Combination of Curcumin Supplementation with Aerobic Training Improves Glycemic & Lipidemic Statuses
Currently, overweight and obesity are problems around the world, especially for women. In developing countries, it seems that the prevalence of obesity among women is more than that among men. This condition has an important effect on health impairment, female reproduction, and reduced quality of life.
Overweight and obesity are associated with diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, various cancers, nervous system disorders and mortality. Studies have shown that overweight and obesity are associated with insulin resistance index. It seems these factors cause many complications, metabolic problems, and some diseases.
Various studies have indicated that physical activity is an important environmental factor associated with body weight regulation.
Increasing physical activity has become an important aspect of nonpharmacological strategies to control obesity and blood glucose, as well as to prevent impaired lipid profile advancement and glucose intolerance progression. Furthermore, it has been reported that curcumin may have protective effects against obesity and the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and several cancers.
Curcumin is a bioactive polyphenol found in turmeric rhizomes and is used in traditional Chinese medicine.
There is evidence that in people with metabolic syndrome, curcumin can decrease body mass index (BMI), weight, waist circumference (WC) and leptin concentrations.
In individuals with metabolic syndrome, the development of inflammatory mediators is the basis of biological disorders.
Curcumin plays an inhibitory role in the development of inflammation in these patients. Curcumin decreased the release of cytokines and the permeability of the M1 family of macrophages and improved insulin sensitivity by activating SIRT1 in adipose tissue.
Many studies have shown that curcumin has anti-inflammatory, anti-infectious, antioxidant, anti-arthritic, cardioprotective, anti-carcinogenic and anti-anxiety effects in obese individuals.
It may help to improve conditions such as asthma, allergies, bronchial hyperactivity, sinusitis, anorexia, cough, and hepatic disease and to inhibit cancer progression. The anti-inflammatory property of curcumin appears to be mediated through the inhibition of the induction of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), lipoxygenase, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and the production of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor and C-reactive protein (CRP).
Most studies have explored the effects of training or curcumin supplementation separately on anthropometric indices, lipid profiles, CRP and insulin resistance.
However, few studies have been done on the simultaneous effects of curcumin and physical activity on these factors. Therefore, we investigated the effects of curcumin supplement intake alone and in combination with aerobic training on body composition, glycemic variables, lipid profiles, and CRP in overweight women.
This study aimed to investigate the effects of curcumin supplementation alone and in combination with aerobic training on body composition, glycemic variables, serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and lipid profiles in overweight women.
In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 40 healthy sedentary overweight females (aged 30–45 years with body mass index [BMI] of 25–30 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to four groups of 10 subjects each: curcumin supplementation (Cur), placebo (Pla), placebo + aerobic training (Pla+Tra), curcumin supplementation + aerobic training (Cur+Tra). Curcumin or placebo capsules (500 mg/day) were administered for 8 weeks.
During the intervention, Cur group showed significant reductions in weight, BMI and fasting blood glucose level; Cur+Tra group decreased waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, serum insulin level, low-density lipoprotein to high-density lipoprotein ratio, and total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein ratio and increased serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
The between-groups analysis indicated increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the Cur and Cur+Tra groups compared to the Placebo group. The estimated marginal means of serum CRP were significantly higher in Pla+Tra group than in the Cur and Cur+Tra groups.
These findings suggest that the combination of curcumin supplementation with aerobic training more effectively improves glycemic and lipidemic statuses than curcumin supplementation or aerobic training alone.
Story Source:
J Obes Metab Syndr 2020;29(1):47-57 https://doi.org/10.7570/jomes19055
“The Effect of Curcumin Supplementation and Aerobic Training on Anthropometric Indices, Serum Lipid Profiles, C-Reactive Protein and Insulin Resistance in Overweight Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial”
Published online March 30, 2020
© 2020 Korean Society for the Study of Obesity