2Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
3Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Science, Burapha University, Chonburi 20131, Thailand
4Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
5Department of Sport Science, Faculty of Psychology and Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
Keywords: Body composition; Endurance exercise; High sensitivity C-reactive protein; Lactate concentration; Malondialdehyde; Nutrition; Young sedentary
Chronic exercise has been reported to extend the lifespan in both rodents and humans [4,5]. Muscle cells show adaptive responses to free radicals produced during the contraction process. This response is an increase in the antioxidant protection mechanism. Subsequently, the cells are able to deal better with regular ROS consequences [6]. In addition, it has been suggested that exercise training provokes anti-inflammatory effects, which seem to be associated with the generation of an antioxidative defence system that appears to reduce the C-reactive protein (CRP) level [7]. Different types of exercise training, however, have been shown to affect CRP levels differently [8]. Thus, it is crucial for sedentary people to acclimatize to exercise-induced detrimental effects from ROS and inflammatory responses during exercise. The intensity, time and type of exercise should be taken into consideration for this particular group of individuals.
Another important factor that should be taken into account during exercise is the individual nutritional status. For instance, obesity has been reported to impact on inflammatory-related oxidative stress [9]. Nutritional measures during the exercise programme should be adjusted to muscle type and exercise intensity. Nutritional alternatives affect the rates of fat oxidation (40–65 % of maximal oxygen consumption; VO2 max) during submaximal exercise [10]. Environmental factors are strongly involved in the alteration of nutritional use, such as during exercise in different cold and hot temperatures [11]. At high altitude, carbohydrates are preferentially used during exercise due to the lack of oxygen [12].
Based on all the aforementioned indications, we hypothesized that low-intensity exercise training in sedentary people should prevent detrimental effects from oxidative stress and inflammatory responses and should impact favourably on nutritional status. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of low-intensity exercise training on oxidative stress level, inflammatory responses and nutritional status in sedentary people.
Percentage of body fat was evaluated by bioelectric impedance analysis (Tanita UM051, Tanita Corporation, Japan). Lean body mass was calculated by body weight (kg) minus body fat (kg) and presented as protein mass (kg).
WHR was taken as a central obesity assessment. Waist circumference was measured in centimetres using a measuring tape at the midpoint between the lower ribcage and the iliac crest. Hip circumference was measured at the widest level around the buttocks. The WHR was calculated as waist circumference divided by hip circumference [15].
Determination of MDA level by thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS): MDA was measured by thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) assay modified from Nielsen et al. and Tsai et al. [17,18]. One millilitre of diluted plasma (1:2) was added with 50 μl of 0.1 mM butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT), 500 μl of 5 mM EDTA, 1 ml of 8.1% (w/v) sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 1 ml of 10% (w/v) trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and 1.5 ml of 0.67% (w/v) thiobarbituric acid (TBA). The reaction mixture was incubated at 95 ºC for 30 min, and then dipped into tap water for 5 min. After stopping the reaction, it was centrifuged at 3,000 rpm for 15 min at room temperature. The supernatant was transferred to a glass cuvette for measuring absorbance at 532 nm. Tetraethoxypropane was used as standard in a concentration range of 0.25–2 μM.
A statistical power analysis was performed for sample size estimation, in regard to published study of Sekeroglu et al. [19] (N = 15/ group), comparing before exercise to after training. The effect size in this study was 2.64, which it was considered to be large effects based on Cohen’s criteria [20]. With an alpha at 0.05 and power at 0.80 using ANOVA test, the present study’s sample size with large effect size (f = 0.40) was N = 19 people/ group (G*Power 3.1). Thus, our sample size of 20 people/ group will be competent for main objective of present study and should be adequate for our additional objectives for other parameters.
Characteristics |
N = 20 |
Age (years) [median (IQR)] |
20 (19-23) |
Gender, N (%) |
3 (15%) |
Male |
|
Occupation, N (%) |
Student (100%) |
Education, N (%) |
Undergraduate (100%) |
Tobacco smoking, N (%) |
None |
Alcohol drinking, N (%) |
None |
Body mass index (kg/m2)* |
20.9 ± 4.1 |
Weight (kgs)* |
54.3 ± 11.6 |
Body fat (kgs)* |
13.8 ± 6.1 |
Lean body mass (kgs)* |
40.6 ± 7.5 |
Waist to hip ratio* |
0.79 ± 0.1 |
Exercise periods |
Cholesterol |
HDL-C |
LDL-C |
TG |
Pre-exercise |
203±33 |
57±10 |
134±30 |
60±16 |
After an exercise session at the beginning of training |
203±34 |
59±9 |
130±30 |
71±22 |
After 4 weeks of training |
202±30 |
56±10 |
131±28 |
73±24 |
After 8 weeks of training |
202±36 |
57±12 |
131±34 |
70±20 |
Exercise periods |
BMI |
Weight |
Body fat |
Lean body mass (kgs) |
WHR |
Pre-exercise |
20.9±4.1 |
54.3 ± 11.6 |
13.8 ± 6.1 |
40.6 ± 7.5 |
0.79 ± 0.1 |
After an exercise session at |
20.5±3.9 |
53.4 ± 11.2 |
13.7 ± 5.6 |
39.6 ± 7.3 |
0.78 ± 0.1 |
After 4 weeks of training |
20.7±4.1 |
53.8 ± 11.6 |
13.9 ± 6.0 |
39.8 ± 7.3 |
0.77 ± 0.1 |
After 8 weeks of training |
20.6±4.0 |
53.7 ± 11.4 |
13.9 ± 6.0 |
39.8 ± 7.1 |
0.76 ± 0.1 |
Hs-CRP levels were highest after an exercise session at the beginning of training. The levels tended to decrease after 4 weeks of training. Subsequently, after 8 weeks of training a continuous decrease in most subjects was revealed, but in some of them there was an increment in hs-CRP level, as shown in Figure 2.
There tended to be a positive association between MDA and lactate concentration levels (r = 0.43, p = 0.061) and ΔEight-Acute MDA level and ΔEight-Acute lactate concentration level (r = 0.38, p = 0.097) after 8 weeks of training.
The correlation analyses between hs-CRP and body compositions, and lipid and lipoprotein levels, showed a positive
* = Significant different from pre-exercise, p < 0.05, ¥ = Significant different from after an exercise session at the beginning of training, p < 0.05.
Reduced MDA levels after exercise training have also been reported by previous studies [21]. The decline in MDA levels is compatible with the notion of Lovlin et al., who suggested that exercise training at 40% VO2max reduces plasma MDA levels and exercising at 70% VO2max results in MDA levels even below resting values. They proposed that submaximal exercise training may prevent the increase in MDA and lipid peroxidation [22]. A possible explanation could be that lactate metabolism and changes in the NADH/ NADPH ratio may be associated with tissue adaptive response to exercise [23,24]. For instance, lactate uptake has been shown to increase by warming down with pedalling at around 40% VO2max [25]. The enhancement of lactate uptake by submaximal exercise would develop an increase in NADH/ NADPH, which possibly elevates antioxidant enzyme activity. Consequently, substrates able to produce free radicals are decreased [22]. Although we do not have lactate uptake
Correlations |
r |
p |
CK and weight at pre-exercise |
0.48 |
0.034 |
CK and lean body mass at pre-exercise |
0.68 |
0.001 |
CK and cholesterol after an exercise session at the beginning of training |
0.49 |
0.028 |
CK and WHR after an exercise session at the beginning of training |
0.46 |
0.042 |
CK and lean body mass after 4 weeks of training |
0.58 |
0.007 |
Hs-CRP and weight at pre-exercise |
0.54 |
0.014 |
Hs-CRP and body fat at pre-exercise |
0.71 |
<0.001 |
Hs-CRP and BMI at pre-exercise |
0.61 |
0.005 |
Hs-CRP and HDL-C after an exercise session at the beginning of training |
-0.45 |
0.048 |
Hs-CRP and BMI after an exercise session at the beginning of training |
0.45 |
0.044 |
Hs-CRP and weight after 4 weeks of training |
0.57 |
0.008 |
Hs-CRP and HDL-C after 4 weeks of training |
-0.45 |
0.047 |
Hs-CRP and body fat after 4 weeks of training |
0.75 |
<0.001 |
Hs-CRP and BMI after 4 weeks of training |
0.66 |
0.002 |
Hs-CRP and weight after 8 weeks of training |
0.56 |
0.010 |
Hs-CRP and HDL-C after 8 weeks of training |
-0.62 |
0.004 |
Hs-CRP and TG after 8 weeks of training |
0.52 |
0.019 |
Hs-CRP and WHR after 8 weeks of training |
0.74 |
<0.001 |
Hs-CRP and BMI after 8 weeks of training |
0.51 |
0.022 |
Hs-CRP and lean body mass after 8 weeks of training |
0.65 |
0.002 |
The lower blood lactate concentrations observed after training in the present study could be due to several reasons. Firstly, a muscle glycogen sparing effect during exercise may have developed due to an increased use of fatty acids instead of carbohydrate [26]. Jackman and Willis noted that low-intensity endurance exercise mainly involved slow oxidative type I muscle fibres, indicating the preferential use of fat oxidation [27]. Another reason may be an increasing lactate uptake during submaximal exercise after training [25].
In line with our findings, Fredsted et al. did not see increased CK levels immediately after exercise when compared to preexercise [28]. They showed the highest CK levels during the 3 days post-exercise [28]. Muscle damage after exercise results in the release of various types of skeletal muscle protein to the blood and CK activity levels have been used as a marker of cell disruption and increased membrane permeability [29]. However, CK levels increase not earlier than several hours post-exercise. The observed association between CK and lean body mass is also compatible with previous studies [30,31]. Thus, the active muscle mass, exercise intensity and training status may all influence CK level [32].
Although hs-CRP levels did not differ significantly between time points, the highest levels tended to appear after exercise at the beginning of training followed by a subsequent decline after 4 and 8 weeks of training. Similar findings have been reported by Marcell et al. [33] and Fairey et al. [34] who did not find significant differences in hs-CRP levels between baseline and after exercise training. The tendency of hs-CRP to decline in our study was also consistent with previous studies, demonstrating lower CRP levels after training in healthy males for 9 months [7] as well as in patients with intermittent claudication [35]. These authors suggested that metabolic adaptation from oxygen utilization in muscle [35] as a result of regular exercise training might reduce inflammatory responses and develop an antioxidative defence function [7,35]. In contrast, You et al. found that postmenopausal women, who had diet-induced weight loss, did not show lower CRP levels. However, when exercise training and dieting were combined, significantly reduced CRP levels were seen [36]. Previous study showed that obesity associated with inflammation and oxidative stress caused nuclear factor- κB-activated inflammation [9]. Also, the present study indicates a positive correlation between hs-CRP level and parameters of lipids and body compositions. Taken together, exercise training might cause beneficial effects by reducing inflammation markers (hs-CRP).
Our data from lipid and lipoprotein levels are in agreement with Kraus et al. who did not see any difference in cholesterol, HDL-C and LDL-C after 8 months of exercise with low-amount moderate-intensity training [37]. These authors suggested that the amount of exercise was more important in relation to lipid and lipoprotein responses than the intensity of exercise [37]. Also, nutritional status in our study was compatible with the findings of Devries et al. who demonstrated no change in body weight and body fat percentage in women after endurance training for 12 weeks [38]. They suggested that high-intensity exercise could change body composition [39]. Previous studies showed an association between lean body mass and protein intake [40,41]. Collectively, our findings suggest that low-intensity exercise training may not affect lipid and lipoprotein levels or nutritional status but showed other clinically relevant effects as a consequence of exercise training in previously sedentary subjects, i.e. lowering of oxidative stress levels.
Several limitations of this study have to be mentioned. Firstly, the timing of blood sampling is crucial, e.g. for CK levels, as reported by Fredsted et al. [28]. Secondly, information on antioxidant levels for illustrating the redox alteration is missing. Thirdly, the sample size is relatively small due to the long duration of exercise training.
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