Randomized Clinical Trial Effect of Sesame and Training on Heat Shock Protein 70 Gene Expression and Light Chain 3-I Proteins of Inactive Middle-Aged Men

Clinical studies have indicated that exercise activity and supplementation may have different effects on the immune system and health. The present study aimed to determine the effect of sesame and interval training on heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) gene expression and light chain 3-I (LC3-I) proteins among inactive, middle-aged men.

In this randomized clinical trial and quasi-experimental study which was conducted in fall, 2019, 60 middle-aged inactive men who had the habit of going to the parks in Karaj, Iran were selected as the study’s statistical subject and, then, were randomly divided into four groups (i.e., sesame supplement, interval training, sesame supplement+interval training, control). Sesame, and sesame supplement+interval training groups received sesame. The training protocol lasted for 12 weeks. HSP70 gene expression and LC3-I were measured before and after study using the enzymatic method. As for the homogeneity of variances, the Levene’s test and the Shapiro–Wilk test were used to investigate the natural distribution. Analysis of variance was used to investigate differences in four groups.

Significant differences were found regarding LC3-I (P<0.001) and HSP70 (P<0.001). According to the results of the Tukey post hoc test, there was a significant difference between the training+sesame group and controls (P≤0.05).

It was concluded that high interval intensity training with sesame reduced HSP70 gene expression and LC3-I. The novelty of this study lay in the fact that it found consuming supplementation and training capable of synergistically reducing chaperone protein and autophagy indicator.