Effect of Elastic Resistance Training and Vitamin D on Systemic Inflammation Indices in Untrained Men: A Clinical Trial

Article type: Original Article Background: Recent studies demonstrate the ability of vitamin D to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Objectives: The current study aimed at examining the effect of vitamin D supplementation on systemic inflammation markers during an eight-week elastic resistance training (ERT) on untrained men. Materials and Methods: Forty healthy males with no experience in resistance training were assigned to elastic training—vitamin D (ED, n=10), elastic resistance training—placebo (EP, n=10), vitamin D (VD, n=10), and control (Con, n=10) groups. ERT was performed with eight exercises three times a week on nonconsecutive days for eight weeks. Also, the subjects in the ED, VD, and EP groups consumed 50,000 IU vitamin D or placebo once every two weeks. Blood samples were collected before and 72 hours after the last session of eight weeks of ERT for measuring concentration of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C reactive protein (CRP). Results: It is found that ED elicited a significant reduction in IL6 than VD (p<0.05) and control (p<0.05). Also, there is a significant difference between EP group and VD (p<0.05) and control ones (p<0.05). However, there is no significant difference between ED and EP in the variables mentioned (p<0.05). Also, it was observed that there was no statistical significant alteration in CRP concentration between preand post-training (p>0.05). Conclusion: Finally, we can claim that the combination of elastic resistance training with vitamin D did not have extra advantages in attenuation of systemic inflammatory indices when compared with the training alone.