Effect of 10 Weeks Intensive Aerobic Training on Plasma Concentrations of Antiinflammatory Cytokines and Testosterone in Sedentary Men

Propose: Increase in anti-inflammatory cytokines via exercise training is one of methods proposed to reducing
chronic inflammation. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of 10 weeks intensive
aerobic training on plasma anti-inflammatory cytokines and their relationships with testosterone hormone and
body composition in young men. Methods: Twenty sedentary men (age, 20-30 yr), volunteers to participant in
the study, that randomly divided to two groups of control (n=9) and aerobic training (n=11). At baseline and
after 5 and 10 weeks from intervention concentrations of plasma IL-4, IL-10 and testosterone with ELISA
method, and body fat percent, waist to hip ratio (WHR), and body mass index (BMI) were measured. Aerobic
training programme included 30 min cycling on ergometer at 70% maximal heart rate, and this was then as
progressive changed to 50 min at 80% maximal heart rate in weeks 10. Results: One-way ANOVA with
repeated measures, indicated that aerobic training increased VO2max (P=0.00), and decreased body fat percent
(P=0.04), but concentrations of plasma IL-4 (P=0.37), IL-10 (P=0.34), testosterone (P=0.87), WHR (P=0.44)
and BMI (P=0.50) not changed. Pearson’s correlation indicated that no relationships were between changes in
IL-4 and testosterone (R=-0.50), body fat percent (R=0.48), WHR (R=-0.41) and BMI (P=0.37) in addition,
changes in IL-10 and testosterone (R=0.10), body fat percent (R=0.55), WHR (R=-0.32) and BMI (P=0.52)
after intensive aerobic training (P˃0.05). Conclusions: These results indicated that, 10 weeks intensive aerobic
training has no significant effect on baseline anti-inflammatory cytokine concentrations in sedentary young
men.