Impact of HIIT and Alpha-Lipoic Acid Supplementation on Liver Enzyme Levels and AMPK/GLUT4 Expression in Obese Aged Rats

Background: Obesity and aging are major risk factors for metabolic disorders and liver dysfunction, often associated with impaired energy regulation and increased oxidative stress. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation on AMPK and GLUT4 gene expression in liver tissue and liver enzyme levels in obese aged rats. Methods: Forty aged male Wistar rats (18–20 months old) were randomly assigned to five groups: healthy control, obese control, obese + ALA, obese + HIIT, and obese + HIIT + ALA (n = 8 per group). Obesity was induced using a high-fat diet for 12 weeks. The intervention period lasted 8 weeks, during which HIIT (5sessions/week) and ALA supplementations (50 mg/kg, 3 times/week) were applied. Gene expression was measured using real-time PCR, and liver enzymes (ALT, AST, and ALP) were assessed using biochemical assays. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by the Tukey post hoc test. Results: Obesity significantly decreased AMPK and GLUT4 expression and increased liver enzyme levels (p < 0.05). Both HIIT and ALA interventions significantly improved gene expression and reduced liver enzymes compared to the obese control group (p < 0.05). The combined HIIT + ALA group demonstrated the most pronounced improvements, indicating a synergistic effect. Conclusion: HIIT and ALA supplementation, particularly in combination, effectively improve metabolic and hepatic function in obese aged rats. These findings suggest that combined exercise and antioxidant strategies may be beneficial in managing obesity-related metabolic disorders during aging.