The Effect of Aerobic Exercise Training on Biochemical and Inflammatory Markers among Young Females Suffering from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Background & aim: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of a three-month aerobic exercised training course on inflammatory markers in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on a total of 24 women with diagnosed PCOS in Isfahan, Iran, within May 22nd to September 21st 2018. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups of experimental (n=12) and control groups (n=12). The experimental group underwent 12-week aerobic exercise training, and the control group was only followed in the study. Biochemical markers, including fasting blood glucose, insulin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured in the two groups. Insulin resistance index was also determined by the calculation of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). All the variables were assessed and compared after 12 weeks. The independent t-test was used for comparing the two groups (P<0.05). Results: There was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of IL-6 (P=0.003), CRP (P=0.001), insulin (P=0.008), and HOMA-IR (P=0.04) and all were at lower level in intervention than control group. No significant difference was observed regarding TNF-α (P=0.48) and glucose (P=0.09) levels between the two groups. Conclusion: The findings of the current study showed that aerobic exercise is useful in the management of PCOS. Therefore, it is recommended to perform aerobic exercise as an appropriate modality to control PCOS and reduce its adverse effects.