Impact of Training Settings on Hormonal Status, Body Weight, and Glucose Levels in Wistar Rats

This study explored how different physical training settings affect hormonal and metabolic responses in male Wistar rats ( n  = 28). Rats were randomly assigned to a control (no‐exercise), ET4 (4‐week training), ET8 (8‐week training), DT4 (4 week training and then 4‐week detraining), and PCA (4‐week training and then 4‐week detraining + PCA). Serum hormones, muscle secretions, glycogen, pyruvate, HK, and PFK were analyzed. The groups were compared using one‐way ANOVA, with Cohen’s d and Pearson’s correlation for associations. Machine learning models predicted body weight and glucose levels from training settings. Eight‐week training significantly elevated IL‐6 ( p = 0.021, d  = 2.04), IGF‐1 ( p = 0.012, d  = 1.96), cortisol ( p = 0.0277, d  = 1.677) and testosterone‐to‐cortisol ( p = 0.009, d  = 2.465), and leptin ( p = 0.001, d  = 3.098) vs. control. Furthermore, 4–8 weeks of training resulted in a significant increase in the number of skeletal muscle satellite cells compared with the respective control groups. Myostatin was reduced with 4‐week training ( p = 0.002, d  = 2.273) and further after 8 week ( p = 0.014, d  = 1.613). PCA supplementation increased pyruvate levels ( p = 0.005, d  = 1.31). Key correlations were found between IL‐6 and ghrelin ( r  = −0.52, p = 0.005), FGF‐21 and T/A ( r  = 0.47, p = 0.012), and IGF‐1 with aldosterone ( r  = 0.47, p = 0.012) and cortisol ( r  = −0.50, p = 0.006). Machine learning revealed total training weeks as the strongest predictor of body weight (XGBoost), while recent training (last 2 weeks) best predicted glucose levels (LightGBM). Metabolic adaptations emerged within 2 weeks, including improvement in IL‐6, IGF‐1, ghrelin, cortisol, aldosterone, and blood glucose, with effects amplified by 8 weeks of training. PCA supplementation regulated energy metabolism during detraining.