The Effect of an 8-week Aerobic Training and Weight-loss Diet on the Level of Serum Follistatin in Inactive Middle-aged Women

Follistatin can prohibit adipocyte hypertrophy through its role in regulating the synthesis of adipose tissue. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of aerobic exercises and weight-loss diet on serum follistatin level in inactive middle-aged women. 39 women with an average age of 39.43±3.6 were randomly divided into four experimental groups including: aerobic, step-by-step weight loss diet(n=10), aerobics followed by step-by-step weight loss diet (n=10) and low calorie weight lose(n=10). During eight weeks: the aerobic group exercised three days a week, the step-by-step weight loss group lowered the calorie intake by 20-40% gradually, the third group did aerobic exercise simultaneously keeping step-by-step weight loss diet three times a week, and the fourth group performed their plan by lowering the calorie intake by 40% in a steady way. Moreover, the study variables were measured before and after the interventionand, the study data were statistically analyzed utilizing paired samples t-test and one-way Anova test. Serum Follistatin levels significantly increased(p<0.05) in the groups of aerobics(1.86±0.17, 1.67±0.18), step-by-step weight lose diet(1.6±0.17, 1.5±0.21), and aerobics+ step-by-step diet(1.7±0.15, 1.55±0.17), respectively, whereas in the low calorie group, the level of serum follistatin(1.36±0.11, 1.47±0.16) significantly decreased(p<0.05). The method of aerobic excercise along with the step-by-step diet can lead to achieving a healthy weight loss by increasing follistatin level and stimulating the catabolic process of body fal mass. Moreover, it may cause no ersion of fat free mass.