The effects of cold water immersion post repeated sprint activity on serum PGC-1α and irisin in young active men

It is mentioned a critical role for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) in mitochondrial biogenesis, and for irisin in angiogenesis, myogenesis and health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cold-water immersion (CWI) post repeated sprint activity (RSA) on irisin & PGC-1α.

Among 50 soccer players recruited from Tehran premier league, 20 men (age 23.5±1.67 yrs) were selected randomly to this  study and after the RSA, 10 participants immersed in cold water (14°C) and 10 others set on a chair passively. Blood sampling was taken before and after RSA, after CWI or passive rest and after 24 hours. Serum irisin & PGC-1α were assessed through ELIZA kit of ZelBio, Germany. Shapiro-Wilk test was performed to determine data normality and to determine possibly differences between means in each group and in different times, analysis of variance test with repeated measures was applied at the significant level of p≤0.05.

The time factor had a significant effect on PGC-1α levels [F(3,51)=6.52, p=0.001, pη2=0.27], but the group effect [F(1,17)=0.79, p=0.38] and time - group interaction [F(3,51)=1.53, p=0.21] was not significant. PGC-1α had a significant increases after the RSA in both groups (p=0.004), but its changes were not significant after CWI or rest (p=1.00). In addition, PGC-1α changes was not significant after 24h (p=1.00). Moreover, the time factor had a significant effect on irisin levels [F(3,51)=15.38, p<0.001, pη2=0.47], but the group effect [F(1,17)=0.48, p=0.49] and the time – group interaction [F(3,51)=1.91, p=0.14] were nor significant. In other hand, irisin had a significant increases after the RSA in both groups (p<0.001), but its changes were not significant after CWI or rest (p=0.06). Further, the changes of irisin was not significant after 24h (p=1.00).

It seems that the RSA could improve cellular processes through PGC-1α & irisin elevation.