Interactive Effect of Aerobic Training and L-Carnitine Supplementation on Cardiac Tissue Apelin and Insulin Resistance in Diabetic Rats

Adipokine apelin plays an important role in regulating energy homeostasis and improving insulin resistance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interactive effect of aerobic exercise and L-carnitine supplementation on serum levels of cardiac tissue apelin and insulin resistance in diabetic rats.

In this experimental study, 40 male rats were randomly divided into five groups of healthy control, diabetic control (placebo), diabetes + L-carnitine, diabetes + aerobic exercise, and diabetes + L-carnitine + exercise. After induction of diabetes in rats, aerobic exercise and L-carnitine supplementation were performed for six weeks and five sessions per week. Aerobic training in the active groups consisted of 10 minutes of treadmill exercise with 60% of maximal oxygen uptake, which increased by 20 minutes from the third week, with no control group training.

There was a significant increase in apelin in the diabetes + aerobic training group and the diabetes + aerobic training + L-carnitine group compared to the control and placebo groups (P = 0.001). There was no significant difference between the two active groups (P = 0.227). There was a significant decrease in insulin and glucose levels in the active groups compared to the control and placebo groups, too (P = 0.001).

Aerobic training and consumption of L-carnitine can increase cardiac tissue apelin and decrease insulin resistance.