Introduction and Purpose: Oxidative stress is a major factor in diabetic cardiomyopathy, especially with aging. Regular exercise is known to enhance antioxidant defenses and reduce oxidative damage. This study compared the effects of eight weeks of aerobic and combined training on antioxidant enzyme activity and lipid peroxidation in the cardiac tissue of overweight aged diabetic rats.

Materials and Methods: Thirty aged male Wistar rats (24–28 months) with induced diabetes were randomly assigned to control, aerobic training, or combined training groups. Aerobic training consisted of running at 60–75% of Vmax, five sessions per week for eight weeks. Combined training included aerobic running plus resistance training (ladder climbing at 60–80% 1RM). Forty‑eight hours after the final session, cardiac tissue was collected for measurement of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and malondialdehyde (MDA) using ELISA. Data were analyzed using one‑way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test (P≤0.05). Results: Significant group differences were observed in SOD, CAT, GPX, and MDA levels (P<0.001). Both aerobic and combined training increased antioxidant enzyme activity and decreased MDA compared with control (P<0.001). Combined training produced greater improvements than aerobic training alone (P<0.001). Discussion and Conclusion: Eight weeks of exercise, particularly combined training, enhances antioxidant capacity and reduces oxidative stress in the cardiac tissue of aged diabetic rats. Combined training may be an effective strategy for reducing oxidative damage and improving cardiac health in aging and diabetes.