Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in older adults is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress. The present study aimed to investigate the combined effects of eight weeks of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and NBS superfood supplementation on serum calprotectin, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) levels in elderly men with T2DM.

Methods: In this semi-experimental study , 40 elderly men with T2DM (age: 68.5 ± 4.5 years) were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 10 per group): control, exercise, supplementation, and exercise plus supplementation. The exercise groups performed moderate-intensity cycling for 30 minutes per session, three sessions per week, for eight weeks at 60–70% of maximal workload (Wmax). Participants in the supplementation groups consumed 10 g/day of NBS superfood throughout the intervention. Serum calprotectin, IL-1ra, and GPX levels were measured at baseline and 48 hours after the final training session. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test.

Results:Significant group × time interaction effects were observed for all three variables (p < 0.05). The exercise plus supplementation group exhibited the greatest reductions in serum calprotectin and IL-1ra levels, as well as the greatest increase in GPX levels (p < 0.01).

Conclusion: The combination of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and NBS superfood supplementation exerted significant synergistic effects in reducing inflammatory biomarkers and enhancing antioxidant defense in elderly men with T2DM. These findings suggest that this combined intervention may represent an effective non-pharmacological strategy for the management of type 2 diabetes in older adults.