Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Oct;58(10):1329-1341.
doi: 10.1007/s00592-021-01747-1. Epub 2021 May 28.

Playing around the anaerobic threshold during COVID-19 pandemic: advantages and disadvantages of adding bouts of anaerobic work to aerobic activity in physical treatment of individuals with obesity

Alberto Salvadori  1 , Paolo Fanari  1 , Paolo Marzullo  2   3 , Franco Codecasa  1 , Ilaria Tovaglieri  1 , Mauro Cornacchia  1 , Ileana Terruzzi  4   5 , Anna Ferrulli  4   5 , Patrizia Palmulli  1 , Amelia Brunani  6 , Stefano Lanzi  7 , Livio Luzi  8   9
Affiliations
Review

Playing around the anaerobic threshold during COVID-19 pandemic: advantages and disadvantages of adding bouts of anaerobic work to aerobic activity in physical treatment of individuals with obesity

Alberto Salvadori et al. Acta Diabetol. 2021 Oct.

Abstract

Introduction: Obesity is a condition that generally limits work capacity and predisposes to a number of comorbidities and related diseases, the last being COVID-19 and its complications and sequelae. Physical exercise, together with diet, is a milestone in its management and rehabilitation, although there is still a debate on intensity and duration of training. Anaerobic threshold (AT) is a broad term often used either as ventilatory threshold or as lactate threshold, respectively, detected by respiratory ventilation and/or respiratory gases (VCO2 and VO2), and by blood lactic acid.

Aims and methodology: This review outlines the role of AT and of the different variations of growth hormone and catecholamine, in subjects with obesity vs normal weight individuals below and beyond AT, during a progressive increase in exercise training. We present a re-evaluation of the effects of physical activity on body mass and metabolism of individuals with obesity in light of potential benefits and pitfalls during COVID-19 pandemic. Comparison of a training program at moderate-intensity exercise (< AT) with training performed at moderate intensity (< AT) plus a final bout of high-intensity (> AT) exercise at the end of the aerobic session will be discussed.

Results: Based on our data and considerations, a tailored strategy for individuals with obesity concerning the most appropriate intensity of training in the context of rehabilitation is proposed, with special regard to potential benefits of work program above AT.

Conclusion: Adding bouts of exercise above AT may improve lactic acid and H+ disposal and improve growth hormone. Long-term aerobic exercise may improve leptin reduction. In this way, the propensity of subjects with obesity to encounter a serious prognosis of COVID-19 may be counteracted and the systemic and cardiorespiratory sequelae that may ensue after COVID-19, can be overcome. Individuals with serious comorbidities associated with obesity should avoid excessive exercise intensity.

Keywords: Anaerobic threshold; High-intensity; Obesity; Physical exercise; Rehabilitation; covid-19.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
COVID-19 shifts metabolism toward anaerobic glycolysis eventually inducing metabolic acidosis and hypopotassemia. Bouts of physical exercise above AT cause a positive modulation of hormones and metabolites like, growth hormone, lactic acid, H+, K+
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
K+ modification during exercise testing before and after anaerobic threshold
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Serum GH concentration during exercise testing before and after aerobic training (left panel), before and after aerobic plus anaerobic training (right panel) in subjects with obesity vs normal subjects
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Plasma NEFA concentration during exercise testing before and after aerobic training (left panel), before and after aerobic plus anaerobic training (right panel) in subjects with obesity
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Troisi RJ, Weiss ST, Parker DR, Sparrow D, Young JB, Landsberg L. Relation of obesity and diet to sympathetic nervous system activity. Hypertension. 1991;17:169–177. doi: 10.1161/01.HYP.17.5.669. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Jones PP, Davy KP, Alexander S, Seals DR. Age-related increase in muscle sympathetic nerve activity is associated with abdominal adiposity. Am J Physiol. 1997;272:E976–E980. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.1997.272.3.C976. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Seals DR, Bell C. Chronic sympathetic activation: consequence and cause of age-associated obesity. Diabetes. 2004;53:276–285. doi: 10.2337/diabetes.53.2.276. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Arner P. Catecholamine-induced lipolysis in obesity. Int J Obes Relat Metal Disord. 1999;23(Suppl. 1):S10–S13. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0800789. - DOI - PubMed
    1. McMurray RG, Hackney AC. Interactions of metabolic hormones, adipose tissue and exercise. Sports Med. 2005;35(5):393–412. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200535050-00003. - DOI - PubMed