Abstract
This systematic review provides a qualitative appraisal of 24 high-quality metabolomics-based studies published over the past decade exploring exercise-induced alterations of the human metabolome. Of these papers, 63% focused on acute metabolite changes following intense and prolonged exercise. The best studies utilized liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analytical platforms with large chemical standard libraries and strong, multivariate bioinformatics support. These studies reported large-fold changes in diverse lipid-related metabolites, with more than 100 increasing two-fold or greater within a few hours post-exercise. Metabolite shifts, even after strenuous exercise, typically return to near pre-exercise levels after one day of recovery. Few studies investigated metabolite changes following acute exercise bouts of shorter durations (< 60 min) and workload volumes. Plasma metabolite shifts in these types of studies are modest in comparison. More cross-sectional and exercise training studies are needed to improve scientific understanding of the human system’s response to varying, chronic exercise workloads. The findings derived from this review provide direction for future investigations focused on the body’s metabolome response to exercise.
Highlights
Acute and chronic physical activity causes extensive adaptations in organs and systems, leading to health benefits [1]
With the support of advanced analytical platforms and bioinformatics, metabolomics data can provide valuable insights regarding the biological impact of physical activity, pharmacological treatment, nutritional interventions, and other exposures [3]
Advances in mass spectrometry since 2010 have led to an increasing number of metabolomics-based studies targeted on whole-body metabolite responses to varying acute and chronic exercise workloads
Summary
Acute and chronic physical activity causes extensive adaptations in organs and systems, leading to health benefits [1]. Improvements in technology have allowed investigators to quantify these adaptations using a biological systems approach, overlaying gene information with transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]. Combined data from multi-omics approaches will improve scientific understanding regarding the complex modulating effect that physical activity has on the phenotype at the individual level and related molecular mechanisms. Metabolomics is defined as the simultaneous measurement of numerous low molecular metabolites that participate as substrates, reactants, signaling agents, intermediates, and products of enzyme-mediated reactions [3,4]. With the support of advanced analytical platforms and bioinformatics, metabolomics data can provide valuable insights regarding the biological impact of physical activity, pharmacological treatment, nutritional interventions, and other exposures [3]
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