Effect of 8 Weeks of Sodium Alginate Supplementation with HIIT and MICT on Liver Enzymes and Lipid Profile in Men with Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a clustering of complications that are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Numerous studies have reported a positive effect of exercise on lipid profile and liver enzymes.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) with sodium alginate supplementation (S) on the levels of liver enzymes and lipid profile in men with MetS.

This is a semi-experimental study. Forty young men with MetS volunteered and were randomly divided into five groups: HIIT+S (n = 8), HIIT (n = 8), MICT+S (n = 8), MICT (n = 8) and control (C; n = 8). Blood samples were collected after 12 hours of fasting, 48 hours before the first, and after the last training session to measure liver enzymes and lipid profile. ANOVA, t-test, and Tukey's post hoc test were employed for data analysis using SPSS version 21.

The results showed that after eight weeks of intervention, significant improvements were observed in lipid profile and liver enzymes in the four experimental groups. These improvements were more significant in the HIIT+S than in other groups (P < 0.05). Also, the MetS Z score decreased significantly in all experimental groups, and this decrease was significantly higher in the HIIT + S than other groups (P < 0.05).

Generally, the results showed that HIIT and MICT led to an overall improvement in men with MetS. However, combining sodium alginate supplementation triggers these improvements.