The Concurrent Effect of Endurance Training and Garlic Supplementation on Body Composition and Lipid Profile in Sedentary Young Males

Abstract

Backgrounds and Objectives: Physical inactivity adversely affects the lipid profile. Based on the inconsistent and sometime contradictory results about the effects of endurance training and Garlic supplementation on lipid profile, this study was conducted to investigate the concurrent effect of endurance training and Garlic supplementation on body composition and lipid profile in sedentary young males. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six inactive healthy males were randomly divided into four groups, first group underwent endurance training and received garlic supplement (TG), second group only received garlic supplement (G) in third group endurance training plus placebo was implemented (TP), and fourth group only received placebo (P). Garlic capsule was prescribed two times per day (each capsule contains 500 mg allicin) over a period of 4 weeks. The training groups performed aerobic exercise including 30-45 minutes running at 60 to 75% of maximum heart rate. In addition to measuring the anthropometric variables, two blood samples were taken before and after the interventions and were analyzed for lipid profile. One-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test were applied to analyze the data. Results: We observed no significant difference among groups in body composition and triglyceride, cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein (HDL-C) levels (p>0.05). Yet, HDL-C levels significantly decreased in TG group compared to pre-test levels (p>0.05). Conclusion: In the present study garlic supplementation along with endurance training had no significant effect on TG and LDL-C levels. Yet, HDL-C levels increased in TG group. Therefore, garlic supplementation along with endurance training might have favorable effect on lipid profile but further studies are needed.

Keywords: Garlic, Endurance training, Lipid profile, Body composition