High-intensity workouts more effective for weight loss in women: Study

Researchers at the University of Virginia in the US found that the effect is driven by ghrelin, a hormone responsible for stimulating appetite. They observed that hunger levels decrease significantly after high-intensity exercise, compared to moderate-intensity exercise or no exercise at all.

New Delhi: Exercising to lose weight? High-intensity physical workouts may be more beneficial, especially for women, according to a study.

The study, published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society, showed that more than moderate exercise, and engaging in vigorous physical activity like jumping rope, swimming, and cycling can suppress hunger levels in healthy adults.

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The small study noted that females may be more susceptible to this response.

Researchers from the University of Virginia in the US showed that the effect is due to ghrelin — a hormone that stimulates appetite. They noted that hunger levels are significantly reduced after high-intensity exercise, as compared to moderate-intensity exercise or control (no exercise).

Lead author Kara Anderson, from the varsity, noted that people felt ‘less hungry’ after high-intensity exercise compared to moderate-intensity exercise.

To investigate the effect of exercise intensity and sex on ghrelin levels and appetite in untrained humans the study included eight males and six females. The participants fasted overnight and then completed exercises of varying intensity levels. This was determined by measurements of blood lactate, followed by self-reported measurements of appetite.

The results showed females had higher levels of total ghrelin compared with males. However, only females demonstrated “significantly reduced acylated ghrelin (AG)” following the intense exercise, the findings showed. AG and deacylated ghrelin (DAG) are the two forms of the hormone ghrelin.

Besides hunger, ghrelin is also known to affect energy balance, appetite, glucose homeostasis, immune function, sleep, and memory.

Anderson explained that exercise can be compared to a drug, whose ‘dose’ should be customised based on an individual’s personal goals”.

While the study suggests that high-intensity exercise can help in appetite suppression and aid in weight loss, more research with longer follow-up duration is needed to confirm these preliminary observations.