Iranian Journal of

Background: Visfatin is an adipokine secreted from visceral adipose tissue and involved in glucose homeostasis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of eight-week resistance training on plasma visfatin levels and its relation to insulin resistance in insulin-resistant male rats.

Methods: In this experimental study twenty-four Wistar male rats­ (220±20 gr) were acclimatized with lab condition then were randomly divided into three groups: Control (C), Insulin-Resistant control (IRC) and Insulin-resistant Training (T) groups. Insulin-resistance status induced by %10 fructose solution during 5 weeks. Resistance training group subjected to a three-day per week resistance training program for 8 weeks. Plasma visfatin, insulin, glucose levels, and insulin resistance index were assessed 48 hours after experimental period. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and statistical significance was set at P<0/05

Results: The results showed that insulin resistance induction significantly increased plasma visfatin, glucose, insulin levels and insulin resistance index (P<0.05). On the other hand, resistance training significantly decreased plasma visfatin, glucose, and insulin levels (P<0.05) but visfatin was not altered significantly (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Based on the findings, visfatin increases in diabetes and insulin resistance and is correlated with insulin resistance. The change in plasma visfatin levels was not significant following resistance training and it was not correlated with insulin resistance index. Therefore, visfatin may not have a role in metabolic improvement induced by exercise training.