Background and Objective: Metabolic syndrome is associated with systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, which increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to investigate the effects of eight weeks of concurrent exercise training and nettle supplementation the inflammatory-anti-inflammatory balance in women with metabolic syndrome.
Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 60 women with metabolic syndrome (aged 35–45 years) were randomly assigned to four groups of 15 participants each: 1) Exercise + Placebo, 2) Nettle Supplement, 3) Exercise + Nettle Supplement, and 4) Placebo. The exercise groups followed an eight-week protocol, three sessions per week, consisting of 30 minutes of aerobic activity at 60–70% of heart rate reserve and 30 minutes of resistance training. The supplementation groups received 1,500 mg/day of dried nettle extract (three doses of 500 mg).
Results: Between-group analysis showed that the combined group (Exercise + Nettle) led to a significant increase in TAC levels (P < 0.001) and significant reductions in IL-1β (P = 0.011) and CRP (P = 0.008) compared to the Exercise + Placebo group. Additionally, compared to the Nettle Supplement group, the combined group achieved a greater reduction in CRP (P = 0.001).
Conclusion: The findings suggest that both concurrent exercise and nettle supplementation alone can improve inflammatory status and antioxidant capacity in women with metabolic syndrome. However, combining these interventions produces a synergistic effect and may serve as a more effective strategy in lifestyle modification programs for managing this syndrome.