Starting Exercising With Fasting Boosts Ketosis Faster

Dec, 2021 - By WMR

New research demonstrated how aerobic exercise at the start of a fast boosts the rate of ketogenesis without affecting hunger feelings, thirst or mood of a person.

Exercising is always beneficial for a well-being of an individual, and studies have demonstrated before how it can provide interesting effects when combined with fasting. A new research demonstrated how exercising at the beginning of fasting accelerates ketosis, which is a metabolic state related to burning of the stored fats.

Many of the studies have showed that fasting influences the human body in several ways, including increasing long-term memory, efficiency of cancer treatment and more. In this new study, the team wanted to find out effects of exercise during the fast on metabolism, more specifically the team desired to find at what rate the body starts ketosis to make ketones. The researchers recruited 20 healthy individuals and assigned them with task to complete two fasts of 36 hours with a normal meal. In the first fast there was no exercise involved, whereas in the second one, the participants completed a challenge of 45 to 50 minutes treadmill workout at the beginning. As the scientists made observations, it was found that there was a huge difference between the two. The subjects reached a state of ketosis 3.5 hours earlier when the fasting started with the treadmill workout, and produced 43% more B-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), which is a ketone-like chemical.

According to the scientists, this early production of BHB resulted from the rapid burning of the glucose stock of the body due to exercising. Whereas, without the help of exercise, the subjects reached ketosis nearly 20 to 24 hours after beginning of the fast. Moreover, the team points out that aerobic exercise, at the beginning of the fast did not affect the hunger, mood, insulin levels, or thirst of the subject. With the new information about fasting and exercising, the team still plans to explore the considerable gaps in the knowledge regarding the study.