Benefits Of Exercising On An Empty Stomach

There has been so much emphasis on pre-workout sncaks. We've all heard about how one should grab a snack about 45 to 60 minutes in advance and keep it small. Not anymore! A group of researchers from the University of Bath in Britain have suggested that we should exercise on an empty stomach to boost the metabolism.

The study analysed the effects of eating versus fasting on the gene expression in the adipose (fat) tissue in response to exercise and claims that it is better to exercise on an empty stomach to enjoy good health. Researchers give a reason for the same explaining that after you eat something, the adipose tissue gets busy responding to that meal and the episode of exercise may not produce the same beneficial results in the tissue.

To prove their findings, study participants comprised of a group of overweight men. They were asked to walk for 60 minutes at 60 per cent maximum oxygen consumption on an empty stomach and, on another occasion, two hours after consuming a high-calorie carbohydrate-rich breakfast.

The research team took multiple blood samples after eating or fasting and after exercising. They also collected fat tissue samples immediately before and one hour after walking. After analyzing, it was revealed that the gene expression in the adipose tissue differed significantly in the two trials. It was found that the expression of two genes, PDK4 and HSL, increased when the men fasted and exercised and decreased when they ate before exercising.

The rise in PDK4 likely indicates that stored fat was used to fuel metabolism during exercise instead of carbohydrates from the recent meal and therefore, it may help in promoting extra weight loss. Hence, researchers concluded that exercise in a fasted state might provoke more favourable changes in adipose tissue, and this could be beneficial for health in the long term.

With inputs from IANS

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