Maternal Moderate Physical Training during Pregnancy Attenuates the Effects of a Low-Protein Diet on the Impaired Secretion of Insulin in Rats: Potential Role for Compensation of Insulin Resistance and Preventing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract EN

The effects of pregestational and gestational low-to-moderate physical training on insulin secretion in undernourished mothers were evaluated.

Virgin female Wistar rats were divided into four groups as follows: control (C, n=5); trained (T, n=5); low-protein diet (LP, n=5); trained with a low-protein diet (T + LP, n=5).

Trained rats ran on a treadmill over a period of 4 weeks before mate (5 days week−1 and 60 min day−1, at 65% of VO2max).

At pregnancy, the intensity and duration of the exercise were reduced.

Low-protein groups were provided with an 8% casein diet, and controls were provided with a 17% casein diet.

At third day after delivery, mothers and pups were killed and islets were isolated by collagenase digestion of pancreas and incubated for a further 1 h with medium containing 5.6 or 16.7 mM glucose.

T mothers showed increased insulin secretion by isolated islets incubated with 16.7 mM glucose, whereas LP group showed reduced secretion of insulin by isolated islets when compared with both C and LP + T groups.

Physical training before and during pregnancy attenuated the effects of a low-protein diet on the secretion of insulin, suggesting a potential role for compensation of insulin resistance and preventing gestational diabetes mellitus.