Objective:
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is closely associated with endothelial dysfunction and vascular inflammation, often characterized by elevated plasma adhesion molecules such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of a single session of resistance exercise and royal jelly supplementation on plasma ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels in men with CAD.

Methods:
Forty male patients with stable CAD (aged 45–65 years) were randomly assigned to four groups: resistance exercise with royal jelly (RE+RJ), resistance exercise only (RE), royal jelly only (RJ), and control (CON). Participants in the exercise groups performed eight resistance exercises at 60–70% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) for 45 minutes. Those in the RJ and RE+RJ groups consumed 1,000 mg of royal jelly one hour before the session. Blood samples were collected before and 24 hours after the intervention, and ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were analyzed using ELISA.

Results:
Significant reductions in ICAM-1 (p = 0.001) and VCAM-1 (p = 0.001) were observed in the RE+RJ group, with moderate decreases in the RE and RJ groups (p < 0.05), while no change occurred in the control group (p > 0.05). Between-group comparisons showed that the RE+RJ group achieved the greatest reductions (p < 0.01).

Conclusion:
A single session of moderate-intensity resistance exercise combined with royal jelly supplementation synergistically reduced endothelial adhesion molecules, suggesting enhanced vascular protection in patients with coronary artery disease.