Effects of exercise with ultra-soft rubber bands on glucose metabolism and endocrinology.

Abstract

Purpose: Diet and exercise are important therapies for the treatment of glycative stress-related diseases (e.g., type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome), which have been on the increase in recent years. In the present study, we investigated the effects of muscle loading exercise using an ultrasoft rubber band on glycative stress/advanced glycation endproduct (AGE) formation and endocrine indices in healthy subjects. Methods: Subjects were healthy men and women (2 males and 20 females, 44.9 ± 10.1 years) who performed the prescribed exercises using an ultrasoft rubber band for 6 minutes (6M group: n = 15) or 10 minutes (10M group: n = 7) once a day for 8 weeks. The primary endpoints were blood tests related to glucose metabolism (pentosidine, immune reactive insulin: IRI, HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose: FPG, skin AGE fluorescence: SAF), and endocrine-related blood tests (insulin-like growth factor-I: IGF-I, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate: DHEA-s, estradiol: E2, testosterone). Results: The percent change at 8 weeks (Total group) was significant in the primary endpoints pentosidine (−10.9%, p ‹ 0.001), IRI (−33.6%, p = 0.005), HbA1c (−2.6%, p = 0.002), DHEA -s (+16.1%, p = 0.010), and in the secondary endpoint TG (−38.3%, p = 0.039). FPG (−7.4%, p = 0.001) was significantly reduced in the 10M group, and SAF (−5.3%, p = 0.021) in the 6M group. Pre-intervention values for all items were within normal limits, and there were no significant differences in these items between men and women or in exercise duration; there were no significant changes in IGF-I, cortisol, E2, or total testosterone. No adverse events were noted in the safety endpoints and self-assessment findings. Conclusion: Exercise with this test product improved glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, AGEs (pentosidine and SAF), and DHEA-s, which is an important hormone for maintaining youth and health. Notedly, these parameters improved from the normal range. The results suggest that this treatment, which can be performed in a short period of time, is a safe and highly effective health promotion method.