Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: Undercarboxylated Osteocalcin (ucOC) may contribute to the regulation of glucose homeostasis. Undercarboxylated osteocalcin is special protein secreted by bone as an endocrine regulation of energy metabolism and glucose. It plays an important role in insulin secretion and sensitivity. The aim of this study was to survey the effect of eight weeks resistance training on serum levels of ucOC, adiponectin and insulin sensitivity in obese women.

Methods: This quasi-experimental study performed on twenty obese women (BMI> 30) in Amol City Sport clubs, Iran, in May 2014. Samples randomly divided into two groups: a control group and an experimental group.  The experimental group consisted of eight weeks of resistance training, three times a week in six stations (including the movements of the leg press, bench press, triceps, biceps, abdominal motion, pull side and half scott) and with an intensity of 55% to 75% of one repetition maximum. Blood samples were collected after 12- 14 hours, fast and before it and also after eight weeks (48 hours after the last training session). Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was performed to confirm that data was normally distributed. The obtained data was analyzed using paired-sample t-test, independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA at the significance level of P< 0.05.

Results: The results showed that resistance training had no significant effect on serum ucOC (P= 0.094) levels and insulin sensitivity (P= 0.178) in obesity. However, the experimental group after resistance training showed significantly higher adiponectin level than the upper limit of normal range (P= 0.003). There was no relationship between adiponectin and ucOC.

Conclusion: Resistance exercise can increase levels of serum undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) and adiponectin in obese women. It can be said that this type of activity could possibly be effective in glucose hemeostasis.