Especially for women, exercising hard can help you reach your weight loss goals faster.
small study A team of researchers at the University of Virginia found that in healthy adults, vigorous exercise suppresses levels of the “hunger hormone” ghrelin more than moderate exercise.
“We found that people felt ‘less hungry’ after high-intensity exercise compared to moderate-intensity exercise,” said study lead author Kara Anderson.
Eight men and six women participated in the study, fasted overnight and exercised at varying intensities. They then reported how hungry they felt.
The researchers measured blood lactate levels, which indicate the intensity of exercise, and levels of ghrelin, a hormone produced primarily in the stomach that tells the brain when it’s time to eat.
Ghrelin circulates in two forms. Acylated active hormone and deacylated ghrelin are the most abundant forms in the body.
The study found that female participants had higher levels of total ghrelin at the start of the study compared to men, and only women had a “significant reduction” in acylated ghrelin after intense exercise.
Less acylated ghrelin means less hunger.
The researchers said that moderate-intensity exercise did not change or cause an increase in ghrelin levels.
These findings were announced Thursday. Endocrine Society Journalindicating that exercise above a certain lactate threshold may be required to suppress ghrelin.
“Exercise should be thought of as a ‘drug,’ and its ‘dosage’ should be customized based on an individual’s personal goals,” Anderson says. “Our study suggests that high-intensity exercise may be important in suppressing appetite, which is particularly useful as part of a weight loss program.”
The new findings add to the long-standing debate about whether aerobic exercise or strength training is better for weight loss.
Aerobic exercise typically burns more calories per sweat session, while strength training builds muscle mass, so your body burns more calories while at rest.
