Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Sport Sciences for Health https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-020-00656-0 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Efect of Chlorella vulgaris supplementation with eccentric exercise on serum interleukin 6 and insulin resistance in overweight men Mohammad Samadi 1  · Hossein Shirvani 1  · Ali Akbar Shafeie 1 Received: 11 February 2020 / Accepted: 14 May 2020 © Springer-Verlag Italia S.r.l., part of Springer Nature 2020 Abstract Purpose Overweight can lead to the down-regulation of insulin sensitivity and cytokine profle. In this regard, non-phar- macological interventions such as exercise and supplementation are recommended. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the synergistic efect of Chlorella vulgaris supplementation with acute eccentric exercise on serum levels of interleukin-6 and insulin resistance in overweight men. Methods Thirty subjects (aged 22.8 ± 2.1 years, BMI 27.1 ± 9.6 kg/m 2 ) were randomly divided into three equal groups: exercise [just perform acute eccentric exercise test (AEE)], Chlorella vulgaris (for 7 days and then AEE), placebo (for 7 days and then AEE). Blood sampling was performed in 4 stages: day 1 (before supplementation) and day 7 (after supplementa- tion), after AEE and 24 h after AEE. Subjects of the supplement group received Chlorella vulgaris supplement (300 mg) four times daily for 1 week, and the placebo group consumed similar dextrose tablets. Exercise groups just perform AEE. AEE test included a 20-min treadmill run at a speed of 9 km/h with a negative 10% slope. Serum levels of IL-6, insulin, and glu- cose were measured by Elisa kit. Also, the hip circumference and knee range of motion (ROM) was measured at four stages. Results At the end of the study, there was a signifcant decrease in IL-6 levels in the Chlorella vulgaris group compared to the other two groups at 24 h after AEE test (P < 0.01). There was also a signifcant decrease in insulin resistance levels in the supplement group compared to the other two groups at 24 h after AEE test (P < 0.02). Also, the knee ROM decreased signifcantly in all three groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion Chlorella vulgaris with acute eccentric exercise can have a more modulating efect on serum IL-6, insulin resist- ance and other characteristics in overweight men compared to acute eccentric exercise without chlorella. Keywords Insulin resistance · Chlorella vulgaris · Cytokine · Eccentric exercise · Overweight Introduction In inactive people, gaining weight and obesity is strongly associated decrease the range of motion (ROM) and increase in waist-hip ratio or waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) with distri- bution of chronic diseases including hypertension, disorder in blood lipids’ and insulin resistance, which are all risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Also, inactive lifestyle increases the risk of developing CVD [1]. The WHR is the dimensionless ratio of the circumference of the waist to that of the hips. WHR is used as a measurement of obesity, which in turn is a possible indicator of other more serious health conditions. Also, obesity is associated with poorer range of motion and Tegner scores following ham- string auto graft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in Asians. Exercise training improve ROM in obese people. It has been show that physical activity signifcantly reduces risk factor of CVD [2]. It is suggesting that, in the treatment of overweight, physical activity should be accompanied by weight-loss diet. Doing heavy and unusual physical activities and/or activi- ties associated with extrovert contractions such as running downhill, plyometric exercises and extrovert contractions caused by exercise are followed by increasing overly infam- matory factors in the muscle [3]. Christiansen et al. show that acute exercise increases circulating infammatory mark- ers in overweight and obese compared with lean subjects [4]. Muscular function disorder that occurs as a result of mus- cular incandescence and injury leads to a decrease in daily * Hossein Shirvani shirvani@bmsu.ac.ir 1 Exercise Physiology Research Center, Life Style Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran