Comparison of the effects of eight weeks of resistance training and ginseng supplementation on growth hormone and insulin resistance in Syrian male mice under lower extremity suspension conditions

Exposure to microgravity affects multiple organ systems and cause muscle problems such as muscle atrophy. Therefore, The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of eight weeks of resistance exercise, consumption of ginseng supplementation on growth hormone and insulin resistance in Syrian mice with lower limb suspension.

In this study, 50 male mice were devided into five equal groups including suspension control, suspension+resistance exercise, suspension+ginseng extract, suspension+resistance exercise+ginseng extract, and control (normal conditions). Training groups were trained on ladders for eight weeks, three times in a week. Ginseng extract were administered by gavage to extract receiving groups for three days in a week for eight weeks. Weightless environment created by utilizing lower limbs suspension. Blood and serum samples were collected 72 hours after the last exercise session and investigated for growth hormone changes and insulin tolerance. One-way ANOVA test was used for statistical analysis and comparison between groups.

The results showed that there was a significant difference between the effect of resistance exercise with and without consumption of ginseng extract under the conditions of lower limb suspension (p=0.001), but there was no significant difference on insulin resistance.

This study showed that both significant increase in growth hormone and non-significant decrease in insulin resistance could be the reducer of the muscle atrophy induced by suspension and be another evidence of the effects of sport activities on the mechanism of protein synthesis.