Endurance training-induced increase in circulating irisin levels is associated with reduction of abdominal visceral fat in middle-aged and older adults

Abstract

To elucidate the effects of endurance training on circulating irisin levels in young and middle-aged/older adults, and to determine the association between endurance training-induced alteration of irisin and reduction in body fat. Twenty-five healthy young (age 21 ± 1 years; 16 men, 9 women) and 28 healthy middle-aged/older adults (age 67 ± 8 years; 12 men, 16 women) participated in the study. Each age cohort was divided into two groups: the endurance-training group (14 young, 14 middle-aged/older) and the control group. Subjects in the training groups completed an 8-week endurance-training program (cycling at 60-70% peak oxygen uptake [V̇O2peak] for 45 min, 3 days/week). Before and after the intervention, we evaluated serum irisin level, V̇O2peak, and body composition. The increase in V̇O2peak in the young and middle-aged/older training groups after the intervention period was significantly greater than those in the young and middle-aged/older control groups (P < 0.05). Serum irisin level was significantly increased in the middle-aged/older training group after the intervention period (P < 0.01), but not in the young training group. Furthermore, in the middle-aged/older training group, the endurance training-induced reduction in visceral adipose tissue area was negatively correlated with the change in serum irisin level (r = -0.54, P < 0.05). These results suggest a possible role for secreted irisin in the exercise-induced alteration of abdominal visceral fat in middle-aged and older adults.

Fig 1. Comparison of serum irisin concentration at baseline between young (n = 25) and middle-aged/older (n = 28) adults.

*: P < 0.01.

Fig 2. Relative change of serum irisin concentrations in young (A) and middle-aged/older (B) adults before and after the 8-week intervention period.

Data are expressed as Post value of irisin concentration normalized with Pre value for each subject.*: P < 0.01. †: P < 0.05 vs. Pre value in middle-aged/older training group.

Fig 3. Associations between change in serum irisin concentration and change in body weight (A), whole-body fat mass (B), abdominal visceral adipose tissue (C), abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (D), arm fat mass (E), and leg fat mass (F).

Solid circles: middle-aged/older training group, open circles: young training group.