Effects of physical training on serum and pituitary growth hormone contents in diabetic rats

The present study investigated the effects of moderate physical training on some of the parameters in the GH-IGF axis in experimental diabetic rats. Male Wistar rats were allocated into the following groups: sedentary control, trained control, sedentary diabetic, trained diabetic. Diabetes was induced by alloxan (32 mg/kg, b.w. iv). The physical training protocol consisted of 1 h swimming session/day, 5 days/week for 8 weeks supporting a load corresponding to 90% of maximal lactate steady state. After the experimental period, blood was collected to measure serum glucose, insulin, triglycerides, albumin, insulin-like growth factors-I (IGF-I), and growth hormone (GH). Pituitary gland was removed for GH quantification. Diabetes increased blood glucose and triglycerides and decreased insulin, IGF-I, serum and pituitary GH. Physical training decreased glucose and triglycerides, and also counteracted the reduction of serum IGF-I in diabetic rats. In conclusion, physical training recovered serum IGF-I showing no alteration of serum or pituitary GH levels.