Högskolan i Skövde

Exercise is widely recognized for its beneficial effects on human health. This pilot study aimed to explore the physiological effects of short-term bodyweight exercise intervention on inflammatory marker (CRP), vitamin and mineral levels, gene expression and body composition in healthy adults. The study involved four healthy adult participants who performed different bodyweight exercises five times per week for four consecutive weeks. Blood sampling was done to analyze key biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP), vitamins including Vitamin D, B12, folate and several minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphate, iron, sodium, potassium, and chloride both before and after intervention. Body composition and blood pressure were also examined on both pre- and post-timelines. Moreover, gene expression of vitamin D receptors, VDR, and PDIA3, was measured using qPCR. Whereas GAPDH and B2M were selected as reference genes. CRP levels slightly increased, vitamins including vitamin D and B12 have shown a subtle rise in trend whereas Folate levels decreased without statistical significance. Similarly, Minerals like magnesium, calcium, phosphate, chloride, and potassium have shown an increasing trend whereas sodium and iron levels showed a downward trend. Gene expression of VDR and PDIA3 were downregulated post-exercise intervention.

In summary, changes pre- and post-four weeks of exercise intervention were not statistically significant whereas the fluctuating trends of body composition parameters, vitamins, minerals, and systemic inflammation (CRP) biomarkers reveal potentially interesting physiological and molecular adaptations in response to short-term exercise intervention. These findings emphasize the need for further investigation incorporating a large sample size and longer intervention periods to validate these findings.

Popular scientific summary

Regular exercise has been associated with numerous beneficial health outcomes, but there is a widespread interest in how even a short-term exercise intervention can impact different vitamins, minerals, inflammation, body composition, and gene expression levels inside the body. In this pilot study, we will examine how four weeks of bodyweight exercise will affect these biomarkers in healthy individuals.

Vitamins and minerals including Vitamin D, B12, folate, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphate, calcium, chloride, and sodium along with systemic inflammation levels were measured through a blood sample both before and after the intervention. Similarly, body composition comprised of muscle mass and body fat percentage, and gene expression of VDR and PDIA3 were also measured before and after intervention.

The results suggested that the changes in these biomarker analyses were not significant statistically but interesting changes were observed. Body composition improved with a subtle increase in muscle mass and a decrease in fat percentage. A modest rise in vitamin D, B12, magnesium calcium, and phosphate and a decline in trend of folate, sodium and iron was reported. Inflammation levels showed a rise in trend. Gene expressions were downregulated after intervention.

These findings suggest that even a short duration of exercise intervention with only bodyweight exercises which requires no major equipment and a special place to be performed can contribute to improving health in several beneficial ways. Although no major changes were observed in response to four weeks of intervention still it is reasonable to conclude that exercise had started to improve the internal functioning of the body.

This pilot study is potentially beneficial for society as it clearly shows that accessible physical activities like body weight exercise can improve health without going to the gym and using special equipment. Encouraging more people to stay active so that they can reduce chronic diseases in the long run. Moreover, a larger scale study is required to confirm these findings and to understand the impact of exercise at the cellular level even more extensively.