Background and Objective: Lung volume loss, airway obstruction and air flow limitation, and also hypertension are risk factors for mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. This study was done to determine the effect of supplementation of saffron and exercise training on blood pressure changes, pulmonary function and spirometric indices in obese and overweight women affected by type 2 diabetes.

Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, forty-eight type 2 diabetic obese and overweight women were non randomly divided into four equal groups including placebo, saffron + training, training + placebo, saffron plus placebo). The saffron group + training and training + placebo groups did aerobic training with intensity of 60-75% of maximal heart rate for 8 weeks (three sessions per week). A daily dose of 400 mg of saffron sprout powder (once a day) was used for two months. The variables were measured in the pre-test, 48 hours and two weeks after the last training session.

Results: Intra-group results showed a significant increase in pulmonary function variables (VO2max, FVC, FEV1, FVC/FEV1, PEF, MVV), and significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and anthropometric indices (weight, BMI, and body fat percentage) in all three groups of exercise, saffron and practice + saffron (P<0.05). However, the results intra-group showed a significant difference in the above variables between the exercise + saffron supplement group in compared to other intervention groups (P<0.05), also, the highest effect was observed in the exercise + supplemental group.

Conclusion: According to the results of this study, saffron with exercise led to significant improvement in pulmonary volume and capacities, as well as a decrease in blood pressure in obese and overweight women affected by type 2 diabetes.