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Intermittent
Exercise Is More Effective
By Jeremy Diener
Regular exercise is an important aspect of
a healthy lifestyle and for the prevention of coronary heart disease,
Type II diabetes and obesity. Classic recommendations for endurance
exercise have been 20 to 60 minutes of continuous exercise at
a vigorous intensity. New research from the University of Missouri-Columbia
suggests intermittent exercise is more effective at lowering artery-blocking
fat in the bloodstream than continuous exercise when exercising
just 30 minutes.
MU researchers conducted the study to examine
the effects of continuous versus intermittent exercise on triglyceride,
a type of fat, levels in the bloodstream after subjects ate high-fat
meals. The results show that people who engage in 30 minutes of
exercise can achieve lower triglyceride levels after a high fat
meal if they engage in short, separated bouts of exercise rather
than one continuous bout. The research team included professor
of nutritional sciences Tom Thomas, post-doctorate fellow Thomas
Altena, assistant professor of nutritional sciences Stephen Ball,
and graduate student Jody Michaelson, all in the College of Human
Environmental Sciences. Altena, who is now an assistant professor
at Southwest Missouri State University, supervised the study.
“Most Americans who exercise are exercising
around 30 minutes a day,” Thomas said. “Based on the
results of the research, the intermittent approach would probably
be best for most Americans at lowering fat in the bloodstream.”
The researchers examined triglyceride levels
following meals in inactive subjects. All subjects performed three
different protocols on different days. On the control day, subjects
ate a high-fat meal only. On a second visit, the subjects ate
a high-fat meal following a session of continuous exercise. On
another visit, the subjects ate a high-fat meal following a session
of intermittent exercise in which the subjects exercised in 10-minute
bouts separated by 20-minute rest periods.
Results indicated that peak triglyceride levels
in the subjects who engaged in intermittent exercise before eating
a high-fat meal were reduced by 27 percent. Those who engaged
in continuous exercise reduced their triglyceride levels by 15
percent.
Thomas noted that exercising before eating
was crucial for fat clearing, saying that the researchers believe
muscle contraction during the exercise process stimulates a fat-clearing
enzyme in the muscle. According to previous research, the enzyme
activity seems to peak about 12 hours after the session of exercise.
In addition to showing what type of exercise is best, this information
also could help someone determine what time is best for exercise.
Since it’s best to exercise 12 hours before eating a large
or high-fat meal, those who eat large breakfasts
could benefit more from exercise in the evening,
while those who eat large dinners could benefit more from exercise
in the morning. However, Thomas said, the exercise effect on fat
clearing does not last more than 24 hours, which suggests the
need for daily physical activity to continuously stimulate the
fat clearing system.
The research is published in the August issue
of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
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Copyright © 2007 — Curators of the University of Missouri
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Published by the Mizzou Alumni Association
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Last Update:
November 15, 2007
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