Combined Exercise Training Performed by Elderly Women Reduces Redox Indexes and Proinflammatory Cytokines Related to Atherogenesis

Abstract

Cardiovascular benefits for the general population of combined aerobic-resistance exercise training are well-known, but the impact of this exercise training modality on the plasma lipid, inflammatory, and antioxidant status in elderly women that are exposed to a great risk of developing ischemic cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases has not been well investigated. So, we aimed to evaluate the plasma lipids, oxidative stress, and inflammatory cytokines in 27 elderly women (TRAINED group, 69.1 ± 8.1 yrs) that were performing moderate intensity combined aerobic-resistance exercise training (3 times/week for at least 18 months) and in 27 sedentary elderly women (SED group, 72.0 ± 6.4 yrs), not submitted to exercise training for at least 5 yrs. Our results showed that BMI was lower in the TRAINED group than in the SED group (25.1 ± 3.2 vs. 28.7 ± 5.1, p < 0.05). The TRAINED group had lower glycemia (92 ± 3 vs. 118 ± 12, p < 0.05), glycated hemoglobin (5.9 ± 0.1 vs. 6.4 ± 0.2, p < 0.05), and triglycerides (98 (75-122) vs. 139 (109-214), p < 0.01); equal total cholesterol (199 (175-230) vs. 194 (165-220)), LDL-cholesterol (108 (83-133) vs. 109 (98-136)), and non-HDL-cholesterol (54 (30-74) vs. 62 (26-80)); and also higher HDL-cholesterol (64 (52-77) vs. 52 (44-63), p < 0.01) and LDL-C/oxLDL ratio (13378 ± 2570 vs. 11639 ± 3113, p < 0.05) compared to the SED group. Proinflammatory cytokines as IL-1β (11.31 ± 2.4 vs. 28.01 ± 4.7, p < 0.05), IL-6 (26.25 ± 7.4 vs. 49.41 ± 17.8, p < 0.05), and TNF-α (25.72 ± 2.8 vs. 51.73 ± 4.2, p < 0.05) were lower in the TRAINED group than in the SED group. The TRAINED group had lower total peroxides (26.3 ± 7.4 vs. 49.0 ± 17.8, p < 0.05) and oxidized LDL (1551 ± 50.33 vs. 1773 ± 74, p < 0.02) and higher total antioxidant capacity (26.25 ± 7.4 vs. 49.41 ± 17.8, p < 0.001) compared to the SED group. In conclusion, in TRAINED women, BMI was lower, plasma lipid profile was better, plasma oxidative stress was diminished, and there was less expression of proinflammatory interleukins than in SED, suggesting that combined aerobic-resistance exercise training may promote the protection against the complications of ischemic cardio- and cerebrovascular disease in elderly women.

Figure 1

Flow diagram of the study.

Figure 2

Serum concentrations of oxidized LDL (oxLDL, pg/mL (a)), lipid peroxide (LOOH, μM (b)), and plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC, mmol/L (c)) in the SED and TRAINED groups were statistically analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. These data were presented as the median (interquartile range) with a significance level of ^∗p < 0.05.

Figure 3

Serum concentrations (pg/mL) of IL-1β (a), IL-6 (b), and TNF-α (c) in the SED and TRAINED groups were statistically analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. These data were presented as the median (interquartile range) with a significance level of ^∗p < 0.05.

Figure 4

Spearman's rank correlation coefficient analysis was used to identify the correlation between oxidized LDL (oxLDL, pg/mL) and BMI (kg/m² (a, e)) or LDL-C (mg/dL (b, f)) or lipid peroxide (LOOH, μM (c, g)) or total antioxidant capacity (TAC, mmol/L (d, h)) in the SED group (a–d) and the TRAINED group (e–h). Significance level of ^∗p < 0.05.