High Dose Vitamin D Administration and Resistance Exercise Training Attenuate the Progression of Obesity and Improve Skeletal Muscle Function in Obese p62 Deficient Mice

Abstract Vitamin D (VitD) posses anti-adipogenic and ergogenic properties that could be effective to counteract obesity-related adverse health consequenses. Therefore, our overall hypothesis was that VitD could ameliorate obesity-induced insulin resistance, systemic inflammation and loss of skeletal muscle mass and function in an obesity animal model, p62 deficient mice. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that resistance exercise training (RT) could enhance the benefits of VitD by upregulating protein expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in skeletal muscle. Forty 24-week old male p62 deficient mice were assigned to the following four groups (10/group) for a 10-week intervention: control (p62C, no teatment), VitD (VD, 1000 IU vitamain D3/kg/Day), RT (ladder climbing, 3 times/week), or combined treatment (VRT, VD+RT). Serum VitD levels increased in VD and VRT (p