The Effect of SPU on Hormonal and Cardiometabolic Factors

The primary characteristic of hypothyroidism is sluggish metabolism, which is usuallyassociated with abnormal weight gain, lethargy, constipation, heavy menstrual bleeding,hair loss, cold intolerance, and bradycardia. Importantly, these symptoms have beenlinked to reduced glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity though glucose turnover andplasma insulin concentration are elevated. These metabolic changes result inhyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, and elevated insulin resistance, and circulatorylow‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and total triglyceride levels. Hormonal replacementtherapy, the primary treatment for hypothyroidism, partially restores the thyroidfunction and tappers down the disease symptoms. However, the therapy is associated aplethora of side effects, thus alternative therapies are warranted.The effect of exercise on thyroid function and metabolism among patients withhypothyroidism is still equivocal. The soleus pushup exercise, a localized exercise thatstimulates mainly oxidative metabolism, has been shown to have promising, favorablechanges in systemic metabolism. Therefore, the current study compares metabolic andhormonal responses to soleus pushup exercise in patients with hypothyroidism versushealthy controls.Patients diagnosed with hypothyroidism are recruited to participate in the study.Cardiovascular and circulatory, metabolic, and hormonal measures are determined fromblood samples obtained from the patients. Age‐ and gender‐matched healthy individuals arerecruited to serve as controls.