The effect of eight weeks of high-intensity interval training with L-cysteine consumption on interleukin-13 and oxidative stress of heart tissue in young rats with type 2 diabetes

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 8-weeks of high-intensity interval exercise with L-cysteine (LC) consumption on interleukin (IL)-13 and hydrogen peroxide of the heart tissue in young rats with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

The statistical population of the present study consisted of young (4-month) rats with T2D. Ten rats were selected as a healthy group. Forty rats became diabetic. Diabetic rats were randomly divided into diabetes control, diabetics with exercise, diabetics with supplements, and diabetics with exercise and supplements. High-intensity interval exercises were performed 3 days a week for 8 weeks, and 500 μmol of LC were injected daily.

The healthy control group had lower IL-13 than the control group (P = 0.001). There was no significant difference in IL-13 between other groups. Based on the results, the diabetes control group had a higher H2O2 value than the healthy control group (P = 0.001). A significant difference was found between the exercise group + LC consumption compared to the diabetes control group, and the H2O2 levels in this group were less than the diabetic control group (P = 0.001). The exercise (P = 0.015) and LC (P = 0.001) groups had a lower H2O2 value than the diabetes control group. Eventually, the interval exercise group + LC was also lower than the periodic exercise group (P = 0.02).

High-intensity interval training, along with the use of LC, reduced hydrogen peroxide in the heart tissue, while it had no significant impact on IL-13.