Effect of oral arginine supplementation on GH secretion and lipid metabolism in Wistar trained rats

Abstract

The Oral Arginine Supplementation (OAS) and exercise are able to modify the secretion of the Growth Hormone (GH) that stimulates the lipid metabolism. The aim of the study was to verify the effect of the OAS, the aerobic exercise and the combination of the OAS with the aerobic exercise on the GH secretion and lipid metabolism in rats. The sample was composted for 40 male wistar rats, divided in four groups: Sedentary control (SC), sedentary arginine (SA), trained control (TC) and trained arginine (TA). The AS and AT received the oral supplementation in alternated days and the groups CT and AT realized swimming exercise for 1hour/day with overload equivalent to 5% of body mass five days per week during 4 weeks. The concentrations of GH were significantly difference between the sedentary groups (SC and AS) and (TC and AT) and the lipid metabolism did not change throughout all groups. In conclusions, aerobic physical training did not modify the lipid metabolism and diminishes the values of GH concentration and the OAS did not modify the concentration of GH in Wistar rats.