Interactive effect of endurance exercise, resistance exercise, and cold weather on irisin changes in diabetic male rats

The irisin hormone secreted by human and mouse muscles has positive effects on obesity and diabetes and can be a promising alternative to in treatment for of metabolic diseases. In the present study, we investigated the effect of eight weeks of endurance and resistance exercise activity activities and exposure to cold temperatures on plasma irisin levels in of diabetic Wistar rats.

Number of 46 obese male Wistar rats (12-week-old) weighing 325 ± 2 g with type 2 diabetes mellitus-induction of diabetes by STZ injection- were randomly divided into six groups. Two groups received the resistance exercise (8 weeks, three days a week, eight repetitions per day, fence length 1.35 m and slope 85 degrees) at normal (23 ± 2 °C) and cold (16 ± 2 °C) temperatures, two groups were allocated to endurance exercise (8 weeks, five days a week, at a speed of 20 meters per minute and a slope of 15%) at the normal and cold temperatures, the last two groups were control groups (without training intervention) at the ordinary and cold temperatures. 48 hours after the last training session, serum samples were collected while the rats were in fasting. Irisin levels were assessed by the ELISA method. Data were analyzed using Spss SPSS software version 16 and one-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test (P<0.05).

The results of one-way ANOVA showed a significant increase in serum irisin values in groups of endurance exercise and resistance exercise compared with control groups in both temperatures (P<0.05). There was a significant difference between fasting blood sugar levels in the endurance exercise and resistance exercise groups compared with the control groups at both temperatures (P<0.05). A significant decrease in the ratio of LDL to HDL was observed in the groups of endurance exercise and resistance exercise groups compared to the control groups at both temperatures (P<0.05).

Endurance and resistance exercises increase irisin protein and decrease fasting blood sugar and the ratio of LDL to HDL. It seems that irisin may be used as a possible treatment to improve diabetes, the change of lipid profile, and energy homeostasis.