Effects of High-Intensity Interval Exercise on Postprandial Fat and Carbohydrate Oxidation, and Endothelial Function, in Healthy Adults

Obesity is highly prevalence in United States. Obesity can be seen as a positive energy balance, especially a positive fat balance. This may be due in part to how the human body uses energy sources. When a person overconsumes a meal that contains high amounts of both carbohydrate and fat, carbohydrate will stimulate its own oxidation and suppress fat oxidation. This can result in a positive fat balance, which could eventually lead to obesity. Also, it has been shown that after consuming a meal endothelial function is frequently impaired for several hours during the postprandial period. Long-term endothelial dysfunction is a major cause of different types of cardiovascular disease. Exercise has been shown to stimulate fat oxidation and, when performed the day before meal ingestion, precondition arteries by enhancing endothelial function in the basal state. However, the acute effect of exercise on postprandial period is unknown. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of high intensity interval exercise (HIIE) on the substrate oxidation and endothelial function in the postprandial period after consumption of “meal” consisting of a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and a candy bar (480 kcal; ~75% sugar). Five subjects (4 males, 1 female; age=25yr, BMI=25 kg/m2) completed two conditions in random order: 1) no exercise control; 2) high-intensity interval exercise on a cycle ergometer: alternating 1-min intervals at 90-95% HRmax separated by 1-min of active recovery at 50W, for a duration sufficient to expend ~480 kcal. Endothelial function was measured by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) at baseline, and at 1, 2 and 4 hours postprandial. Substrate oxidation was measured by indirect calorimetry during the entire first hour postprandial and then during the last 20 min of hours 2-5 postprandial. Absolute postprandial fat oxidation (g/5 hours) was higher in HIIE (exercise: 5.47 ± 9.97, control: -9.78 ± 3.80; p<0.011). Absolute postprandial carbohydrate oxidation (g/5 hours) was higher in control group (control: 27.79 ± 6.20, exercise: -1.48 ± 7.75; p<0.019). Therefore, these results show that HIIE results in greater fat oxidation during the postprandial period in comparison to a no-exercise control condition. For FMD, there was no significant difference between groups, and no group x time interaction. However, there was a significant time effect (p<0.046), with both groups demonstrating a reduction in FMD during the postprandial period. FMD in the control condition decreased from 12% to 7.5% during the first 2 hours postprandial, and from 11.4% to 7.3% in the HIIE condition. These results indicate that HIIE performed 1 hour prior to ingestion of a SSB and candy bar does not prevent postprandial endothelial dysfunction.