Adipokines modulation through exercise training: a comparative study of different training models in men with obesity

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Metabolic Health
• Adipokine Signaling

Background:

• Obesity is associated with adipokine dysregulation and increased cardiometabolic risk.
• The comparative effects of different exercise modalities on emerging adipokines remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effects of 12-week Tabata, HIIT, and MICT on adipokines and metabolic health in men with obesity.
• To evaluate exercise intensity's role in modulating the adipo-myokine landscape.

Main Methods:

• Forty-four men with obesity were randomized into Tabata, HIIT, MICT, or control groups.
• Anthropometric, metabolic, and adipokine markers were measured pre- and post-intervention.
• Repeated-measures ANOVA was used for data analysis.

Main Results:

• All exercise interventions improved lipid profiles.
• High-intensity protocols (Tabata, HIIT) showed superior effects on the asprosin-spexin axis.
• Spexin and irisin increased; lipocalin-2 and asprosin decreased, with greatest changes in Tabata/HIIT groups.
• Adipo-myokine improvements correlated with fat mass reduction.

Conclusions:

• High-intensity exercise, especially Tabata, is a potent and time-efficient stimulus for improving adipokine profiles and cardiometabolic risk factors in obesity.
• These findings support incorporating high-intensity interval training into clinical weight management strategies.