Effects of Eight Weeks of Resistance Training and Consumption of Pomegranate on GLP-1, DPP-4 and Glycemic Statuses in Women with Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Diabetes is one of the metabolic diseases with a significant increase rate in recent decades. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of eight weeks of resistance training and consumption of pomegranate juice on Glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1), dipeptidyl peptidase 4(DPP-4) and glycemic statuses in women with type 2 diabetes (a randomized controlled trial).

Samples included 40 women with type 2 diabetic aged 45–55 years, who were randomly selected and divided into four major groups of control (n = 10), resistance training (n = 10), pomegranate juice consumption (n = 10) and resistance training and pomegranate juice consumption (n = 10) groups. Resistance training group and resistance training and pomegranate juice consumption group carried out three resistance training sessions for eight weeks, each week with a maximum intensity of 30%. By the end of the Week 18, groups reached 80% of the maximum repetition. The pomegranate juice group received 100 ml of pomegranate juice every day. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out using SPSS Software v.21.

Results showed that eight weeks of resistance training with pomegranate juice consumption significantly increased GLP-1, HDL, insulin (p = 0.0001) and decreased DPP-4, LDL and glucose (p = 0.0001) levels in women with type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, results showed that resistance training significantly increased GLP-1 and decreased DDP-4 levels in these women. No significant changes were seen in control group and pomegranate juice consumption in the study variables.

Based on the results of this study, resistance training with consumption of pomegranate juice effectively improves insulin secretion and glycemic control. This improvement can be attributed to increases in GLP-1 and DDP-4 levels.