The Comparison of the Effect of High Intensity Interval Exercise using Synchronize, Consecutive and Alternate Upper and Lower body Activity on Plasma Irisin and BDNF in Obese women

The present study aimed to compare the effects of three models of high intensity interval exercise with synchronize, consecutive and alternate upper and lower body activity on plasma Irisin and BDNF among obese women. To this aim, 11 untrained obese women (30/5±5/8yrs; body fat: %39/9±4/0) completed three protocols on the Elliptical ergometer in cross design method. Regarding consecutive protocols, the arm and then leg pedaling was done consecutively, each 10 repeats with 90% wmax for 40minutes. In synchronize protocols, 10 repetitions of arm and leg pedaling were simultaneously performed with 90% wmax for 29minutes. As for alternate protocol, arm and leg pedaling was alternately done, each 14 repeats with 90% wmax for 26.6 minutes. Then, each bout of activity was separated by one-minute active rest with 30% wmax. In addition, the blood samples were taken before the first protocol and one hour after completing each protocol. Results of repeated measure ANOVA and LSD post hoc test reported no significant difference (p≤0/05) in Irisin or BDNF changes between protocols. However, 28/24% (p=0/02), 21/86% and 17/18% (p=0/03) increase occurred at the synchronize, consecutive and alternate protocols in Irisin levels, respectively while 0/01%, 10/08%, 10/76% reduction occurred in BDNF levels, respectively, compared to baseline values. In spite of spent less time on synchronize and alternate models than consecutive model and lower perceived exertion in alternate model than synchronize model, it seems that Irisin and BDNF secretion is mainly affected from energy expenditure during exercise than activity intensity, duration or order of muscle activity.