Effect of physical and flexibility exercise on certain hormones and fasting blood sugar of some young Nigerian adults

Purpose: To investigate the effect of six (6) weeks physical and flexibility exercise on fasting blood sugar and some hormones in selected young adult Nigerian students.
Methods: A total of 16 subjects (ten males and six females) participated in the study which involved physical and flexibility exercise. Assays for hormones, including follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, progesterone, estradiol, testosterone and insulin in the subjects were carried out. Homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), as well as fasting blood sugar (FBS) were determined in the pre- and post-exercise blood plasma of each participant.
Results: There was a non-significant (p > 0.05) decrease in the post-exercise plasma levels of prolactin, estradiol, insulin, and HOMA-IR, while testosterone levels increased non-significantly (p > 0.05) in both sexes. Progesterone levels increased in male participants and decreased in female participants post-exercise, although both changes were insignificant (p > 0.05). The reverse was noticed for plasma FSH which decreased in male and increased in female participants post-exercise; also, both changes were insignificant (p > 0.05). The plasma levels of LH decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in males and insignificantly in females (p > 0.05). However, FBS showed significant (p < 0.05) postexercise increase in males, but the increase was non-significant (p > 0.05) in female participants.
Conclusion: Physical and flexibility exercise programme alters the physiological levels of hormones and fasting blood sugar in some apparently healthy young Nigerian adult students who are not regular exercisers.

Keywords
Physical exercise; Hormones; Fasting blood sugar; Homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance