The Effect of High Intensity Interval Training on Hormonal Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axisand Fertility in Type 2 Diabetic Male Rats

Diabetes mellitus is associated with reductions in fertility indices. Interval training, on the other hand, through reducing the adverse effects of diabetes, exerts a positive impact on diabetic individuals.The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of ten weeks of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on reproductive hormones and sperm parameters in Wistar rats with diabetes mellitus type 2.
In this experimental study, 36 Wistar rats with mean weight of 200±48 were randomly assigned to healthy control, diabetic control and diabetic high intensity interval training groups. The diabetic training group received ten weeks of HIIT training by treadmill following the induction of diabetes. Twenty-four hours after the last training session, left epididymis of the rats was examined for studying sperm parameters and blood serum samples were examined for evaluating reproductive hormones. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test at a significant level of 0.05%.
Ten weeks of HIIT training reduces fasting blood glucose (p=0.001) and significantly increases serum testosterone (p=0.001), LH (p=0.042) and FSH (p=0.024) levels in the HIIT training group in comparison to the diabetic group. In addition, sperm parameters (sperm count, survival rate and motility) presented significant improvements compared to the diabetic group (p It seems that HIIT training can improve sperm count, survival rate and motility, through increasing serum testosterone, LH and FSH levels (reproductive hormones) in rats with diabetes mellitus type 2.