Associations Between Physical Activity (Aerobic and Resistance Training) and Metabolic Biomarkers in Adults Impacted by C-Peptide, HbA1c, Age, and BMI on Immune-Metabolic Rules

Abstract

Background: Physical activity consists of a series of necessary movements that indicate metabolic health. Regular exercise, such as walking or gardening, helps the body efficiently utilize fats and carbohydrates as food sources.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate C-peptide levels in aerobic athletes and bodybuilders, to clarify the effects of exercise on HbA1c levels, and to establish the relationship between these levels and body mass index (BMI), metabolic processes, and their roles in lowering HbA1c.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology, College of Science, Al Karkh University of Science, Baghdad, Iraq. The samples were collected from January 2026 to April 2026 in the Department of Microbiology, College of Science, Al Karkh University of Science, Baghdad, Iraq. After participant registration and blood sample collection, samples were collected from three groups. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), C-peptide, and triglyceride levels were measured. BMI and age were also considered in the study.

Results: The results showed a significant age difference among the three study groups, and this difference was highly statistically significant (p>0.001). Participants in the aerobic exercise group were, on average, older. Body weight also differed among the three groups, with the bodybuilder group being significantly heavier than the other groups.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that both aerobic exercise in diabetes and resistance training in bodybuilders are associated with different but overlapping metabolic profiles. Aerobic exercise in diabetic patients leads to impaired glycemic control, while bodybuilders exhibit compensatory hyperinsulinemia and dyslipidemia. 

Bangladesh Journal of Infectious Diseases, June 2026;13(1):245-250