Effects of prior acute exercise on circulating cytokine concentration responses to a high-fat meal

Abstract

High-fat meal consumption alters the circulating cytokine profile and contributes to cardiometabolic diseases. A prior bout of exercise can ameliorate the triglyceride response to a high-fat meal, but the interactive effects of exercise and high-fat meals on cytokines that mediate cardiometabolic risk are not fully understood. We investigated the effects of prior exercise on the responses of circulating tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, leptin, retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), placental growth factor (PlGF), and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) to a high-fat meal. Ten healthy men were studied before and 4 h after ingestion of a high-fat meal either with or without ∼50 min of endurance exercise at 70% of VO2 max on the preceding day. In response to the high-fat meal, lower leptin and higher VEGF, bFGF, IL-6, and IL-8 concentrations were evident (P < 0.05 for all). There was no effect of the high-fat meal on PlGF, TNF-α, or RBP4 concentrations. We found lower leptin concentrations with prior exercise (P < 0.05) and interactive effects of prior exercise and the high-fat meal on sFlt-1 (P < 0.05). The high-fat meal increased IL-6 by 59% without prior exercise and 218% with prior exercise (P < 0.05). In conclusion, a prior bout of endurance exercise does not affect all high-fat meal–induced changes in circulating cytokines, but does affect fasting or postprandial concentrations of IL-6, leptin, and sFlt-1. These data may reflect a salutary effect of prior exercise on metabolic responses to a high-fat meal.

The effect of moderate intensity exercise in the postprandial period on the inflammatory response to a high-fat meal: an experimental study

“…Similarly, our hypothesis predicting lower inflammation in the EX group as compared to CON, was not supported. It has been previously shown that PPL is not always an accurate predictor of postprandial inflammation [ 19 ] and this was reinforced in the current study. Furthermore, there were no group differences between EX and CON when comparing changes in inflammatory markers over the course of the postprandial period, aside from the group x time interaction for sVCAM-1, which increased in the EX group as compared to CON.…”

“…Prolonged elevation of postprandial triglycerides may lower HDL cholesterol [ 17 ] and increase concentrations of small, dense, atherogenic, LDL cholesterol and chylomicron remnants [ 18 ]. However, it has been shown that prior exercise may be effective at lowering triglycerides while having no effect on the inflammatory response to a HFM [ 19 , 20 ]. Given that both of these prior studies used a bout of exercise that was completed the day before ingestion of the HFM, and therefore far in advance of the HFM, potential anti-inflammatory benefits of the acute exercise may not have been observable.…”

Postprandial lipemic and inflammatory responses to high-fat meals: a review of the roles of acute and chronic exercise

“…A separate study found a postprandial walk of only 30 min was also effective for attenuating PPL [103]. Other studies that have tested recreational exercisers have shown that these individuals may require energy expenditures in the 600-900 kcal range in order to attenuate PPL [104, 105]. Therefore, it appears that individuals who exercise less frequently may need to expend less energy during exercise to attenuate PPL.…”

“…Experimental studies aimed at reducing postprandial inflammation through exercise have focused primarily on moderate-to-high intensity pre-meal exercise [104, 105]. While these studies have found prior exercise to be effective for attenuating PPL, they have not found acute exercise to be effective for decreasing postprandial inflammation.…”

Does chronic physical activity level modify the airway inflammatory response to an acute bout of exercise in the postprandial period?

“…In a review written by Katsanos and Moffatt (2004), the authors estimated that between 600 and 700 kcals may need to be expended to produce an attenuated lipemic response. However, physically inactive individuals may achieve a reduction in lipemic response to a HFM with a smaller energy expenditure compared to physically active individuals (Katsanos and Moffatt 2004; Brandauer et al 2013). In fact, an energy expenditure as minimal as 300 to 500 kilocalories may elicit a reduction in lipemia in inactive participants when performed without caloric replacement following the exercise bout (Murphy et al 2000).…”