Interactive effects of exercise on bicycle ergometer and anti-inflammatory extract of nettle on some obesity-related inflammatory markers in overweight and obese women

Adipose tissue is an endocrine tissue that produces more than 50 cytokines and other molecules. These substances participate in inflammatory and immune processes. The aim of this study was to investigate the interactive effects of exercise on bicycle ergometer and anti-inflammatory extract of nettle on some obesity-related inflammatory markers in overweight and obese women. A total of 46 women, overweight and obese BMI>25 kg /m2 and age range of 25-45 years, were selected purposefully and divided randomly into four groups: "Exercise+Nettle" (n=12, BMI=31.28±4.83 kg/m2), "Exercise± placebo" (n=12, BMI=30.34±3.11 kg/m2), "Nettle" (n=11, BMI=29.66±4.22 kg/m2) and "placebo" (n=11, BMI=29.79±2.63 kg/m2). Aerobic exercise was done for 8 weeks, 3 sessions per week, each session lasted 16 to 30 minutes at 55 to 75 percent of maximal reserve heart rate by pedaling on the bicycle ergometer. Participants in two groups of nettle consumption received daily 8 ml of hydroalcoholic extract of nettle; and the placebo was a combination of water and a similar color of the extract at a daily rate of 8 ml. Data were analyzed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov, ANOVA and paired sample t tests at the significant level of p≤0.05. The results showed that after 8 weeks of intervention, there were significant decreases in the amount of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in ''exercise + nettle'' (p=0.005),"exercise + placebo" (p=0.04)," and "nettle" groups (p=0.02). Also, 8 weeks of intervention caused significant decreases in IL-6 in "exercise + nettle" (p=0.03),"and "exercise + placebo" (p=0.004) groups, while a significant increase was observed in the placebo group (p=0.01). Aerobic exercise on the bicycle ergometer as a non-invasive method and consumption of nettle extract as an herbal supplement can modulate inflammatory markers both alone and in combination in of overweight and obese individuals.