ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Original Research

Authors

Ghanbari-Niaki   A. (1)
Ardeshiri   S. (1)
Aliakbari-Baydokhty   M. (*)
Saeidi   A. (1)






(*) Physical Education Department, Physical Education & Sport Sciences Faculty, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran
(1) Exercise Physiology Department, Physical Education & Sport Science Faculty, Mazandaran University, Babolsar, Iran

Correspondence

Address: NO 20, Chamran Street, Baydokht, Gonabad, Razavi Khorasan, Iran. Postal Code: 9694114439
Phone: +985157332727
Fax: +985157332727
aliakbaribidokhti@yahoo.com

Article History

Received:  June  22, 2015
Accepted:  January 11, 2016
ePublished:  March 5, 2016

BRIEF TEXT


… [1-9] Serum insulin concentration decreases after an acute resistance training period. Insulin is mainly influenced by diet and blood sugar [10-12]. … [13]

Saffron extract contains many compounds such as water-soluble alpha-carotenoid, crocin, D-crocin, tricorocin, picrocrocin and safranal [14, 15]. Saffron hypoglycemic effect is due its metabolic activity in the skeletal muscle [16].

This study aimed to investigate the effect of short circuit resistance training with Saffron supplement on the levels of estradiol and insulin hormones.

This is a semi-experimental research.

Male students of Mazandaran University were studied in 2013.

44 students of Mazandaran University voluntarily participated in the study.

All participants were homogenously divided into four groups of water-training (n=11), Saffron petals sweat-training (n=10), stamen-training (n=11) and stigma-training (n=12). The subjects received 500 mg of Saffron (stigma and stamen) in two stages: one capsule (250mg) after the breakfast and one capsule immediately after training (250mg) with 100 ml water. The group of saffron petal sweat received 200 ml sweat with a placebo (250mg capsule), and the water group received 200 ml water with a placebo (250 mg capsule). Before circuit resistance training, at first the subjects became familiar with the workplace, and referred to training site in three separate session to determine 1RM (1 Repetition Maximum) of the specified exercises. During these three sessions the IRM for squat activity, barbell bench press, leg machine, barbell shoulder press, leg press machine, boat machine, foot forward machine, squatting cable curl, leg machine, arm forward and cable curl, trunk extension, and sit-up exercises were calculated using two methods of trial and error and Berzisky formula [17]. Subjects did these exercises with 40% of mean 1RM with the average speed for two weeks (5 sessions a week). Each exercise session consisted of 5 minutes for warming-up and then 12 movements without stopping between the exercises, and the duration for doing each exercise was 30 seconds for each station. In two first sessions one training set was performed. From the third session the participants did the exercises in two sets and they were actively resting for three minutes between the sets. Blood samples of the subjects were taken early morning from brachial vein after 10 to 12 hours fasting in two stages of 48 hours before starting the exercises and 48 hours after the last exercise sessions. And the samples were poured into the tubes containing EDTA (Ethylene Diamine Tetra-acetic Acid). For measuring hormones, a device (Elecsys 2010 HITACHI Roche, model 2020; Japan and Germany) was used. Plasma estradiol was determined by ELISA method using human estradiol detection kit (IBL Company code RE52041; Germany). Plasma inulin, also, was determined using human insulin detection kit (DEMDITEC Co. Code: DE2935; Germany). After confirming normal distribution using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, at first the difference between pretest and posttest (d) was determined to compare the groups. Then for comparison between the obtained values of d, one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc test were used. T-test was used to determine variations within groups. All analyses were performed using SPSS 20 software.

The mean demographic characteristics of the subjects in each group have been presented in Table 1. No significant change in the levels of insulin hormone was observed between the studied groups (p= 0.516). Also, there was no significant change between the insulin levels before and after exercises in the groups including water-training (p=0.0829), petal sweat-training (0.954), stamen-training (p= 0.322), and stigma-training (p= 0.064; Diagram 1). Changes in the estradiol hormone levels had a statistically significant difference between the groups (p= 0.012) that is there was a significant difference between water-training group and stigma-training group (p=0.007), but no significant difference was observed between other groups. Also, before and after exercise training, a significant difference was observed in stamen-training group (p= 0.033) and stigma-training group (p<0.001). However, there was no significant difference in water-training group (p=0.951) and petals sweat-training group (p= 0.239; Diagram 2).

Two-week circuit resistance training with and without Saffron supplementation can increase plasma estradiol hormone concentration, but did not lead to a significant change in plasma insulin concentration. Resistance training lead to an acute physiological response and a chronic compatibility which are essential for increasing muscle strength, muscular endurance, hypertrophy and local muscular endurance [13]. The results of current study did not show any significant difference between the groups in plasma insulin hormone which are consistent with some studies [18] showing that a short-term resistance training does not create significant change in the insulin concentration in the pregnant women, and the results of this study are consistent with some other studies [19] showing that using Saffron extract with resistance exercises does not make significant change in the insulin level in diabetic rats. On the other hand, the results of this study are not consistent with the results of some other studies [20]. … [21] Plasma estradiol hormone showed a significant difference between the groups. And the difference was between water-training group and stigma-training group. In addition, training with saffron supplementation significantly increased estradiol. Also, a significant difference was observed before and after training in stamen-training and stigma-training groups. The results of some studies [22, 23] are similar to the results of the present study. On the other hand, the results of the present study are not in line with some studies [24] showing that resistance and endurance training program can change the estradiol levels and significantly increases the serum estradiol. … [25-28] No study was found regarding the circuit resistance training with saffron supplementation. However due to abundant carotenoids as a powerful antioxidant, Saffron, probably, can increase synthesis of steroid hormones [29].

In the future studies, different groups with different doses of supplements and different intensity of resistance training for a longer time should be used.

Among the limitations of this study was the lack of precise control of diet (energy intake and consumption). Also, in this research, there was no possibility for determining the effects of different doses of Saffron supplements and prolonging the period of training.

Circuit resistance training with saffron supplementation does not result in any change in the mean concentration of insulin hormone. However, consumption of the supplement of stigma of saffron flower can enhance the effects of resistance training and increase estradiol hormone.

Deputy of Research of School of Physical Education and Sport Sciences of Mazandaran University is appreciated.

There was no conflict of interest.

Subjects completed the consent form voluntary, and announced their readiness to participate in this study.

This study was done without any financial resource of any organization and institution.

TABLES and CHARTS

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