Body weight reduction by exercise increases the urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion level with relatively positive nitrogen, sodium, and potassium balances when compared to dietary restriction

Tetsuo Yamada; Shin-Ichi Kurasawa; Masami Matsuzaki; Akira Tanaka

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19632

Body weight reduction by exercise increases the urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion level with relatively positive nitrogen, sodium, and potassium balances when compared to dietary restriction

Heliyon. 2023 Sep 1;9(9):e19632. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19632. eCollection 2023 Sep.

Authors

Tetsuo Yamada¹, Shin-Ichi Kurasawa^{1

2}, Masami Matsuzaki^{1

3}, Akira Tanaka^{4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Kanto Gakuin University, Yokohama, Japan.
² Kanto Gakuin University, Yokohama, Japan.
³ Department of Nutritional Management, Hana Professional Training of College, Tokyo, Japan.
⁴ Kagawa Nutrition University, Sakado, Japan.
⁵ Kichijoji Futaba Professional and Vocational College of Culinary Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan.

Abstract

Background: Regarding changes in muscle mass, differences due to types of exercise and/or nutritional interventions, and associations with nutrient balances are still unclear.

Methods: To estimate changes in muscle mass during a body weight loss program using either a diet or exercise regimen, we investigated levels of muscle mass-related indices, and body contents of nitrogen, sodium, and potassium as measured by the balance method. Six healthy young adult male volunteers participated in two 10-day crossover experiments (20 days total). The first 5 days comprised an adjustment period (energy intake, 2656 ± 367 kcal/day (mean ± standard deviation)). During the second 5-day period, the participants either reduced their energy intake to 1770 ± 244 kcal/day (diet regimen) or exercised on a bicycle ergometer to expend 886 ± 122 kcal/day (exercise regimen).

Results: The nitrogen, sodium, and potassium balances were significantly more positive during the exercise regimen than during the diet regimen. The urinary excretion levels of creatinine, 3-methylhistidine (3-MH), aldosterone, and catecholamines, and the 3-MH/creatinine ratio were significantly increased only during the exercise regimen.

Conclusions: The exercise regimen suppresses the decrease in muscle mass-related indices during body weight loss compared to the diet regimen with a relatively positive state of whole-body protein, sodium, and potassium balances, accompanied by an increase in sympathetic/adrenal cortical functions.

Keywords: 3-Methylhistidine; Balance data; Body weight reduction; Creatinine; Diet regimen; Exercise regimen.