Effect of four weeks of pomegranate supplementation and exercise at home on cardiac electrical activity and lipid profile in overweight and obese postmenopausal women

Athletic activities, along with the consumption of herbal supplements, can control excess weight and associated diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of pomegranate supplementation and exercise at home on lipid profile and cardiac electrical activity in overweight and obese postmenopausal women.

This applied research was conducted based on a single-blind quasi-experimental design. A total of 60 overweight and obese postmenopausal women with a body mass index greater than 25 (kilograms per square meter) and an age range of 65-45 years were selected and randomly assigned to four groups: supplement + exercise (n=15), exercise(n=13 ), supplement (n=14), and placebo (n=14 ). Participants took one 225 mg pomegranate capsule and a placebo daily for 28 days. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, resistance exercises were performed at home. Shapiro-Wilk, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, and Lune tests were used in this research. Statistical calculations were performed in SPSS software (version).

Based on the results, there was no significant difference in fasting blood sugar, weight, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, fat percentage, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C),  PR interval, QRS wave amplitude, and QT interval (P>0.05).

It seems that a short period of four weeks of exercise at home with the consumption of pomegranate supplements did not significantly change the lipid profile and electrical activity of the heart. It is suggested that the same study with long-term training periods and different doses of pomegranate supplements should be repeated.