Effects of Dietary Patterns and Exercise on Exerkine/Endocrine Responses

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 June 2024 | Viewed by 6861

Special Issue Editor

Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Università Degli Studi Della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Vivaldi 43, 81130 Caserta, Italy
Interests: thyronine; obesity; molecular biology; lipid metabolism; metabolic diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Scientific research has confirmed the notion that adequate functioning of the body’s physiological systems requires exercise as well as a balanced food intake, and that these features should be integrated in the daily lives of each person, irrespective of the stage of metabolism-related comorbidities they may encounter. In recent years, a multitude of factors (referred to as “exerkines”) has emerged that link the physiological response of multiple tissues to mobility and nutrition, through endocrine, paracrine, and/or autocrine pathways. Interestingly, in response to exercise or dietary interventions, these factors may be produced in tissues that deviate from those originally discovered and thought to be the main production site (e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), being produced in skeletal muscle in response to exercise or energy deprivation). Another factor, thyroid hormone (T3), is increasingly produced locally (muscle) but not centrally (thyroid) in response to exercise. One entity that modulates metabolic responses by stimulating exerkine synthesis is the microbiome, which should be considered an additional organ of the body. This Special Issue aims to focus on the emerging roles of “exerkines”, including hormones, as well as nutritional lipids and amino acids, crucial for maintenance of the body's physiological constitution, in order to adequately respond to the ever-increasing variety of challenges it is facing.

Dr. Pieter De Lange
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • exercise
  • diets
  • exerkines/hormones
  • metabolism
  • amino acid

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3005 KiB  
Article
Exercise Equals the Mobilization of Visceral versus Subcutaneous Adipose Fatty Acid Molecules in Fasted Rats Associated with the Modulation of the AMPK/ATGL/HSL Axis
by Tiziana Zotti, Antonia Giacco, Arianna Cuomo, Luigi Cerulo, Giuseppe Petito, Stefania Iervolino, Rosalba Senese, Federica Cioffi, Pasquale Vito, Gaetano Cardinale, Elena Silvestri, Assunta Lombardi, Maria Moreno, Antonia Lanni and Pieter de Lange
Nutrients 2023, 15(14), 3095; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15143095 - 10 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1366
Abstract
Combining exercise with fasting is known to boost fat mass-loss, but detailed analysis on the consequential mobilization of visceral and subcutaneous WAT-derived fatty acids has not been performed. In this study, a subset of fasted male rats (66 h) was submitted to daily [...] Read more.
Combining exercise with fasting is known to boost fat mass-loss, but detailed analysis on the consequential mobilization of visceral and subcutaneous WAT-derived fatty acids has not been performed. In this study, a subset of fasted male rats (66 h) was submitted to daily bouts of mild exercise. Subsequently, by using gas chromatography—flame ionization detection, the content of 22 fatty acids (FA) in visceral (v) versus subcutaneous (sc) white adipose tissue (WAT) depots was compared to those found in response to the separate events. Findings were related to those obtained in serum and liver samples, the latter taking up FA to increase gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis. Each separate intervention reduced scWAT FA content, associated with increased levels of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) protein despite unaltered AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) Thr172 phosphorylation, known to induce ATGL expression. The mobility of FAs from vWAT during fasting was absent with the exception of the MUFA 16:1 n-7 and only induced by combining fasting with exercise which was accompanied with reduced hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) Ser563 and increased Ser565 phosphorylation, whereas ATGL protein levels were elevated during fasting in association with the persistently increased phosphorylation of AMPK at Thr172 both during fasting and in response to the combined intervention. As expected, liver FA content increased during fasting, and was not further affected by exercise, despite additional FA release from vWAT in this condition, underlining increased hepatic FA metabolism. Both fasting and its combination with exercise showed preferential hepatic metabolism of the prominent saturated FAs C:16 and C:18 compared to the unsaturated FAs 18:1 n-9 and 18:2 n-6:1. In conclusion, depot-specific differences in WAT fatty acid molecule release during fasting, irrelevant to their degree of saturation or chain length, are mitigated when combined with exercise, to provide fuel to surrounding organs such as the liver which is correlated with increased ATGL/ HSL ratios, involving AMPK only in vWAT. Full article
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9 pages, 269 KiB  
Article
Effect of Black Maca Supplementation on Inflammatory Markers and Physical Fitness in Male Elite Athletes
by Eunjae Lee, Myeonghun Park, Byoungju Kim and Sunghwun Kang
Nutrients 2023, 15(7), 1618; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15071618 - 27 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3477
Abstract
Given the current lack of studies, the primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of black maca supplementation intake on changes in physical strength and inflammatory markers among elite athletes. Forty-four elite athletes were recruited for the present study. They [...] Read more.
Given the current lack of studies, the primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of black maca supplementation intake on changes in physical strength and inflammatory markers among elite athletes. Forty-four elite athletes were recruited for the present study. They included shooting athletes, racket sports athletes, and fin swimming athletes. The intake capsules contained 2500 mg of 100% concentrated black maca extract. Participants were instructed to take one capsule twice a day for eight weeks with pure water. Changes were seen in the ATP-PC systems and aerobic energy systems, particularly in the fin swimming athletes requiring aerobic energy systems. This effect is caused by increased antioxidant activity and influenced mitochondrial biosynthesis regulatory factors due to black maca supplementation intake. These findings provide preliminary evidence that elite athletes will benefit from taking black maca to improve their inflammation levels and physical fitness. Full article

Review

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19 pages, 2723 KiB  
Review
Exerkines, Nutrition, and Systemic Metabolism
by Bruce A. Watkins, Brenda J. Smith, Stella Lucia Volpe and Chwan-Li Shen
Nutrients 2024, 16(3), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16030410 - 30 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1287
Abstract
The cornerstones of good health are exercise, proper food, and sound nutrition. Physical exercise should be a lifelong routine, supported by proper food selections to satisfy nutrient requirements based on energy needs, energy management, and variety to achieve optimal metabolism and physiology. The [...] Read more.
The cornerstones of good health are exercise, proper food, and sound nutrition. Physical exercise should be a lifelong routine, supported by proper food selections to satisfy nutrient requirements based on energy needs, energy management, and variety to achieve optimal metabolism and physiology. The human body is sustained by intermediary and systemic metabolism integrating the physiologic processes for cells, tissues, organs, and systems. Recently, interest in specific metabolites, growth factors, cytokines, and hormones called exerkines has emerged to explain cooperation between nutrient supply organs and the brain during exercise. Exerkines consist of different compounds described as signaling moiety released during and after exercise. Examples of exerkines include oxylipin 12, 13 diHOME, lipid hormone adiponectin, growth factor BDNF, metabolite lactate, reactive oxygen species (ROS), including products of fatty acid oxidation, and cytokines such as interleukin-6. At this point, it is believed that exerkines are immediate, fast, and long-lasting factors resulting from exercise to support body energy needs with an emphasis on the brain. Although exerkines that are directly a product of macronutrient metabolism such as lactate, and result from catabolism is not surprising. Furthermore, other metabolites of macronutrient metabolism seem to be candidate exerkines. The exerkines originate from muscle, adipose, and liver and support brain metabolism, energy, and physiology. The purpose of this review is to integrate the actions of exerkines with respect to metabolism that occurs during exercise and propose other participating factors of exercise and brain physiology. The role of diet and macronutrients that influence metabolism and, consequently, the impact of exercise will be discussed. This review will also describe the evidence for PUFA, their metabolic and physiologic derivatives endocannabinoids, and oxylipins that validate them being exerkines. The intent is to present additional insights to better understand exerkines with respect to systemic metabolism. Full article
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