Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism · Nov 2, 2026

Impact of Training Settings on Hormonal Status, Body Weight, and Glucose Levels in Wistar Rats

By Shakoor H, Platat C, Riabinin A et al.

This study explored how different physical training settings affect hormonal and metabolic responses in male Wistar rats ( n = 28). Rats were randomly assigned to a control (no‐exercise), ET4 (4‐week training), ET8 (8‐week training), DT4 (4 week training and then 4‐week detraining), and PCA (4‐week training and then 4‐week detraining + PCA). Serum hormones, muscle secretions, glycogen, pyruvate, HK, and PFK were analyzed. The groups were compared using one‐way ANOVA, with Cohen’s d and Pearson’s correlation for associations. Machine learning models predicted body weight and glucose levels from training settings. Eight‐week training significantly elevated IL‐6 ( p = 0.021, d = 2.04), IGF‐1 ( p = 0.012, d = 1.96), cortisol ( p = 0.0277, d = 1.677) and testosterone‐to‐cortisol ( p = 0.009, d = 2.465), and leptin ( p = 0.001, d = 3.098) vs. control. Furthermore, 4–8 weeks of training resulted in a significant increase in the number of skeletal muscle satellite cells compared with the respective control groups. Myostatin was reduced with 4‐week training ( p = 0.002, d = 2.273) and further after 8 week ( p = 0.014, d = 1.613). PCA supplementation increased pyruvate levels ( p = 0.005, d = 1.31). Key correlations were found between IL‐6 and ghrelin ( r = −0.52, p = 0.005), FGF‐21 and T/A ( r = 0.47, p = 0.012), and IGF‐1 with aldosterone ( r = 0.47, p = 0.012) and cortisol ( r = −0.50, p = 0.006). Machine learning revealed total training weeks as the strongest predictor of body weight (XGBoost), while recent training (last 2 weeks) best predicted glucose levels (LightGBM). Metabolic adaptations emerged within 2 weeks, including improvement in IL‐6, IGF‐1, ghrelin, cortisol, aldosterone, and blood glucose, with effects amplified by 8 weeks of training. PCA supplementation regulated energy metabolism during detraining.

doi.org/10.1155/jnme/8668755Open accessPubMed 42978784Interventions