Metabolomic Response throughout 16 Weeks of Combined Aerobic and Resistance Exercise Training in Older Women with Metabolic Syndrome

Amanda V Sardeli; Alex Castro; Victor B Gadelha; Wellington M Dos Santos; Janet M Lord; Cláudia R Cavaglieri; Mara Patrícia T Chacon-Mikahil

doi:10.3390/metabo12111041

Metabolomic Response throughout 16 Weeks of Combined Aerobic and Resistance Exercise Training in Older Women with Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolites. 2022 Oct 30;12(11):1041. doi: 10.3390/metabo12111041.

Authors

Amanda V Sardeli^{1

2

3}, Alex Castro^{1

4}, Victor B Gadelha¹, Wellington M Dos Santos¹, Janet M Lord³, Cláudia R Cavaglieri^{1

2}, Mara Patrícia T Chacon-Mikahil^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, School of Physical Education, State University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-851, Brazil.
² Gerontology Program, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-970, Brazil.
³ Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
⁴ Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos 13565-905, Brazil.

Abstract

Increases in longevity and obesity have led to a higher prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and several chronic conditions, such as hypertension. The prevalence of MetS and hypertension increases with advancing age and their detrimental effects on health can be attenuated by physical activity. Combined aerobic and resistance exercise training (CT) is recommended to maintain good health in older adults and is known to generate important metabolic adaptations. In this study we performed a metabolomics analysis, based on Hydrogen Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H NMR), to investigate the kinetics of changes in metabolism in non-physically active older women with MetS in response to 16 weeks of CT. A subset of women with MetS were selected from a larger randomized trial (that included men and women without MetS), with 12 participants on CT and 13 from the Control Group (CG). CT comprised walking/running at 63% of VO2max, three times/week, and resistance training (RT), consisting of 15 repetitions of seven exercises at moderate intensity, twice/week. Serum metabolomic profile was analysed at baseline (0W), 4 (4W), 8 (8W), 12 (12W) and 16 weeks (16W) for CT or CG. Cardiorespiratory fitness, RT load, blood pressure, body composition, lipid and glycaemic profile were also assessed. After 16 weeks CT increased cardiorespiratory fitness (13.1%, p < 0.05) and RT load (from 48% in the lat pulldown to 160% in the leg press, p < 0.05), but there were no changes in MetS parameters, such as body composition (Body Mass, Body Mass Index (BMI), body fat percentage and waist circumference), blood pressure, lipid and glycaemic profile. However, we identified potential higher substrate to the tricarboxylic acid cycle (increase in 2-Oxobutyrate from 0W (0.0029 ± 0.0009) to 4W (0.0038 ± 0.0011) and 8W (0.0041 ± 0.0015), p < 0.05), followed by alterations (different from 0W, p < 0.05) in the production of ketone bodies (3-Hydroxybutyrate, 0W (0.0717 ± 0.0377) to 16W (0.0397 ± 0.0331), and Acetoacetate, 0W (0.0441 ± 0.0240) to 16W (0.0239 ± 0.0141)), which together might explain the known improvement in fatty acid oxidation with exercise. There was also a late increase in ornithine at 16W of CT. Further studies are needed to investigate the association between these metabolic pathways and clinical outcomes in this population.

Keywords: aging; cardiovascular health; combined training; elderly; exercise; menopause; metabolism; metabolites; metabolomics; physical training.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding. However, A.V.S. was supported by an Academy of Medical Sciences Newton International Fellowship (NIFR7\1031). A.C. was funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation (2020/13939-7).