The effect of high-intensity Interval training and L-arginine supplementation on serum level of Irisin and body fat percentage in overweight and obese men: A Randomized Clinicai Trial

Irisin, as a myokine, has been known in reducing obesity and converting white to brown adipose tissue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of high-intensity interval training and L-arginine supplementation on serum level of Irisin and body fat percentage in overweight and obese men.
In this randomized clinical trial, 40 young healthy overweight and obese men (mean age, 24.5±6.5 years and body mass index, 29.4± 3.6kg/m2), were randomly assigned to 4 groups of high-intensity interval training, L-arginine supplementation, high-intensity interval trainingarginine supplementation, and placebo. The training program consisted of 3 sessions/week high-speed interval running for 6 weeks. L-arginine supplement was consumed orally 6gr/day. Blood sampling and measurement of body fat percentage, was performed 24 hours before and 48 hours after training program and supplementation. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA and post-hoc Bonferroni tests (p The serum level of irisin significantly increased following 6 weeks of high-intensity interval training and high-intensity interval trainingarginine supplementation (pvalues= 0.017 and 0.019, respectively). While L-arginine consumption did not cause any significant changes in the level of irisin (p=0.19). Body fat percentage had no significant changes following 6 weeks of high-intensity training and L-arginine consumption (p>0.05).
According to the findings of this study, 6 weeks of high-intensity interval training and high-intensity interval training accompanied by L-arginine supplementation can be an effective step in facilitating the activation of brown adipose tissue through increasing the serum level of irisin. Thus, high-intensity interval training can be used as a method in the treatment of obesity.