Abstract
In endurance-trained men, an acute bout of exercise is shown to suppress post-exercise appetite, yet limited research has examined this response in women. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of exercise intensity on appetite and gut hormone responses in endurance-trained women. Highly-trained women (n = 15, 18–40 years, 58.4 ± 6.4 kg, VO2MAX = 55.2 ± 4.3 mL/kg/min) completed isocaloric bouts (500 kcals or 2093 kJ) of moderate-intensity (MIE, 60% VO2MAX) and high-intensity (HIE, 85% VO2MAX) treadmill running at the same time of day, following a similar 48-h diet/exercise period, and at least 1-week apart. Blood was drawn pre-exercise (baseline), immediately post-exercise and every 20-min for the next 60-min. Plasma concentrations of acylated ghrelin, PYY3–36, GLP-1 and subjective appetite ratings via visual analog scale (VAS) were assessed at each time point. Acylated ghrelin decreased (p = 0.014) and PYY3–36 and GLP-1 increased (p = 0.036, p < 0.0001) immediately post-exercise, indicating appetite suppression. VAS ratings of hunger and desire to eat decreased immediately post-exercise (p = 0.0012, p = 0.0031, respectively), also indicating appetite suppression. There were no differences between exercise intensities for appetite hormones or VAS. Similar to males, post-exercise appetite regulatory hormones were altered toward suppression in highly-trained women and independent of energy cost of exercise. Results are important for female athletes striving to optimize nutrition for endurance performance.
Highlights
The importance of exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle, both for prevention of chronic diseases and weight management, is well established
VO2MAX was determined using a standardized treadmill test with 4-mins at a moderate intensity, based on individual average training and race pace, speed and grade increased every minute until exhaustion (~8–12-min)
We found a trend for a decrease in acylated ghrelin immediately post-exercise (p = 0.014; 22% decrease), which is similar to previous studies in trained men [7,8,9,11,19,20,21,23,25,26]
Summary
The importance of exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle, both for prevention of chronic diseases and weight management, is well established. Based on the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, the public health recommendations for physical activity (PA) include daily exercise for at least 150 min/week to promote and maintain health [1]. Additional health benefits of regular PA include reduction of risk factors for chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease, type II diabetes, and stroke, increased energy expenditure, improved metabolic function, and maintenance of lean tissue [1,2]. The role of exercise in the regulation of appetite and energy intake is still being explored [3]. Appetite and food intake are complex behaviors, influenced by the integration of numerous hormonal and neural signals in the hypothalamus [4].
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