Effect of exercise intensity and mode of exercise on gastrointestinal damage

March 16, 2021- https: //doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2020-0883

Commentary

Intense exercise is thought to increase gastrointestinal damage, but the dose-response relationship remains to be elucidated. Therefore, running is thought to cause more gastrointestinal damage than cycling.

In two randomized crossover studies.

1) Quantified the gastrointestinal damage associated with increasing exercise intensity

2) investigate whether running is associated with greater gastrointestinal damage than cycling

The purpose of the study was to determine these factors.

In the maximal oxygen uptake (V O 2MAX) study, participants completed three cycles of testing at different intensities (40%, 60% and 80% for 60 min at V O 2MAX; n = 10), one cycle of testing at 70% running (45 min V O 2MAX; n = 11 (3 women, 8 men)), venous blood Samples were collected before and after exercise, measuring gastrointestinal damage via intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP).

The magnitude of the I-FABP change in intensity was 80% higher and the magnitude of the I-FABP change in mode was greater for cycling compared to running, a moderate effect.

Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and heart rate (HR) were higher during cycling, and rectal temperature did not differ between modes. Gastrointestinal damage was found to increase with increasing exercise intensity, and running was not associated with greater gastrointestinal damage than cycling.