Consumption of a High-Protein Meal Replacement Leads to Higher Fat Oxidation, Suppression of Hunger, and Improved Metabolic Profile After an Exercise Session

Camila L P Oliveira,Mario Siervo,Normand G Boulé,Aloys Berg,Sunita Ghosh,Sarah A Elliott,Arya M Sharma,Carla M Prado

doi:10.3390/nu13010155

Camila L P Oliveira, Mario Siervo + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13010155

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the impact of a high-protein meal replacement (HP-MR) versus a control (CON) breakfast on exercise metabolism. In this acute, randomized controlled, cross-over study, participants were allocated into two isocaloric arms: (a) HP-MR: 30% carbohydrate, 43% protein, and 27% fat; (b) CON: 55% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 30% fat. Following breakfast, participants performed a moderate-intensity aerobic exercise while inside a whole-body calorimetry unit. Energy expenditure, macronutrient oxidation, appetite sensations, and metabolic blood markers were assessed. Forty-three healthy, normal-weight adults (24 males) participated. Compared to the CON breakfast, the HP-MR produced higher fat oxidation (1.07 ± 0.33 g/session; p = 0.003) and lower carbohydrate oxidation (−2.32 ± 0.98 g/session; p = 0.023) and respiratory exchange ratio (−0.01 ± 0.00; p = 0.003) during exercise. After exercise, increases in hunger were lower during the HP-MR condition. Changes in blood markers from the fasting state to post-exercise during the HP-MR condition were greater for insulin, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, peptide tyrosine-tyrosine, and gluca-gon-like peptide 1, and lower for triglyceride and glycerol. Our primary findings were that a HP-MR produced higher fat oxidation during the exercise session, suppression of hunger, and improved metabolic profile after it.

Highlights

Maintenance of a healthy body weight is essential to decrease morbidity and mortality associated with excess body weight [1,2]
We investigated the effects of the consumption of a high-protein meal replacement (HP-MR) versus a control (CON) breakfast (North American) preceding an acute bout of moderate-intensity exercise on selected components of exercise energy metabolism, appetite sensations, and metabolic blood markers in healthy, normal-weight young adults of both sexes
Females presented a stronger response in appetite sensations, while in males, this response was related to the appetite-related hormone GLP-1

Summary

Introduction

Maintenance of a healthy body weight is essential to decrease morbidity and mortality associated with excess body weight [1,2]. Caloric restriction and exercise can help with weight loss [10], the long-term weight maintenance can be challenging, and most individuals usually regain their body weight [11]. Part of this response seems to be associated with compensatory adjustments to diet- and exercise-induced perturbations in the energy balance equation, including a decrease in EE, upregulation in appetite and orexigenic hormones (e.g., ghrelin), and a decrease in anorexigenic hormones (e.g., leptin, peptide tyrosine tyrosine [PYY], and glucagon-like peptide 1 [GLP-1]) [12,13], which seem to be regulated differently in females and males [14]. Males appear to experience greater exercise-induced weight loss than females [15], who seem to demonstrate higher compensatory responses to exercise in order to preserve body fat stores and reproductive function [16]

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