Effects of Twelve-week Strength Training on Serum Chemerin, TNF-α and CRP Level in Subjects with the Metabolic Syndrome

Inflammation plays an essential role in the insulin resistance process, and chemokines, such as chemerin, seem to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. In this study we examined the effects of 12 weeks strength training on serum chemerin, CRP and TNF-α level in association with cardiometabolic risk factors, (age: 45.25±4.3 yr, body mass index: 29.53±1.32 kg/m2) in subjects with the metabolic syndrome. Twenty-one subjects with the metabolic syndrome were randomly assigned to strength training (n= 11) and control (n= 10) groups. Strength training was performed 3 times weekly for 12 weeks. Body composition (computed tomography), metabolic and inflammatory parameters were measured prior to and after the intervention. After a 12 week strength training, fasting glucose, insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and abdominal fat (visceral fat) were significantly decreased (p<0.05). Concurrently, chemerin and CRP concentrations were significantly decreased in response to strength training (p<0.05), but TNF-α remained unchanged (p>0.05). This study demonstrated that 12 weeks of strength training caused an improvement in cardiometabolic risk factors in subjects with the metabolic syndrome, and this improvement was associated with decreased chemerin and CRP levels (inflammatory markers).