Effects of Silymarin Supplementation on Leptin, Adiponectin and Paraoxanase Levels and Body Composition During Exercise: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial

Silymarin has powerful antioxidant properties, but its effects on athletic performance are poorly understood..
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of 4 weeks of endurance or strength exercise, with or without silymarin, on body composition, paraoxonase (PON), leptin and adiponectin levels in untrained men..
A total of 45 untrained men were divided into 5 groups (n = 9): endurance training with placebo (ET P), endurance training with 140 mg of silymarin/day (ET S), strength training with placebo (ST P), strength training with 140 mg of silymarin/day (ST S) and placebo (C). Anthropometrical and VO2max measurements and ELISA assay for PON, leptin and adiponectin levels were performed at the beginning and after the 4-week of the study.
There was a significant decrease in weight and body mass index in the ET P and ET S groups and increases in ST P and ST S (P The present study has demonstrated that a combination of exercise and silymarin can improve body composition and adiponectin levels..