# Adipo-Myokine Modulation in Obesity: Integrative Effects of Spinach Thylakoids and Functional Training in Men with Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

## TL;DR

This study found that high-intensity functional training improves adipo-myokine levels and metabolic health in men with obesity, with some hints that spinach thylakoids may offer minor additional benefits.

## Contribution

The study is the first to investigate the combined effects of thylakoid supplementation and HIFT on adipo-myokine modulation in men with obesity.

## Key findings

- HIFT significantly improved body composition and insulin sensitivity in men with obesity.
- Thylakoid supplementation showed modest effects on specific myokines like decorin and follistatin.
- No clinical superiority of thylakoids over exercise alone was found in broader metabolic markers.

## Abstract

Objective: This study evaluated the effects of a 12-week High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) program combined with thylakoid supplementation on plasma adipo-myokine levels (Decorin, Myostatin, Follistatin, Activin A, and TGF-β1) in men with obesity. Secondary outcomes included anthropometric indices, lipid profiles, and insulin resistance markers. Methods: Sixty men with obesity (age: 27.6 ± 8.4 years; BMI: 32.6 ± 2.6 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 15 per group): Placebo (PG), Supplement (SG), HIFT + placebo (TPG), and HIFT + supplement (TSG). To ensure robustness against the 27% attrition rate, statistical analyses included both per-protocol and intention-to-treat (ITT) models. HIFT was performed for 3 sessions/week (Borg scale: 15–17). Results: Following Bonferroni correction for multiple endpoints, repeated-measures ANOVA showed significant Time × Group interactions for most adipo-myokines and metabolic markers. Both training groups (TPG and TSG) demonstrated improvements in body composition and insulin sensitivity compared to PG (p < 0.05). While no significant differences were observed between TPG and TSG for systemic metabolic markers, preliminary data suggested that thylakoid supplementation might provide modest complementary modulations in specific myokines (e.g., decorin and follistatin). However, these observed trends did not reach clinical superiority over exercise alone in the broader metabolic profile. Conclusions: Twelve weeks of HIFT is an effective primary driver for modulating the adipo-myokine network in obese men. Although thylakoid supplementation showed potential for selective complementary effects on certain myokines, these findings are exploratory given the small sample size. The clinical significance and long-term complementary value of thylakoid-exercise interactions require further validation in larger, more diverse cohorts.