BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the interaction effect of aerobic exercise and vitamin D supplementation on inflammation (TNF-alpha, IL-6, CC16, SP-D, and CC16/SP-D ratio) and lung function (FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC ratio) in male smokers. METHODS: After applying inclusion criteria, a total of 40 healthy male smokers were recruited in this study. The participants were randomly divided into four groups as follows: aerobic exercise plus vitamin D supplementation (AE+VitD, n = 10), aerobic exercise (AE, n = 10), vitamin D supplementation (VitD, n = 10), and control (C, n = 10). The participants in the AE+VitD and AE groups performed aerobic exercise training (running) up to 50% of the maximum heart rate, three times a week for four weeks. Participants in AE+VitD and VitD groups received 6,000 IU/w vitamin D3 for four weeks. The participants in control group did not receive any intervention. Serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, Clara cell protein (CC16), surfactant protein (SP)-D, CC16/SP-D ratio, and lung function (FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC ratio) were measured before and after four weeks of intervention. RESULTS: Serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and CC16 decreased significantly in AE+VitD, VitD, and AE groups after four weeks (p < 0.05). Serum SP-D level decreased significantly only in the AE+VitD group (p = 0.011). In addition, FEV1 and FVC increased significantly (p < 0.05) in AE+VitD and AE groups after four weeks of intervention. However, the interventions did not have a significant effect on CC16/SP-D ratio and FEV1/FVC ratio (p > 0.05). Furthermore, serum levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D increased significantly in AE+VitD and VitD groups (p < 0.05) after four weeks of intervention. However, except for TNF-alpha, between-group comparisons showed no significant differences in levels of IL-6, CC16, SP-D, CC16/SP-D ratio, FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of present study were that aerobic exercise combined with vitamin D supplementation can reduce serum inflammatory factors and anti-inflammatory proteins and improve lung function after four weeks of intervention. Further trials with larger sample size and longer duration are suggested to confirm these results. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered IRCT20180513039637N4. Registration date 2020/10/20. URL https://www.irct.ir/search/result?query=IRCT20180513039637N4.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• PubMed Central
• DOI
• PubMed
• PDF locator
• publisher