Glucose, Insulin and Growth/Differentiation Factor-15 Serums Responses to the Acute Effects of Two Intermittent and Continuous Exercises in Sedentary Obese Males

Background Growth/Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15) is a stress responsive cytokine linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease and inflammation. Exercise can be a transient physiological stress in whole-body energy metabolism. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the glucose, insulin and GDF-15 serum responses to acute effects of two intermittent and continuous exercises in sedentary obese males. Methods In this quasi-experimental study, eight inactive men (Mean±SD age, 25.75±2.37 years, body mass index: 31.96±3.03 kg/m2) were asked to perform two types of high-intensity intermittent activity (HIIT, 6×1-min running with 85% VO2max intensity and 4-min rest with 60% VO2max intensity between sets) and moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MIT, 30-min running with 65% VO2max intensity) in a crossover and randomly designed protocol along with control session. Findings GDF-15 serum level exercise significantly increased after HIIT and MIT exercises compared to the control (P≤0.001) and after 24 h, no significant difference was seen between the results of two groups (P>0.62). Serum glucose level significantly decreased after both HIIT and MIT protocols compared to the controls (P<0.001), but no significant differences were observed in insulin serum levels between protocols (P>0.13). Conclusion Exercise can increase plasma GDF-15 level and improve glucose metabolism in inactive obese males.