Content area
Full text
ABSTRACT
In order to minimize the deleterious effects caused by Diabetes Mellitus, physical exercise has been used as an alternative non-pharmacological treatment. To assess the effect of resistance exercise on posterior muscles of rats chronically treated with low doses of dexamethasone. Twenty-Four Wistar rats were separated into four groups: saline trained (ST), saline sedentary (SS), dexa trained (DT), and dexa sedentary (DS). Based on the squatting protocol, rats from the ST and DT groups were attached to equipment where they were trained in three series with ten repetitions each, using an exercise load corresponding to 70% of maximum repetition (RM) during 12 weeks. After the experiment, the soleus, gastrocnemius and plantaris muscles were dissected and weighed. The resistance exercise led to an increase in body weight for SS and ST groups (33.17% and 14.87%, respectively), as well as in the weight of the soleus muscle for ST and DT groups (28.33% and 25.29%, respectively) and the plantaris muscle for ST group (27.14%). Additionally, the percentage of perigonadal fat pad was decreased in DT and ST groups (24.0% and 26.6%, respectively). The experimental protocol indicates that the resistance exercise improves the muscle quality, decreases fat mass, and increases the weight of some posterior muscles of the hind limbs.
Keywords: Glucocorticoids, resistance training, skeletal muscle, body weight.
INTRODUCTION
Resistance exercise (RE) is characterized by muscular tension, with or without joint movement, against muscular action (as a form of resistance). It improves physical aptitude, body composition, and disease prevention in several populations (Azevedo et al., 2007; Borges, Araújo and Cunha, 2010; Westcott, 2012). Among the functional benefits of practicing RE, the increase in muscle strength and endurance are the most prominent (Schoenfeld, Grgic, Ogborn, Krieger, 2017). Other authors have suggested beneficial effects on physiological parameters, such as improvements in cardiovascular and endocrine system, lipid profile, and body composition as well as increased insulin sensitivity, muscle mass, and bone density, and blood pressure control (American College Of Sport Medicine [ACSM], 2009; Faigenbaum et al., 2009; Westcott, 2012; Winnet and Carpinelli, 2001).
Attenuation of muscle atrophy has been observed in an experimental diabetes model following high-intensity (70%-80%) RE protocols (vertical climbing for 8 weeks) (Krug et al., 2016; Macedo et al., 2014). Different experimental models are used to evaluate...