Aims: The sport activity is an important factor affecting the capillary density and angiogenesis. Nitric oxide (NO) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are the most important stimulative regulators in the angiogenesis. In addition, endostatin is one of the inhibitors of angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the adaptation in the responses of the angiogenesis inhibition and stimulating factors after 4-week increasing resistive exercises in the sedentary men.  

Materials & Methods: In the semi-experimental study, 20 healthy and inactive male students, aged between 20 and 25 years, who were residents of Tehran University Dormitory, were studied in the first semester of the academic year 2015-16. The subjects, selected via available sampling method, were divided into two groups including experimental and control groups (n=10 per group). 4-week resistive exercises were done three sessions per week. Blood-sampling was done before and 48 hours after the last exercise session. VEGF, NO, and endostatin were then measured. Data was analyzed by SPSS 18 software using independent and dependent T tests, as well as Pearson correlation coefficient test. 

Findings: In experimental group, VEGF and No significantly increased at the posttest stage than the pretest (p=0.001). Nevertheless, no significant difference was observed in control group (p>0.05). In both experimental and control groups, endostatin level did not significantly increase at the posttest stage than the pretest (p>0.05). In addition, VEGF and NO were the only variables that were significantly correlated (p=0.016; r=0.82).

Conclusion: 4-week increasing resistive exercises in the sedentary men significantly affect the angiogenes stimulating factors, i. e. VEGF and NO, while such exercises do not significantly affect the angiogenesis inhibition factor, i. e. endostatin.