Adipokines, or adipose tissue-derived
cytokines/
proteins, may be important factors linking excess adipose tissue to individual metabolic risk factors, and the overall
metabolic syndrome. Current evidence supports that aerobic exercise, alone or combined with hypocaloric diet, improves symptoms of the
metabolic syndrome, possibly by altering systemic levels of inflammatory
adipokines. A number of studies show that increased physical activity leads to lower circulating levels of proinflammatory
cytokines and higher levels of
adiponectin. However, limited data show that exercise training does not influence adipose tissue
adipokine expression or release. Conversely, exercise training may influence
cytokine production by circulating mononuclear cells, another important source of elevated
inflammation. Future studies are needed to investigate the cellular mechanisms by which exercise training affects
inflammation and whether alterations in
inflammation are one mechanism by which exercise improves components of the
metabolic syndrome in at-risk individuals.