The Effect of resistance training on serum myostatin level and insulin resistance in obese-overweight men

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of resistance training for 10 weeks on muscle strength, lean body mass, serum myostatin, and insulin resistance in obese-overweight men. Seventeen obsess-overweight men(age:=43.1±4.7 yr, body mass index = 29.1±2.17 kg/m2) participated in the study The subjects were randomly assigned to resistance training (n=9) and control (n=8) groups. Resistance training was performed 3 times weekly for 10 weeks. Body composition, metabolic parameters, and myostatin were measured prior to and after the intervention. After a 10 week resistance training, insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) was significantly decreased (P<0.05), but without changes in adiposity parameter such as body weight ,body mass index, fat percent and waist circumference (P>0.05). Also, following the resistance training, muscle strength and lean body mass were significantly increased (P<0.05). Concurrently, myostatin concentration were significantly decreased in response to resistance training (P<0.05). In conclusion, this study demonstrate that 10 weeks of resistance training caused an improvement in insulin resistance in obese-overweight men, independent of changes in body fat, and this improvement was associated with decreased myostatin levels. These data suggest that resistance training – induced alterations in myostatin levels may have role in resistance training – induced insulin sensitivity improvement.