The Effects of Periodized Traditional and Circuit-Based Resistance Training on Branched-Chain and Aromatic Amino Acid Metabolism and Ceramide Levels in Overweight and Obese Men

Objective: Amino acids (AAs) and their metabolites are altered with obesity and recognized as one of the predisposing factors for the development of insulin resistance. This study aimed to examine the impact of two types of resistance training on AAs, ceramide metabolism, and insulin resistance in overweight and obese men. Methods and Materials: A total of 33 overweight and obese men were randomly divided into three control, circuit resistance training (CRT) and traditional resistance training (TRT) groups and the number of subjects in each group was 11 participants. The Training intervention consisted of periodized TRT and CRT training with the wave patterns and was conducted three sessions a week for three months (36 sessions). Serum levels of AAs and ceramides were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at baseline and post-intervention. Findings: The CRT group showed a notable reduction in total branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), aromatic amino acids (AAAs), and ceramides compared to the control group (P = 0.001), indicating a meaningful metabolic improvement. Similarly, the TRT group exhibited moderate decreases in total BCAAs (P = 0.006) and AAAs (P = 0.017) relative to controls, changes that are inversely associated with insulin sensitivity. However, the differences between the CRT and TRT groups did not reach statistical significance, suggesting comparable effects between these two training protocols. Conclusion: According to the results, the CRT group's changes were more significant than the TRT group. Therefore, circuit resistance training may prevent obesity-induced metabolic disorders.