The effect of aerobic exercise on plasma visfatin levels in men with type 2diabetes treated with metformin

Visfatin is a recently discovered adipokine. Previous studies have shown a direct relationship between plasma visfatin levels and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The current study was conducted to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise on plasma level of visfatin in type 2 diabetic men treated with metformin.

Thirty-six men with type 2 diabetes who consumed metformin (age 46.08 ± 3.08 years, BMI 30.1± 2.32 kg/m2) volunteered to participate in this study. Subjects were randomly assigned in 2 groups. In this respect, 18 subjects were in the aerobic exercise group (3 days per week, 35 to 50 min per day, 40-55% heart rate reserve) and 18 subjects in the control group. Fasting plasma visfatin, insulin, glucose and HbA1c concentrations were measured before and after 8 weeks of exercise in these diabetic patients. For analysis of data, repeated measures ANOVA was used.

The findings showed that plasma visfatin level, insulin, glucose, HbA1c, BMI, WHR and body fat percentage significantly decrease in aerobic exercise group as compared to control group (p<0.05). The peak rate ​​of oxygen consumption (vo2 peak) significantly increased in aerobic exercise group as compared to control group (p<0.05).

The present study showed that decreased plasma visfatin level induced by aerobic exercise is most likely the result of improving glycemic status in type 2 diabetes patients treated with metformin.