Effects of short-term nonperiodized, linear periodized and daily undulating periodized resistance training on plasma adiponectin, leptin and insulin resistance.

Objectives: Resistance training (RT) had a positive effect on musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and type 2 diabetes disease. Knowing about the influence of different types of RT on the adipokines involved in the insulin regulation could be useful for the treatment of insulin resistance or diabetes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effects of nonperiodized vs. periodized RT on plasma adiponectin, leptin and insulin resistance index in overweight men.

Design And Methods: Thirty two sedentary overweight men (mean ± SD; age, 23.4 ± 0.6 years) were allocated to one of the following (n=8) groups: control group (CON), nonperiodized (NP), linear periodized (LP) and daily undulating periodized (DUP) training groups. Subjects in training groups performed RT protocols 3daysperweek for 8 weeks. Blood samples were taken before and 72 h after the training period and were analyzed for plasma adiponectin, leptin, glucose, and insulin.

Results: Insulin resistance decreased in all training groups but significant differences were only found between DUP and CON groups (P<0.05). However, after 8 weeks of RT no significant changes were observed in plasma adiponectin and leptin concentrations. Body fat percent and waist to hip ratio (WHR) decreased significantly (P<0.05) following training, whereas, no significant changes were detected in body mass and BMI (P>0.05). The maximum strength (1RM) for bench press and leg press increased after RT in all training groups (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Short-term periodized RT protocols can be an efficient training strategy for improving insulin resistance and muscular strength in overweight men, while, they have no significant influence on adiponectin and leptin.