Effects of 6-weeks aerobic training in hypoxic condition on resting Nesfati-1 and insulin resistance in overweight women

Nesfatin-1is a reducing appetite peptide, on the other hand energy demand decreases in high altitude, thus it’s possible that training in altitude could have more reducing effect on weight. We decided to do this research in order to investigation the effects of 6-weeks aerobic training in hypoxic condition vs normoxic condition on resting Nesfati-1 and insulin resistance in overweight women. Twenty-four overweight young women (age: 28.25±3.7 yrs. height: 161.8±3.01 cm, weight: 78.64±7.18) were selected and randomly assigned into two experimental groups: hypoxia group (n= 12, 60% of HRmax, in hypoxic condition resembling of 3000 m altitude) and normoxy group (n= 12, 60% of HRmax, in normoxy condition). Training program was consisted of 6 weeks and 3 sessions per week. Anthropometric characteristic, glucose concentration, insulin concentration, insulin resistance and Nesfatin-1 plasma concentration were analyzed before and after training period. Dependent and independent t-test were used as statistical tests. Between group differences in weight (p=0.16), BMI (p=0.19) and glucose (p=0.23) was not significant, but for fat percent (p=0.02), waist circumference (p=0.03), insulin (p=0.001), HOMA-IR (p=0.001) and Nefatin-1 (p=0.002) were significant. The results of this study showed that aerobic exercise in hypoxic condition led to higher increase in Nesfatin-1 in comparison with normoxy condition. Presumably improvement in body composition and insulin resistance index are related to Nestin-1 changes and resulting appetite and energy demand decrement