The response of pre-inflammatory cytokines factors to different exercises (endurance, resistance, concurrent) in overweight men

Applying several energy systems and concurrent performing of various training models have a more effective role in preventing precocious occurrence of many diseases compared to training single energy system. This can be seen in case of physiologic and metabolic adaptations of the human body too. The present study attempted to investigate the effect of endurance, resistance and concurrent (endurance-resistance) training on pre-inflammatory cytokines in overweight men. Accordingly, 43 healthy overweight (BMI = 28.56 ± 2.67) young (23.7 ± 3.3 yr) students were volunteered to participate and randomly divided into three experimental (n = 11) and one control (n = 10) groups. The experimental groups performed 3 days/wk endurance, resistance and concurrent training for 8 weeks. Also, prior to and after the training, a blood sample was collected from the subjects in order to measure pre-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α). Following 8 week training, repeated measure ANOVA results showed a significant difference in IL-1β (P = 0.046) and IL-6 (P = 0.009) compared to baseline. However, this was not the case with the TNF-α. Furthermore, between group comparisons showed significant difference in IL-6 (P = 0.020) between endurance and resistance groups. Within group comparisons (depended t student test) also showed a significant difference in IL-1β and IL-6 of endurance and concurrent groups compared to baseline. Generally, it can be concluded that endurance and concurrent exercise training in part has a positive effect on pre-inflammatory cytokines.