Effect of swimming training on levels of asprosin, lipid profile, glucose and insulin resistance in rats with metabolic syndrome

Asprosin is a novel biomarker that associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of continuous and interval swimming training on the asprosin, lipid profile, glucose concentration and insulin resistance serum levels of rats with metabolic syndrome. Forty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups, standard diet (SD) and high-fat diet (HD), and received their respective diets for a period of 12 weeks without exercise stimuli. After this period, the animals were randomly divided into four groups (n = 8); normal control standard diet (NC), control (Ctr), continuous training (load 0–3% body mass, 5 d/wk, for 8 weeks, CT) and interval training (load 5–16% body mass, 5 d/wk, for 8 weeks, IT). The continuous and interval training consisted of a swimming exercise performed over eight weeks. The NC and trained groups showed lower values of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) and glucose concentration compared to Ctr group. Serum level of asprosin significantly decreased underlying CT and IT compared to NC and Ctr groups. No significant difference were observed between trained groups. It seems that both swimming training methodologies are shown to be effective in the serum levels of asprosin, lipid profile and glucose concentration in metabolic syndrome rats. •Profile lipid and glucose concentration reduced following two swimming training protocols in metabolic syndrome rats.•Continuous and interval swimming training reduce asprosin concentration. But, interval training was more effective.•Asprosin may create a new way to development of novel therapeutic strategies for patients with metabolic syndrome.