Improvement of serum cortisol levels in obese female college students after moderate-intensity acute exercise

Puspitorini, W., Soemardiawan, S., Annamayra, A., Suharto, T. H., & Pranoto, A. (2023). Improvement of serum cortisol levels in obese female college students after moderate-intensity acute exercise. Jurnal SPORTIF : Jurnal Penelitian Pembelajaran, 9(2), 231-246. https://doi.org/10.29407/js_unpgri.v9i2.20034

Abstract

Obesity is a condition that can cause metabolic stress by activating the HPA axis, which impacts increasing stress levels characterized by increased cortisol secretion. The present research aims to investigate the impact of moderate-intensity acute exercise on decreasing cortisol levels among obese female students. A true-experimental method with a pretest-posttest control group design was utilized to conduct the study. A total of 20 female students between the ages of 20 and 23, with a BMI ranging from 25-28 kg/m2, voluntarily participated in the research. The participants were divided into two groups: control (n=10) and exercise (n=10) - the latter group being exposed to moderate-intensity acute exercise once as an intervention, with 40-minute sessions and an intensity level of 60-70% HRmax using the Treadmill Life Fitness equipment. The serum cortisol levels were measured through the ELISA 30 minutes pre-exercise and 6 hours post-exercise. The collected data were analyzed using an independent sample t-test with a 5% significance level. The study's findings will help compare the mean serum cortisol levels between the control and exercise groups. Based on the results of the study, it was found it can be concluded that moderate-intensity acute exercise carried out for 40 minutes/exercise session was effective in reducing serum cortisol levels in obese female students. We recommend exercise to overcome stress-related metabolic health problems in individuals with obesity.

https://doi.org/10.29407/js_unpgri.v9i2.20034

PDF

References

Barros Dos Santos, A. O., Pinto De Castro, J. B., Lima, V. P., Da Silva, E. B., & De Souza Vale, R. G. (2020). Effects of physical exercise on low back pain and cortisol levels: A systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. In Pain Management, 11(1), 49–57. https://doi.org/10.2217/pmt-2020-0020.

Basu, T., Selman, A., Reddy, A. P., & Reddy, P. H. (2023). Current Status of Obesity: Protective Role of Catechins. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 12(2), 474. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox12020474.

Bermejo, J. L., Valldecabres, R., Villarrasa-Sapiña, I., Monfort-Torres, G., Marco-Ahulló, A., & Ribeiro Do Couto, B. (2022). Increased cortisol levels caused by acute resistance physical exercise impair memory and learning ability. PeerJ, 10(e13000). https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13000.

Bozzola, E., Barni, S., Ficari, A., & Villani, A. (2023). Physical Activity in the COVID-19 Era and Its Impact on Adolescents' Well-Being. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(4), 3275. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043275.

Caplin, A., Chen, F. S., Beauchamp, M. R., & Puterman, E. (2021). The effects of exercise intensity on the cortisol response to a subsequent acute psychosocial stressor. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105336.

Coli, C., Prasetya, R., Sari, G., & Rejeki, P. S. (2021). Effect of Moderate-Intensity Acute Physical Activity on Decreasing Cortisol Levels in Obese Female. Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, 15(3), 2716–2723.

Corazza, D. I., Sebastião, É., Pedroso, R. V., Andreatto, C. A. A., de Melo Coelho, F. G., Gobbi, S., Teodorov, E., &

Santos-Galduróz, R. F. (2014). Influence of chronic exercise on serum cortisol levels in older adults. In European Review of Aging and Physical Activity (Vol. 11, Issue 1, pp. 25–34). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11556-013-0126-8.

Drysdale, R. E., Tadesse, A. W., Worku, A., Berhane, H. Y., Shinde, S., Madzorera, I., Sharma, D., & Fawzi, W. W. (2023). Burden and contributing factors to overweight and obesity in young adolescents in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Maternal & child nutrition, e13479. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13479.

Drogos, L. L., Wynne-Edwards, K., Zhou, R., Hall, S. E., Tyndall, A. V., Longman, R. S., Eskes, G., & Poulin, M. J. (2019). Aerobic exercise increases cortisol awakening response in older adults. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 103, 241–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.01.012.

Dunford, E. C., & Riddell, M. C. (2016). The Metabolic Implications of Glucocorticoids in a High-Fat Diet Setting and the Counter-Effects of Exercise. Metabolites, 6(4), 44. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo6040044.

Elder, G. J., Altena, E., Palagini, L., & Ellis, J. G. (2023). Stress and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: How can the COVID-19 pandemic inform our understanding and treatment of acute insomnia?. Journal of sleep research, e13842. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.13842.

GBD 2015 Obesity Collaborators, Afshin, A., Forouzanfar, M. H., Reitsma, M. B., Sur, P., Estep, K., Lee, A., Marczak, L., Mokdad, A. H., Moradi-Lakeh, M., Naghavi, M., Salama, J. S., Vos, T., Abate, K. H., Abbafati, C., Ahmed, M. B., Al-

Aly, Z., Alkerwi, A., Al-Raddadi, R., Amare, A. T., et al. (2017). Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity in 195 Countries over 25 Years. The New England journal of medicine, 377(1), 13–27. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1614362.

Ghosh, S., Paul, M., Mondal, K. K., Bhattacharjee, S., & Bhattacharjee, P. (2023). Sedentary lifestyle with increased risk of obesity in urban adult academic professionals: an epidemiological study in West Bengal, India. Scientific reports, 13(1), 4895. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-31977-y.

Hewagalamulage, S. D., Lee, T. K., Clarke, I. J., & Henry, B. A. (2016). Stress, cortisol, and obesity: a role for cortisol responsiveness in identifying individuals prone to obesity. In Domestic Animal Endocrinology (Vol. 56, pp. S112–S120). Elsevier Inc. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.domaniend.2016.03.004.

Irandoust, K., & Taheri, M. (2018). Effect of a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on Serotonin and Cortisol Levels in Obese Women With Sleep Disorders. Women’s Health Bulletin, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.5812/whb.83303.

Kazmi, T., Nagi, L. F., Iqbal, S. P., Razzaq, S., Hassnain, S., Khan, S., & Shahid, N. (2022). Relationship Between Physical Inactivity and Obesity in the Urban Slums of Lahore. Cureus, 14(4), e23719. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.23719.

Koc, S. (2018). The Acute Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Serum Cortisol Levels of Athletes and Sedentary Individuals. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 6(12a), 29. https://doi.org/10.11114/jets.v6i12a.3901.

Kraemer, W. J., Ratamess, N. A., Hymer, W. C., Nindl, B. C., & Fragala, M. S. (2020). Growth Hormone(s), Testosterone, Insulin-Like Growth Factors, and Cortisol: Roles and Integration for Cellular Development and Growth With Exercise. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2020.00033.

Lodewijks, F., McKinsey, T. A., & Robinson, E. L. (2023). Fat-to-heart crosstalk in health and disease. Frontiers in genetics, 14, 990155. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2023.990155.

Malik, V. S., Pan, A., Willett, W. C., & Hu, F. B. (2013). Sugar-sweetened beverages and weight gain in children and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 98(4), 1084–1102. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.113.058362.

McLaughlin, A. P., Nikkheslat, N., Hastings, C., Nettis, M. A., Kose, M., Worrell, C., Zajkowska, Z., Mariani, N., Enache, D., Lombardo, G., Pointon, L., Cowen, P., Cavanagh, J., Harrison, N., Bullmore, E., Pariante, C. M., & Mondelli, V. (2022). The influence of comorbid depression and overweight status on peripheral inflammation and cortisol levels. Psychological Medicine, 52(14), 3289–3296. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291721000088.

Moore Heslin, A., O'Donnell, A., Kehoe, L., Walton, J., Flynn, A., Kearney, J., & McNulty, B. (2023). Adolescent overweight and obesity in Ireland-Trends and sociodemographic associations between 1990 and 2020. Pediatric obesity, 18(2), e12988. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12988.

Mulkey, M., Baggett, A. B., & Tumin, D. (2023). Readiness for transition to adult health care among US adolescents, 2016-2020. Child: care, health and development, 49(2), 321–331. https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.13047.

Mukarromah, S. B., Susanto, H., & Rahayu, T. (2016). Effect of Aquarobic and Weight Training on Cortisol Levels in Obese Women. Jurnal Kesehatan Masyarakat, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.15294/kemas.v12i1.5510.

NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) (2023). Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents' growth and development. Nature, 615(7954), 874–883. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-05772-8.

Ng, M., Fleming, T., Robinson, M., Thomson, B., Graetz, N., Margono, C., Mullany, E. C., Biryukov, S., Abbafati, C., Abera, S. F., Abraham, J. P., Abu-Rmeileh, N. M., Achoki, T., AlBuhairan, F. S., Alemu, Z. A., Alfonso, R., Ali, M. K., Ali,

R., Guzman, N. A., Ammar, W., et al. (2014). Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980-2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. Lancet (London, England), 384(9945), 766–781. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60460–8.

Nova Handayani, R., Agustiningsih, D., & Djuneadi, A. (2014). Pengaruh Latihan Renang Terhadap Kadar Hormon Kortisol pada Penderita Asma. Viva Medika, 07(12), 21–34.

Park, H. Y., Jung, W. S., Kim, J., & Lim, K. (2019). Twelve weeks of exercise modality in hypoxia enhances health-related function in obese older Korean men: A randomized controlled trial. Geriatrics and Gerontology International, 19(4), 311–316. https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.13625.

Perdomo, C. M., Avilés-Olmos, I., Dicker, D., & Frühbeck, G. (2023). Towards an adiposity-related disease framework for the diagnosis and management of obesities. Reviews in endocrine & metabolic disorders, 10.1007/s11154-023-09797-2. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11154-023-09797-2.

Pranoto, A., Cahyono, M. B. A., Yakobus, R., Izzatunnisa, N., Ramadhan, R. N., Rejeki, P. S., Miftahussurur, M., Effendi, W. I., Wungu, C. D. K., & Yamaoka, Y. (2023). Long-Term Resistance–Endurance Combined Training Reduces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in Young Adult Females with Obesity. Sports, 11(3), 54. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11030054.

Pranoto, A., Rejeki, P. S., Miftahussurur, M., Setiawan, H. K., Yosika, G. F., Munir, M., Maesaroh, S., Purwoto, S. P., Waritsu, C., & Yamaoka, Y. (2023). Single 30 min treadmill exercise session suppresses the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress in obese female adolescents. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and Pharmacology, 34(2), 235–242. https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcpp-2022-0196.

Rejeki, P. S., Pranoto, A., Rahmanto, I., Izzatunnisa, N., Yosika, G. F., Hernaningsih, Y., Wungu, C. D. K., & Halim, S. (2023). The Positive Effect of Four-Week Combined Aerobic-Resistance Training on Body Composition and Adipokine Levels in Obese Females. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 11(4), 90. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11040090.

Rosa, G., & Nodari-Junior, R. J. (2012). Cortisol and physical exercise Inflammatory Responses Induced by Flexibility Training with Two Different Intensities View project. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228160384.

Scheffer, D. D. L., & Latini, A. (2020). Exercise-induced immune system response: Anti-inflammatory status on peripheral and central organs. Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular basis of disease, 1866(10), 165823. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165823.

Setiakarnawijaya, Y., Widiastuti, Taufik, M. S., Kuswahyudi, Awaluddin, Sina, I., Hasyim, A. H., Hasyim, Hafidz, A., & Muharram, N. A. (2022). Moderate-Intensity Exercise Decreases Cortisol Response in Overweight Adolescent

Women. Physical Education Theory and Methodology, 22(3), S30–S36. https://doi.org/10.17309/tmfv.2022.3s.04.

Sugiharto, Merawati, D., Pranoto, A., & Susanto, H. (2023). Decreased activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis after acute aerobic exercise in obese women. Natural and Life Sciences Communications, 22(2): e2023037.

Susanto, H., Sugiharto, Taufiq, A., Pranoto, A., & Dwi Trijoyo Purnomo, J. (2023). Dynamic alteration of plasma levels of betatrophin in younger female onset obesity post acute moderate-intensity exercise training. Saudi Journal of biological sciences, 30(2), 103546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2022.103546.

Torres, R., Koutakis, P., & Forsse, J. (2021). The Effects of Different Exercise Intensities and Modalities on Cortisol Production in Healthy Individuals: A Review. Journal of Exercise and Nutrition, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.53520/jen2021.103108.

Velasco-Orjuela, G. P., Domínguez-Sanchéz, M. A., Hernández, E., Correa-Bautista, J. E., Triana-Reina, H. R., García-Hermoso, A., Peña-Ibagon, J. C., Izquierdo, M., Cadore, E. L., Hackney, A. C., & Ramírez-Vélez, R. (2018). Acute effects of high-intensity interval, resistance or combined exercise protocols on testosterone – cortisol responses in inactive overweight individuals. Physiology and Behavior, 194, 401–409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.06.034.

Verbiest, I., Verbeken, S., Debeuf, T., De Henauw, S., Michels, N., & Braet, C. (2023). The cortisol stress response in youth with overweight and obesity: Influence of psychosocial variables. Pediatric obesity, 18(6), e13026. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.13026.

Wang, C. C., Alderman, B., Wu, C. H., Chi, L., Chen, S. R., Chu, I. H., & Chang, Y. K. (2019). Effects of acute aerobic and resistance exercise on cognitive function and salivary cortisol responses. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 41(2), 73–81. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2018-0244.

Wegner, M., Koutsandréou, F., Müller-Alcazar, A., Lautenbach, F., & Budde, H. (2019). Effects of Different Types of Exercise Training on the Cortisol Awakening Response in Children. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2019.00463.

Winpenny, E. M., van Sluijs, E. M. F., White, M., Klepp, K. I., Wold, B., & Lien, N. (2018). Changes in diet through adolescence and early adulthood: longitudinal trajectories and association with key life transitions. The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 15(1), 86. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-018-0719-8.

World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). Obesity and Overweight. Geneva: WHO Press. Retrieved June 1, 2023, Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight.

Zietz, S., de Hoop, J., & Handa, S. (2018). The role of productive activities in the lives of adolescents: Photovoice evidence from Malawi. Children and youth services review, 86, 246–255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.01.031.