Abstract
PurposeTo investigate the inflammatory and perceptual responses to three different forms of upper-body exercise.MethodsTwelve recreationally active, able-bodied males performed three work-matched arm-crank sessions in a randomised order: 30 min moderate-intensity continuous (CON), 30 min moderate-intensity with changes in cadence (CAD) and 20 min high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Blood samples were taken pre, post and 2-h post-exercise to determine plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1ra. Perceptual responses pre, during and following the trials were assessed using the Feeling Scale, Felt Arousal Scale, Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES).ResultsAll trials were evenly effective in inducing an acute inflammatory response, indicated by similar increases in IL-6 after exercise and in IL-1ra at 2-h post exercise for all trials. More negative affect and higher RPE were reported during HIIT compared to CON and CAD, whereas PACES scores reported after exercise were higher for HIIT and CAD compared to CON.ConclusionsWhen matched for external work, there was no difference in the inflammatory response to HIIT compared to moderate-intensity upper-body exercise. Although HIIT was (perceived as) more strenuous and affective responses were more negative during this mode, the higher ratings of enjoyment for both HIIT and CAD reported after exercise suggest that the inclusion of variation enhances enjoyment in upper-body exercise. As the fashion in which upper-body exercise is performed does not seem to influence the inflammatory response, it might be advised to prescribe varied exercise to enhance its enjoyment.
Highlights
It is widely recognised that regular exercise has protective effects against chronic low-grade inflammation-associated chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) (Warburton et al 2006)
For IL-6 immediately post as well as 2-h post-exercise, values were higher compared to the preceding time point (F(1.14) = 22.4, p < 0.001), while levels of IL-1ra only increased at 2-h post-exercise (F(1.06) = 13.9, p = 0.003)
While initially it was suggested that the limited muscle mass involved in arm exercise might be insufficient to provoke an inflammatory response (Hirose et al 2004; Bergfors et al 2005), recent studies have shown the elevation in plasma concentration ofIL-6 and IL-1ra after upper-body exercise ranging from 30 min at moderate intensity (Paulson et al 2015) to a wheelchair marathon (Sasaki et al 2014)
Summary
It is widely recognised that regular exercise has protective effects against chronic low-grade inflammation-associated chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) (Warburton et al 2006). An acute bout of exercise upregulates levels of IL-6, followed by a longer lasting elevation of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and IL-1ra (Petersen and Pedersen 2005). Regular long-term exercise potentially downregulates resting levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines indicative of low-grade inflammation [e.g. IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and C-reactive protein (CRP)] (Beavers et al 2010). For an acute bout of exercise the elevation of circulating IL-6 concentration and the resulting anti-inflammatory effect are dependent on both the intensity and duration of the session, with 126-fold increases in IL-6 seen after an ultra-running event (Nieman et al 2005) and no increases seen after 30 min of moderate-intensity walking (Markovitch et al 2008). Through an appreciation of the link between acute responses to exercise and its long-term effects, we may be able to develop strategies to augment the acute inflammatory response to exercise and enhance its potential to combat chronic low-grade inflammation
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