Effect of Exercise Interventions on Irisin and Interleukin-6 Concentrations and Indicators of Carbohydrate Metabolism in Males with Metabolic Syndrome

The Impact of Exercise on Interleukin-6 to Counteract Immunosenescence: Methodological Quality and Overview of Systematic Reviews

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated the methodological quality of published systematic reviews on randomized and non-randomized clinical trials to synthesize evidence on the association between IL-6, immunosenescence, and aerobic and/or resistance exercise.

METHOD

The Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Systematic Reviews (PRIO-harms) guideline was used, with registration number CRD42022346142-PROSPERO. Relevant databases such as Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched using English Medical Subject Headings terms. Inclusion criteria were systematic reviews analyzing aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, or a combination of both and assessing IL-6 as a biomarker of cellular immunosenescence in humans. The Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2) was employed.

RESULTS

Out of 742 identified articles, 18 were eligible, and 13 were selected for analysis. Sample sizes ranged from 249 to 1421 participants, mostly female, with ages ranging from 17 to 95 years. Aerobic exercise was the most studied type (46.15%), followed by combined exercise (38.46%) and resistance exercise (15.38%). Aerobic exercise showed a statistically significant reduction in IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels. Among the 13 reviews analyzed using AMSTAR-2, 8 were rated as critically low quality, and 5 were classified as low quality.

CONCLUSION

Aerobic exercise has anti-inflammatory properties and the potential to modulate IL-6, CRP, and TNF-α levels in immunosenescence. However, the limited methodological quality of the analyzed systematic reviews highlights the urgent need for robust, high-quality studies to improve access to information and facilitate evidence-based decision-making in healthcare.

Exercise-induced effects on asprosin and indices of atherogenicity and insulin resistance in males with metabolic syndrome: a randomized controlled trial

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) development is associated with insulin resistance and obesity, with the progression of visceral adipose tissue playing a crucial role. Excessive adipose tissue is accompanied by an increase in the asprosin (ASP), which is responsible for carbohydrate metabolism and the regulation of hunger and satiety. Exercise affects the release of ASP, which may regulate metabolism accordingly. Due to the inconclusive results of the effect of exercise on ASP concentration in men with MetS, 12-week interventions were carried out in the following groups: EG1-aerobic training (n = 21, age: 34.21 ± 6.06, WC; waist circumference: 114.7 ± 10.93) and EG2-a combination of aerobic and resistance training (n = 21, age: 37.37 ± 7.08, WC: 114.8 ± 11.64) and compared with a control group (CG) of men with MetS without any intervention (n = 20, age: 38.26 ± 7.43, WC: 115.3 ± 10.54). Body composition, indicators of carbohydrate-lipid metabolism, and ASP were assessed four times: before the intervention, at 6 and 12 weeks of training, and 4 weeks after the training sessions. A comparison of the intervention influence on changes in the analyzed variables between the groups was performed using ANOVA test for dependent groups with post-hoc comparison. The effect size (ES) was also assessed using squared eta (η2). The implementation of aerobic training resulted in a decrease in ASP concentration (p = 0.03) within 6 weeks of the intervention, while in the CG a gradual increase in ASP was confirmed (p < 0.001). Aerobic-resistance training did not induce significant changes in ASP concentration but resulted in an increase in fat-free mass/fat mass (FFM/FM) ratio (p < 0.001), and a decrease (p = 0.04) in Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). Changes in the visceral adipose tissue level indicate a gradual decrease in both the EG1 (p = 0.01) and EG2 (p = 0.04) groups. Both aerobic and aerobic-resistance exercises may have a regulatory effect, mainly by reducing visceral adipose tissue, on the improvement of metabolic disorders.

Preliminary Assessment of the Acute Effects of Far Infrared-Emitting Garments: What Are the Possible Implications for Recovery and Performance?

Technical clothing has recently been brought into the spotlight as one of the most promising tools to improve sports performance and to enhance sports recovery. Among technical clothing items, garments engineered to emit far infrared (FIR) spectrum frequencies have come to the fore as a treatment for pain, muscle fatigue, and tissue healing due to their potential antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, with applications not only during recovery phases but also in the active phases of exercise. These garments, composed of fibers mixed with noble metals and/or bioceramics that respond to body infrared frequencies by returning an FIR emission backwards, are thought to improve muscle oxygenation and therefore recovery. In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study, ten male trail running athletes wore a whole-body-covering suit marketed as Accapì-FIR (Bruno Chiaruttini S.r.l., Rezzato, BS, Italy), while a total body suit with the same polyester fiber without metal components was used as control for the intervention. Parameters such as weight, height, bioimpedance parameters (BIVA), lactate from capillary sampling, salivary cortisol, and average temperatures of different body areas were obtained before and after a twelve-minute incremental work run protocol on a treadmill whilst wearing the two kinds of garment. Using the intervention suit, compared to control, statistically significant reductions in BIVA parameters such as body resistance (-6.7%) and reactance (-5.4%) were observed before and after exercise while a greater, but not significant, weight reduction was observed with the intervention suit. Decrease in resistance could be the result of a different distribution of fluids and ions due to FIR influence on capillary and superficial circulation, leading ultimately to more efficient management of body heat and promoting recovery and supercompensation. Further studies on larger samples will be necessary to confirm and clarify these results.

Significance of Plasma Irisin, Adiponectin, and Retinol Binding Protein-4 Levels as Biomarkers for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Severity

OBJECTIVE

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common sleep disorder that is caused by the reduction or cessation of airflow in the upper airway. Irisin, retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP-4), and adiponectin are the three significant factors in the metabolic process of the human body. The objective of this study was to investigate whether plasma irisin, RBP-4, and adiponectin levels are associated with the severity of OSAS.

METHODS

According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, 125 patients with OSAS and 46 healthy, gender-matched controls were included in this study. The patients were classified according to the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) as 14 mild cases (5 < AHI < 15), 23 moderate OSAS cases (15 < AHI < 30), and 88 severe OSAS cases (AHI > 30). The plasma irisin, RBP-4, and adiponectin levels were measured and compared between groups.

RESULTS

RBP-4 levels were higher in severe OSAS compared to other groups, and irisin levels were significantly lower in severe OSAS compared to other groups. There was a negative correlation between irisin and RBP-4 (r = -0.421; p < 0.001), and irisin and AHI (r = -0.834; p < 0.001), and a positive correlation between irisin and adiponectin (r = 0.240; p = 0.002). There was a negative correlation between RBP-4 and adiponectin (r = -0.507; p < 0.001) and a positive correlation between RBP-4 and AHI (r = 0.473; p < 0.001). As a predictor of OSAS, adiponectin showed the highest specificity (84.8%) and RBP-4 the highest sensitivity (92.0%).

CONCLUSION

Circulating adiponectin, irisin, and RBP-4 may be new biomarkers in OSAS patients in addition to risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. When polysomnography is not available, these parameters and clinical data can be used to diagnose the disease. As a result, patients with an AHI score greater than thirty should be closely monitored for metabolic abnormalities.

Exercise-Induced Alternations of Adiponectin, Interleukin-8 and Indicators of Carbohydrate Metabolism in Males with Metabolic Syndrome

Adiponectin (ADIPO) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) are proteins that play a significant, albeit opposing, role in metabolic syndrome (MetS). The reported data on the effect of physical activity on the levels of these hormones in the population of people with MetS are conflicting. The aim of the study was to evaluate the changes in hormone concentrations, insulin-resistance indices and body composition after two types of training. The study included 62 men with MetS (age 36.6 ± 6.9 years, body fat [BF] = 37.53 ± 4.5%), randomly assigned to: an experimental group EG1 (n = 21) with aerobic exercise intervention, an experimental group EG2 (n = 21) with combined aerobic and resistance exercise intervention, both for 12 weeks, and a control group CG (n = 20) without interventions. Anthropometric measurements and body composition (fat-free mass [FFM], gynoid body fat [GYNOID]), as well as a biochemical blood analysis (adiponectin [ADIPO], interleukin-8 [IL-8], homeostatic model assessment-adiponectin (HOMA-AD) and homeostatic model assessment-triglycerides (HOMA-TG) were performed at baseline, and at 6 and 12 weeks of intervention and 4 weeks after the intervention (follow-up). Intergroup (between groups) and intragroup (within each group) changes were statistically evaluated. In the experimental groups EG1 and EG2, no significant changes were observed in the ADIPO concentration, but a decrease of GYNOID and insulin-resistance indices was confirmed. The aerobic training led to favorable changes in IL-8 concentration. The use of combined resistance and aerobic training led to improved body composition, decreased waist circumference and better insulin-resistance indices in men with MetS.

Impact of Two Types of Exercise Interventions on Leptin and Omentin Concentrations and Indicators of Lipid and Carbohydrate Metabolism in Males with Metabolic Syndrome

Leptin (LEP) and omentin (OMEN) are proteins whose concentrations change with the development of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). There are few intervention studies using various forms of physical activity in people with MetS that aim to determine the impact of physical exercise on the fluctuations of the presented hormones, and their results are contradictory. The present study aimed to examine the effect of two types of exercise intervention on LEP and OMEN concentrations and indicators of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in males with MetS. The study included 62 males with MetS (age 36.6 ± 6.9 years, body mass 110.31 ± 17.37 kg), randomly allocated to EG1, the examined group with aerobic training (n = 21); EG2, the examined group with combined aerobic and resistance training (n = 21), both for 12 weeks, and the control group (CG) without interventions (n = 20). Anthropometric measurements, body composition (body fat [BF], android body fat [ANDR]), as well as a biochemical blood analysis (omentin [OMEN], leptin [LEP], quantitative insulin sensitivity check index [QUICKI], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C] and nonHDL-C) were performed at baseline, and at 6 and 12 weeks of interventions and after 4 weeks after ending intervention (follow-up). Intergroup and intragroup comparisons were performed. In the intervention groups EG1 and EG2, a decrease in BF was observed as well as an improvement in carbohydrate metabolism parameters. In the EG1 group, the level of ANDR was reduced. In EG2 a decrease in LEP concentration between measurements was confirmed. However, no significant changes were found in the concentration of OMEN in any groups. Combined aerobic and resistance exercises led to a higher reduction of LEP concentration than applying only aerobic training in males with MetS.