Exercise, Inflammation, and Sugar Consumption in Adults with Normal Versus Impaired Fasting or Glucose Tolerance

Abstract

Exercise improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, but little is known about how consuming sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) during and post exercise influences the metabolic benefits of exercise. PURPOSE:Determine how the metabolic benefits of exercise are influenced by SSBs during and after exercise in overweight and obese adults of normal (NFG/NGT) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or glucose tolerance (IGT). METHODS:Male (n=9) and female (n=11) participants (18-52 y) completed two exercise and one control (CON+H2O) conditions. A standard, isocaloric diet to meet energy needs was given post exercise in EX+H2O and CON+H2O conditions, but SSB replaced 2 g per kg lean mass of calories from food in EX+SSB. Exercise was performed midday and consisted of an uphill walk at 65% predicted VO2max for 45 minutes on the first and matched on the second exercise condition. Participants completed a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) 18 h later with blood samples collected -5(0), 60, 120 minutes for analysis of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (sTNFR1), TNF-alpha (TNFa), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). Subjects were grouped into NFG/NGT (n=12) and IFG/IGT (n=8) for analysis. RESULTS:IL-6 at 0 and 60 min was lower (p=0.004) than 120 min. There was a trend (p=0.058) for IL-6 in CON+H2O (mean±SEM; 1.70±0.16 pg·ml-1) to be higher than EX+SSB (2.42±0.34 pg·ml-1) at 120 min. TNFa was lower (p=0.022) in EX+H2O compared to CON+H2O. The IFG/IGT group had higher (p<0.05) sTNFR1 with consumption of SSB regardless of exercise. There was a significant time by group interaction (p=0.009) for RONS to increase during the OGTT in IFG/IGT but not NFG/NGT. CONCLUSIONS:Inflammation responses to glucose ingestion were lower 18h after exercise compared to the non-exercise. This is the first study that we know of to demonstrate a prolonged anti-inflammatory effect of exercise. IFG/IGT had greater RONS responses during the OGTT, regardless of condition. Thus, metabolic benefits of exercise may partially compromised by increases in some inflammatory markers when IFG/IGT adults consumed SSBs. Supported by the Mountain West Clinical Translational Research - Infrastructure Network under a grant from NIGMS of the NIH under Award Number 1U54GM104944.