Changes in NRG1 and Leptin Levels Following Functional Exercises and Nano Curcumin Supplementation in Obese People

Obesity and overweight affect approximately 40% of adults worldwide, increasing the risk of developing diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and have significant economic impacts on healthcare systems. High-intensity functional training (HIFT) and curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, are both recommended for their beneficial effects on metabolic and cardiovascular health. Therefore, this study evaluated the combined effect of HIFT and nanocurcumin on specific parameters such as blood lipids and leptin and NRG1 levels.

Forty obese men were randomly assigned to four groups: placebo, curcumin supplementation, functional training + placebo, and functional training + curcumin supplementation. The intervention lasted for eight weeks and consisted of three non-consecutive weekly sessions of functional training. Various markers including lipid profile (spectrophotometric method), fasting insulin (radioimmunoassay method), insulin resistance (homostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR)), leptin and NRG1 levels (ELISA method) were measured before and after the intervention.

The results showed that the nanocurcumin + functional training group (Sup-Ex group) had the greatest decrease in total cholesterol, LDL-C and increase in HDL-C (p < 0.05). Also, insulin resistance, leptin and NRG1 levels in the Sup-Ex group had the greatest decrease (p < 0.05).

According to the findings of the present study, the combination of nanocurcumin exercises with functional training in obese individuals can be used to positively regulate lipid profile indicators, leptin and NRG1 levels, and it is also suggested that other indicators related to obesity and cardiovascular diseases be used with nanocurcumin and functional training intervention in future research.