The Effect of SPU on Hormonal and Cardiometabolic Factors

The study examines the immediate effect of soleus pushup exercise on cardiometabolic and hormonal functions among hypothyroid patients.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hypertension; Hypothyroidism; Hyperthyroidism; Diabete Mellitus; Healthy Adult
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Soleus pushup exercise

Detailed Description

The primary characteristic of hypothyroidism is sluggish metabolism, which is usually associated with abnormal weight gain, lethargy, constipation, heavy menstrual bleeding, hair loss, cold intolerance, and bradycardia. Importantly, these symptoms have been linked to reduced glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity though glucose turnover and plasma insulin concentration are elevated. These metabolic changes result in hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, and elevated insulin resistance, and circulatory low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total triglyceride levels. Hormonal replacement therapy, the primary treatment for hypothyroidism, partially restores the thyroid function and tappers down the disease symptoms. However, the therapy is associated a plethora of side effects, thus alternative therapies are warranted.

The effect of exercise on thyroid function and metabolism among patients with hypothyroidism is still equivocal. The soleus pushup exercise, a localized exercise that stimulates mainly oxidative metabolism, has been shown to have promising, favorable changes in systemic metabolism. Therefore, the current study compares metabolic and hormonal responses to soleus pushup exercise in patients with hypothyroidism versus healthy controls.

Patients diagnosed with hypothyroidism are recruited to participate in the study. Cardiovascular and circulatory, metabolic, and hormonal measures are determined from blood samples obtained from the patients. Age- and gender-matched healthy individuals are recruited to serve as controls.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Jordan
  • Irbid Governorate
    • Irbid, Irbid Governorate, Jordan, 22110
      • Rehabilitation Sciences

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Individuals aged 18-80,
• Patients diagnosed with hypothyroidism
• Patients diagnosed with hyperthyroidism
• Patients diagnosed with hypertension
• Patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus
• Prediabetics
• Individuals who usually avoid regular physical/muscular activities involving lower limbs
• Age/gender matched apparently healthy individuals

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients diagnosed with orthopedic diseases
• Patients diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases (other than hypertension)
• Patients diagnosed with renal dysfunction

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Hypothyroid patients	Behavioral: Soleus pushup exercise; The participants are given the soleus push-up exercise
Experimental: Health controls	Behavioral: Soleus pushup exercise; The participants are given the soleus push-up exercise

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Total cholesterol	Total cholesterol will be measured in blood and reported in mg/dL.	3 hours
Triglycerides	Triglycerides will be measured in blood and reported in mg/dL.	3 hours
HDL-C	High-density lipoprotein cholesterol will be measured in blood and reported in mg/dL.	3 hours
LDL-C	Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol will be calculated using the lipid profile and reported in mg/dL.	3 hours
VLDL-C	Very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol will be calculated from triglycerides and reported in mg/dL.	3 hours
Non-HDL cholesterol	Non-HDL cholesterol will be calculated as total cholesterol minus HDL-C and reported in mg/dL.	3 hours
Apolipoprotein A-I	Apolipoprotein A-I will be measured in blood and reported in mg/dL.	3 hours
Apolipoprotein B	Apolipoprotein B will be measured in blood and reported in mg/dL.	3 hours
Lipoprotein(a)	Lipoprotein(a) will be measured in blood and reported in mg/dL or nmol/L, depending on the laboratory assay.	3 hours
Fasting blood glucose	Fasting blood glucose will be measured in blood and reported in mg/dL.	3 hours
Random blood glucose	Random blood glucose will be measured in blood and reported in mg/dL.	3 hours
HbA1c	Glycated hemoglobin will be measured in blood and reported as a percentage.	3 hours
Insulin	Insulin will be measured in blood and reported in µIU/mL or mIU/L, depending on the laboratory assay.	3 hours
Glucagon	Glucagon will be measured in blood and reported in pg/mL.	3 hours
Catecholamines	Catecholamines will be measured in blood and reported in pg/mL.	3 hours
Thyroid-stimulating hormone	Thyroid-stimulating hormone will be measured in blood and reported in mIU/L or µIU/mL, depending on the laboratory assay.	3 hours
Triiodothyronine	Triiodothyronine will be measured in blood and reported in ng/dL.	3 hours
Thyroxine	Thyroxine will be measured in blood and reported in µg/dL.	3 hours
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor	Brain-derived neurotrophic factor will be measured in blood and reported in pg/mL or ng/mL, depending on the laboratory assay.	3 hours
Leptin	Leptin will be measured in blood and reported in ng/mL.	3 hours
Adiponectin	Adiponectin will be measured in blood and reported in µg/mL.	3 hours
Glucagon-like peptide	Glucagon-like peptide will be measured in blood and reported in pmol/L or pg/mL, depending on the laboratory assay.	3 hours
Heart rate	Heart rate will be measured using the standard auscultatory method and reported in beats per minute.	3 hours
Systolic blood pressure	Systolic blood pressure will be measured using the standard auscultatory method and reported in mmHg.	3 hours
Diastolic blood pressure	Diastolic blood pressure will be measured using the standard auscultatory method and reported in mmHg.	3 hours
Pulse pressure	Pulse pressure will be calculated as systolic blood pressure minus diastolic blood pressure and reported in mmHg.	3 hours
Rate-pressure product	Rate-pressure product will be calculated as heart rate multiplied by systolic blood pressure and reported in bpm × mmHg.	3 hours
Mean arterial pressure	Mean arterial pressure will be calculated as diastolic blood pressure plus one-third of pulse pressure and reported in mmHg.	3 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: King Abdullah University Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): February 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 24, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 3, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 7, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 3, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Hormones; Hypothyroid; Soleus Pushup
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Endocrine System Diseases; Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Metabolic Diseases; Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Thyroid Diseases; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Hypertension; Diabetes Mellitus; Hyperthyroidism; Hypothyroidism
• Other Study ID Numbers: JUST121212

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No