The effect of aerobic exercise combined with ketogenic diet on serum levels of osteocalcin and leptin in middle-aged men with metabolic syndrome

Bone metabolism is regulated by adipose tissue through the secretion of adipocytokines. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise combined with ketogenic diet on serum levels of osteocalcin and leptin in middle-aged men with metabolic syndrome.

The current research is semi-experimental. 40 men with metabolic syndrome were selected as research subjects. Then the research subjects were randomly divided into four groups included control (n=10), aerobic exercise (n=10), ketogenic diet control (n=10) and aerobic exercise combined with ketogenic diet control (n=10). The aerobic training protocol was a 45-minute period of aerobic exercise for middle-aged men with metabolic syndrome with intensity of 60-70% of maximal heart rate of aerobic exercise was selected with a sequence of 3 sessions per week for 12 consecutive weeks. Also, prescribed diets focused on carbohydrate consumption (by limiting the amount of carbohydrate consumption to 30-40 grams per day) and there was no restriction on the daily calorie intake and the type of fat consumed or the concentration of cholesterol in the diet. Post-test blood sampling of subjects in all three groups was done three days after the last training session.

The results showed a significant change in osteocalcin levels in the exercise (P=0.019) and exercise with diet control (P=0.004) groups and also a significant change in leptin levels in the exercise (P=0.01) and the exercise group with diet control (P=0.01) groups.

The participation of patients with metabolic syndrome in an aerobic exercise program combined with ketogenic diet control can play a much better role in improving metabolic disorders and bone metabolism than using these interventions alone.