Chemical Snapshot Shows Effects of Exercise

Reported May 31, 2010

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- We all know exercise is good for us, but what about your body? Researchers can now tell you the impact of your daily workout by analyzing your blood in unprecedented detail.

A team led by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers says they've developed the first "chemical snapshot" of the metabolic effects of exercise, and have published their findings in this month's issue of Science Translational Medicine.

The team analyzed blood samples taken from healthy participants before, immediately following, and one hour after exercise stress tests that were 10 minutes long. Exercise-associated changes were seen in more than 20 metabolites, reflecting processing of sugars, fats and amino acids. Several changes involved metabolic pathways not previously associated with exercise, including increases in niacinamide, a vitamin derivative known to enhance insulin release.

"Our results have implications for development of both diagnostic testing to track and improve exercise performance and for interventions to reduce the effects of diabetes or heart disease by improving a patient's metabolic 'fingerprint'," senior study author Robert Gerszten, M.D., was quoted as saying.

The team believes identifying which metabolites need to be replenished during vigorous exercise may help individuals attain better performance results, as well as pave the way for the next generation of sports drinks.

Source: Science Translational Medicine, May 2010