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Clinical Trial
. 2021 Jan;8(24):e14669.
doi: 10.14814/phy2.14669.

Exercise training elicits superior metabolic effects when performed in the afternoon compared to morning in metabolically compromised humans

Rodrigo Mancilla  1   2 , Bram Brouwers  1   2 , Vera B Schrauwen-Hinderling  1   3 , Matthijs K C Hesselink  1   2 , Joris Hoeks  1   2 , Patrick Schrauwen  1   2
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Exercise training elicits superior metabolic effects when performed in the afternoon compared to morning in metabolically compromised humans

Rodrigo Mancilla et al. Physiol Rep. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

The circadian clock and metabolism are tightly intertwined. Hence, the specific timing of interventions that target metabolic changes may affect their efficacy. Here we retrospectively compared the metabolic health effects of morning versus afternoon exercise training in metabolically compromised subjects enrolled in a 12-week exercise training program. Thirty-two adult males (58 ± 7 yrs) at risk for or diagnosed with type 2 diabetes performed 12 weeks of supervised exercise training either in the morning (8.00-10.00 a.m., N = 12) or in the afternoon (3.00-6.00 p.m., N = 20). Compared to participants who trained in the morning, participants who trained in the afternoon experienced superior beneficial effects of exercise training on peripheral insulin sensitivity (+5.2 ± 6.4 vs. -0.5 ± 5.4 μmol/min/kgFFM, p = .03), insulin-mediated suppression of adipose tissue lipolysis (-4.5 ± 13.7% vs. +5.9 ± 11%, p = .04), fasting plasma glucose levels (-0.3 ± 1.0 vs. +0.5 ± 0.8 mmol/l, p = .02), exercise performance (+0.40 ± 0.2 vs. +0.2 ± 0.1 W/kg, p = .05) and fat mass (-1.2 ± 1.3 vs. -0.2 ± 1.0 kg, p = .03). In addition, exercise training in the afternoon also tended to elicit superior effects on basal hepatic glucose output (p = .057). Our findings suggest that metabolically compromised subjects may reap more pronounced metabolic benefits from exercise training when this training is performed in the afternoon versus morning. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV ID: NCT01317576.

Keywords: adipose tissue insulin sensitivity; hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp; skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity; timing of exercise.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Changes in peripheral insulin sensitivity and glucose oxidation upon the timing of exercise training either in the morning (AM) or in the afternoon (PM). (a) Changes in peripheral insulin‐stimulated glucose disposal (from basal to insulin‐stimulated) were significantly greater in the PM group compared to the AM group. Data are expressed as means ± SD. *p < .05. n = 11 for the AM group and n = 15 for the PM group. (b) Changes in insulin‐stimulated glucose oxidation (from basal to insulin‐stimulated) were significantly greater in the PM group compared to the AM group. Data are expressed as means ± SD. *p < .05. n = 7 for the AM group and n = 16 for the PM group. (c) Changes in insulin‐mediated suppression of plasma‐free fatty acids (%) improved significantly more in the PM group compared to the AM group. Data are expressed as means ± SD. *p < .05. n = 12 for the AM group and n = 19 for the PM group
Figure 2
Figure 2
Fat mass (kg) and Wmax (W/kg) changes upon the timing of exercise training either in the morning (AM) or in the afternoon (PM). (a) Changes in Fat mass (kg) were significantly greater in the PM group compared to the AM group. Data are expressed as means ± SD. *p = .03. n = 12 for the AM group and n = 20 for the PM group. (b) Changes in Wmax (W/kg) were significantly greater in the PM group compared to the AM group. Data are expressed as means ± SD. *p = .05. n = 12 for the AM group and n = 20 for the PM group
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