Investigation of the Effect of Regular Swimming Exercise on Cardiac Tissue in Rats

Düzenli Yüzme Egzersizinin Sıçanlarda Kalp Dokusu Üzerine Etkisinin İncelenmesi

Fatih KIYICI, Umut Furkan AKNAR

Sorumlu yazar / Corresponding author: Fatih KIYICI fkiyici@atauni.edu.tr

¹ Atatürk Üniversitesi, Spor Bilimleri Fakültesi, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Türkiye Erzurum, Türkiye , ORCID: 0000-0003-1982-3894; E-posta: fkiyici@atauni.edu.tr

² Erciyes Üniversitesi, Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Anabilim Dalı, Kayseri, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Institute of Health Sciences, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye Türkiye ORCID: 0000-0001-8154-2124; E-posta: 4020024@erciyes.edu.tr

Doi: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21259673

https://www.ijoss.org/Archive/v3-i2/ijoss-Volume3-issue2-28.pdf

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Received / Gönderim: 24.12.2025 Accepted / Kabul: 12.06.2026 Published / Yayın: 23.06.2026

ABSTRACT

The effects of regular swimming exercise on cardiac tissue in rats were investigated through morphometric measurements, selected biochemical parameters, and histopathological examinations. Twenty two-month-old male rats were divided into two groups: control and exercise. Rats in the exercise group were subjected to swimming exercise for 1 hour per day, 4 days per week, for a total duration of 6 weeks. At the end of the experiment, blood, heart, and tibia bone samples were collected from the rats. To evaluate cardiac hypertrophy, the ratio of heart weight to tibia length was calculated. Biochemical parameters were analyzed using the ELISA method, and histopathological evaluations were performed using Hematoxylin and Eosin staining. All data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software.

Serum CK-MB and VEGF levels in the exercise group were found to be statistically significantly higher compared to the control group, whereas no significant differences were observed in MDA, LDH, and creatinine levels. SOD and GSH levels were significantly lower in the exercise group (p < 0.05). While cardiac tissues of the control group exhibited normal histological features, mild mononuclear cell infiltration, hemorrhage, and degenerative changes were observed in the cardiac tissues of the exercise group (p < 0.05). Although age-appropriate weight gain was observed in the control group rats, the exercise group showed a lower degree of weight gain. No statistically significant differences were detected between the two groups in terms of heart weight, tibia length, and tibia weight (p > 0.05). However, a significant difference was found in the heart weight/tibia length ratio (p < 0.05).

It was determined that short-term and progressively intense regular swimming exercise in rats is effective in controlling body weight; however, it also induces oxidative stress and leads to increased CK-MB and VEGF levels. Further long-term studies incorporating different exercise protocols are required to clarify whether these findings are applicable to humans and to better understand the effects of intense regular exercise on the heart.

Keywords: CK-MB, MDA, VEGF, cardiac hypertrophy, oxidative stress.

ÖZ

Bu çalışmada, düzenli yüzme egzersizinin sıçanlarda kalp dokusu üzerindeki etkileri morfometrik ölçümler, seçilmiş biyokimyasal parametreler ve histopatolojik incelemeler aracılığıyla araştırılmıştır. Çalışmada iki aylık 20 erkek sıçan, kontrol ve egzersiz grubu olmak üzere iki gruba ayrılmıştır. Egzersiz grubundaki sıçanlara, 6 hafta boyunca haftada 4 gün, günde 1 saat yüzme egzersizi uygulanmıştır. Deney sonunda sıçanlardan kan, kalp ve tibia kemiği örnekleri alınmıştır. Kardiyak hipertrofiyi değerlendirmek amacıyla kalp ağırlığının tibia uzunluğuna oranı hesaplanmıştır. Biyokimyasal parametreler ELISA yöntemiyle analiz edilmiş, histopatolojik değerlendirmeler ise Hematoksilen-Eozin boyama yöntemiyle gerçekleştirilmiştir. Elde edilen tüm veriler SPSS istatistik paket programı kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Egzersiz grubunda serum CK-MB ve VEGF düzeylerinin kontrol grubuna kıyasla istatistiksel olarak anlamlı düzeyde yüksek olduğu belirlenirken, MDA, LDH ve kreatinin düzeyleri açısından gruplar arasında anlamlı bir farklılık saptanmamıştır. SOD ve GSH düzeylerinin ise egzersiz grubunda anlamlı düzeyde düşük olduğu tespit edilmiştir (p < 0,05). Kontrol grubuna ait kalp dokuları normal histolojik özellikler gösterirken, egzersiz grubuna ait kalp dokularında hafif düzeyde mononükleer hücre infiltrasyonu, hemoraji ve dejeneratif değişiklikler gözlenmiştir (p < 0,05). Kontrol grubundaki sıçanlarda yaşa uygun ağırlık artışı gözlenmesine karşın, egzersiz grubunda daha düşük düzeyde ağırlık artışı meydana gelmiştir. Kalp ağırlığı, tibia uzunluğu ve tibia ağırlığı bakımından iki grup arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık bulunmamıştır (p > 0,05). Bununla birlikte, kalp ağırlığı/tibia uzunluğu oranı açısından gruplar arasında anlamlı bir farklılık saptanmıştır (p < 0,05). Sonuç olarak, sıçanlarda kısa süreli ve giderek artan yoğunlukta uygulanan düzenli yüzme egzersizinin vücut ağırlığının kontrolünde etkili olduğu; ancak aynı zamanda oksidatif stresi artırdığı ve CK-MB ile VEGF düzeylerinde yükselmeye neden olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bu bulguların insanlara genellenebilirliğini ortaya koymak ve yoğun düzenli egzersizin kalp üzerindeki etkilerini daha iyi açıklayabilmek için farklı egzersiz protokollerini içeren uzun süreli çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır.

Anahtar Kelimeler: CK-MB, MDA, VEGF, kardiyak hipertrofi, oksidatif stres

How to Cite This Article

APA 7

Kıyıcı, F., & Aknar, U. F. (2026). Investigation of the Effect of Regular Swimming Exercise on Cardiac Tissue in Rats. International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences (IJOSS), 3(2), 817–828. https://www.ijoss.org/Archive/v3-i2/ijoss-Volume3-issue2-28.pdf

Vancouver Kıyıcı F, Aknar UF. Investigation of the Effect of Regular Swimming Exercise on Cardiac Tissue in Rats. Int J Health Exerc Sport Sci (IJOSS). 2026;3(2):817–828. Available from: https://www.ijoss.org/Archive/v3-i2/ijoss-Volume3-issue2-28.pdf

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