin (P = 0.001) and gastrocnemius RBP4 (P = 0.001) reduced. However, there were no significant differences between serum blood glucose level (P = 0.384), insulin resistance (P = 0.999), and RBP4 (P = 0.999) content in DT compared with HT group. CONCLUSION: Moderate endurance training reduces blood glucose level and subsequently improves insulin sensitivity by decreasing gastrocnemius RBP4 content independent of insulin.

Comparing sprint and endurance training on anxiety, depression and its relation with brain-derived neurotrophic factor in rats.

Although the response of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been shown to low intensity exercise training, but the effect of intensive exercise training is not clear. Also, there is insufficient information about relationship between BDNF and depression and anxiety following intensive exercise. This study aimed to investigate the effects of 6 weeks of intensive endurance training (ET) and sprint interval training (SIT) on brain BDNF and its relationship with anxiety and depression in Albino Wistar rats. Anxiety and depression of rats were measured by elevated plus maze (EPM) and tail suspension test (TST), respectively. All data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Pearson's correlation coefficient at P<0.05 level. Both SIT and ET regimens increased BDNF content in the brain, and the alterations made were greater following SIT than ET. Also, both SIT and ET regimens increased number of entries and the time spent in the open arm significantly in EPM, with a higher elevation following SIT than ET. In addition, both SIT and ET regimens decreased number and duration of immobility significantly in TST, with a higher reduction following SIT than ET. Furthermore, BDNF content correlated positively with number of entries and the time spent in the open arm in EPM and negatively with number and duration of immobility in TST. Collectively, sprint interval training regimen, rather than intensive endurance training regimen, is highly potential to improve anxiety and depression through a greater increase in BDNF contents in brain.

The effects of resistance and endurance training on risk factors of vascular inflammation and atherogenesis in non-athlete men.

BACKGROUND: Studies show that different types of training have a significant role in reducing both new and traditional risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, and the new risk factors are more sensitive and accurate in predicting such diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of resistance and endurance exercises on risk factors of vascular inflammation and atherogenesis in non-athlete men. METHODS: Thirty-six non-athlete male students (mean age: 20.45 ± 1.20 years; mean body mass index: 23.66 ± 3.65 kg/m2) were randomly assigned into either three groups: control group, resistance training (RT), and endurance training (ET). The training groups exercised for 3 days/week for 8 weeks. ET group performed treadmill-running at 65%-80% of maximum heart rate and with a 16-30 min duration; the task of RT group consisted of three repetition sets, 8-10 per set, at 60%-80% of one repetition maximum, with 2-min recesses. Blood samples were taken before and after the training program. Data were analyzed by Shapiro-Wilk test, one-way ANOVA, LSD test, and dependent t-test (α ≤ 0.05). RESULTS: The results indicated a significant reduction in total cholesterol levels in both RT and ET groups. Also high-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly increased in both training groups. In addition, following 8 weeks, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in ET group was significantly decreased, whereas these training methods have had no significant effects on the new cardiovascular biomarkers (hs-CRP, IL-6, and sICAM-1). CONCLUSION: It seems that both ET and RT with improvement in lipid profiles could be effective in prevention and treatment of the cardiovascular disease.

Effect of vitamin E succinate on inflammatory cytokines induced by high-intensity interval training.

AIM AND SCOPE: The anti-inflammatory effect of vitamin E under moderate exercises has been evaluated. However, the effect of vitamin E succinate, which has more potent anti-inflammatory effect than other isomers of vitamin E has not been evaluated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of vitamin E succinate on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) production induced by high-intensity interval training (HIIT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, 24 rats were randomly divided into control (C), supplementation (S), HIIT, and HIIT + supplementation (HIIT+S) groups. HIIT training protocol on a treadmill (at a speed of 40-54 m/min) and vitamin E succinate supplementation (60 mg/kg/day) was conducted for 6 weeks. RESULTS: Serum IL-6 in the HIIT group significantly increased compared with the C group (350.42 ± 123.31 pg/mL vs 158.60 ± 41.96 pg/mL; P = 0.002). Also, serum TNF-α concentrations significantly enhanced (718.15 ± 133.42 pg/mL vs 350.87 ± 64.93 pg/mL; P = 0.001) in the HIIT group compared with the C group. Treatment of the training group with vitamin E numerically reduced IL-6 and TNF-α when compared with the HIIT group (217.31 ± 29.21 and 510.23 ± 217.88, respectively, P > 0.05). However, no significant changes were observed in serum TNF-α (P = 0.31) and IL-6 (P = 0.52) concentrations in the HIIT + S group compared with the C group. CONCLUSION: HIIT-induced IL-6 and TNF-α decreased by administration of Vitamin E succinate.