Abstract
Purpose
Long-term physical activity is reported to improve chronic systemic inflammation, which provides protection against the ensuing development of chronic disease. Accordingly, the present study assessed changes in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, aerobic capacity and body composition following 8 weeks of either small-sided games (SSG) or cycling (CYC) training compared to a sedentary control (CON) condition.
Methods
Thirty-three middle-aged, sedentary men were randomized into CYC (n = 11), SSG (n = 11), or CON (n = 11) conditions. The CYC and SSG conditions trained 3 days/week for 8 weeks, whilst CON maintained habitual activity and dietary patterns. Pre- and post-intervention testing included a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan, sub-maximal (80 % maximal heart rate) aerobic capacity (VO2) and fasting venous blood. Venous blood measures for pro-inflammatory markers included C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and leptin; anti-inflammatory markers included IL-10, IL-1 receptor agonist, and adiponectin.
Results
Both CYC and SSG increased submaximal power output and VO2 (P < 0.05), decreased total body fat-mass (TB-FM; P < 0.05), and CRP (SSG, −0.45 ± 0.42 mg L−1; P = 0.008; CYC, −0.44 ± 0.59 mg L−1; P = 0.02). Only SSG increased total body fat-free mass (TB-FFM; +1.1 ± 1.2 kg; P = 0.001) and decreased concentration of plasma IL-6 (−0.69 ± 0.62 pg mL−1; P = 0.002) and leptin (−2,212 ± 2,531 ng mL−1; P = 0.014).
Conclusion
Cycling and SSG training were both effective at improving CRP, VO2 and TB-FM. Furthermore, SSG training has also shown to be an effective training approach in reducing IL-6 and leptin and increasing muscle mass within sedentary, middle-aged men.
Abbreviations
- BMI:
-
Body mass index
- CON:
-
Control
- CRP:
-
C-reactive protein
- CVD:
-
Cardiovascular disease
- CYC:
-
Cycling
- DEXA:
-
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
- GLUT4:
-
Glucose transporter 4
- GPS:
-
Global positioning satellite
- GXT:
-
Graded exercise test
- HR:
-
Heart rate
- HRmax :
-
Maximum heart rate
- IL:
-
Interleukin
- Kp:
-
Kilopond
- VO2 :
-
Oxygen consumption
- Ra:
-
Receptor agonist
- RPE:
-
Rating of perceived exertion
- RPM:
-
Revolutions per minute
- TB-FM:
-
Total body fat mass
- TB-FFM:
-
Total-body fat-free mass
- TNF-α:
-
Tumor necrosis factor alpha
- T2DM:
-
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
- SSG:
-
Small-sided games
- WHR:
-
Waist-to-hip ratio
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the Faculty of Education Grant, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst for providing the funding required for blood analysis. The authors would also like to acknowledge staff at Pathology, Bathurst Base Hospital NSW, Australia, and the Institutional staff at Charles Sturt University Exercise Physiology Laboratories, Bathurst, NSW for assistance and support involving blood analysis. The authors would also like to thank the participants and research assistants for their involvement in the study.
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Communicated by Peter Krustrup.
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Mendham, A.E., Duffield, R., Marino, F. et al. Small-sided games training reduces CRP, IL-6 and leptin in sedentary, middle-aged men. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 2289–2297 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2953-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2953-3