Effect of Resistance Exercise on the Lipolysis Pathway in Obese Pre- and Postmenopausal Women

Sunghwun Kang; Kyu-Min Park; Kun-Young Sung; Yuning Yuan; Seung-Taek Lim

doi:10.3390/jpm11090874

Effect of Resistance Exercise on the Lipolysis Pathway in Obese Pre- and Postmenopausal Women

J Pers Med. 2021 Aug 31;11(9):874. doi: 10.3390/jpm11090874.

Authors

Sunghwun Kang^{1

2}, Kyu-Min Park³, Kun-Young Sung⁴, Yuning Yuan^{1

2}, Seung-Taek Lim⁵

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, Department of Sport Science, College of Art, Culture and Engineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon-si 24341, Gangwon-do, Korea.
² Interdisciplinary Program in Biohealth-Machinery Convergence Engineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon-si 24341, Gangwon-do, Korea.
³ Center for Sports Science in Gangwon, Chuncheon-si 24239, Gangwon-do, Korea.
⁴ Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, Kangwon National University Hospital, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon-si 24289, Gangwon-do, Korea.
⁵ Olympic Studies Center, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon-si 24341, Gangwon-do, Korea.

Abstract

Physical exercise may stimulate lipolytic activity within adipose tissue. Furthermore, resistance exercise may contribute to the more efficient reduction in adipose tissue mass and prevent the accumulation thereof in obese women. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of regular resistance exercise for 12 weeks on the lipolysis pathway in women with obesity. Twenty-three pre- and postmenopausal women with body fat percentages of 30% or more were divided into the premenopausal group (n = 9) and the postmenopausal group (n = 14). All subjects participated in resistance exercise training for 12 weeks. Anthropometric and physical fitness tests were performed on all participants. Protein analyses were performed on extracted subcutaneous fatty tissue, and changes in the relevant protein levels in the samples were analyzed by Western blotting. All serum samples were submitted for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay measurements of adipocyte factors. After 12 weeks, the adipose triglyceride lipase, monoacylglycerol lipase, and perilipin1 protein levels were significantly lower in the postmenopausal group than in the premenopausal group. The hormone-sensitive lipase protein levels were significantly higher in the postmenopausal group than in the premenopausal group. In addition, leptin concentrations were significantly decreased after resistance exercise in the postmenopausal group. Adiponectin concentrations were significantly increased after resistance exercise in both groups. These findings indicate that regular resistance exercise is effective in reducing the weight and body fat of obese premenopausal women, and in the secretion of adiponectin. On the other hand, postmenopausal women were found to have redeced weight and body fat, and were found to be positive for the secretion of adipokine factors. In addition, positive changes in lipolysis pathway factors in adipose tissue promote lipid degradation and reduce fat mass. Thus, regular resistance exercise shows positive changes in the lipolysis pathway more effectively in weight and body fat reduction in postmenopausal women than in premenopausal women.

Keywords: exercise; lipolysis; menopause; obesity; resistance training; women.