Effect of Moderate Aerobic Exercise on Serum Levels of FGF21 and Fetuin A in Women with Type 2 Diabetes

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) and fetuin A are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, regular physical activity has an important role in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this study was to investigate effect of moderate aerobic exercise on serum levels of FGF21 and fetuin A in women with type 2 diabetes.

This was a semi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design. The study was performed on 28 women with type 2 diabetes aged 40-50 years (mean weight: 70.58 ± 2.11) who were randomly divided into an exercise group (n=14) and a control group (n=14). The training intervention consisted of eight weeks of moderate aerobic exercise at 60-70% of maximum heart rate, five times a week. Serum levels of FGF21, fetuin A and some metabolic parameters were evaluated before the first session and 48 hours after the last session. All statistical analyses were performed in SPSS (version 24) using repeated measures ANOVA and at significance of 0.05. 

The eight-week aerobic training intervention caused a significant increase in FGF21 and insulin sensitivity as well as a significant decrease in fetuin A, fasting blood sugar and HbA1c (P=0.001).

As a complementary therapy, regular aerobic exercise can be beneficial for type 2 diabetes patients in improving some metabolic parameters as well as FGF21 and fetuin A levels.