Intense exercise works better than moderate exercise at reducing appetite in healthy adults who’d like to lose excess body fat.
A study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society has found that vigorous exercise significantly suppresses hunger levels more than does moderate exercise in healthy adults.
Plus, women in particular were affected by this response.
This research focuses on the hormone ghrelin, often referred to as the “hunger hormone,” which plays a key role in regulating appetite.
Lead author Kara Anderson, PhD, from the University of Virginia, noted that participants who engaged in high intensity workouts reported feeling “less hungry” afterward compared to those who performed moderateintensity exercises.
Hormones Influence Hunger
Freepik.com/ pvproductions
The study examined the effects of different exercise intensities on both acylated ghrelin (AG) and deacylated ghrelin (DAG), two forms of the hormone that influence hunger.
To conduct the study, researchers assessed eight men and six women who fasted overnight before participating in exercises of varying intensities.
Blood lactate levels helped determine the intensity of the workouts, and participants later reported their appetite levels.
Notably, the women showed higher baseline levels of total ghrelin than did the men.
However, it was only the women who experienced a significant reduction in AG levels after high intensity exercise.
The study found that moderate intensity exercise either did not alter ghrelin levels or, it led to an increase, suggesting that more intense workouts may be necessary to achieve a reduction in hunger signals.
Researchers emphasized that further investigation is needed to explore how these effects may differ between the genders.
Plus, the study was very small; a much larger study is warranted.
Nevertheless, these are intriguing results that get thought processes going when it comes to natural ways to inhibit hunger that leads to overeating.
Ghrelin Isn’t just a “Hunger Hormone”
Ghrelin’s influence extends beyond appetite regulation.
This chemical messenger also affects energy balance, glucose levels, immune response, sleep and memory.
Dr. Anderson proposed that exercise should be considered akin to a “drug,” with the “dose” tailored to individual fitness goals.
The findings of this study suggest that incorporating high intensity workouts may be particularly beneficial for appetite suppression in people who want to lose extra weight.
In fact, it’s no secret in the fitness world that hardcore or strenuous workouts really do have a blunting effect on excessive appetite, compared to medium effort activity.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
.
