Speaker
Description
Background: Carbohydrate restriction and time-restricted feeding (TRF) have independently shown beneficial effects on metabolic health, including improvements in insulin sensitivity, body composition, and lipid metabolism. However, the combined effects of these dietary interventions with structured exercise on metabolic parameters and lipid profiles remain uncertain. This study investigated whether exercise participation enhances metabolic adaptations during a combined low-carbohydrate TRF intervention in healthy adults.
Methods: Twenty-seven healthy adults were randomly assigned to an exercise group (n=13) or control group (n=14). All participants followed a 2-week 16:8 TRF protocol with a low-carbohydrate diet. The exercise group performed six supervised sessions consisting of 30-minute bodyweight resistance exercises followed by 30-minute Zone 2 running, three times weekly. Comprehensive assessments included body composition, muscular strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, glucose metabolism markers, and lipid profiles at baseline, day 7, and day 14.
Results: Twenty-five participants completed the protocol. Both groups showed significant improvements in body weight (-1.47±1.06 kg), fat mass (-0.99±0.86 kg), blood pressure, fasting glucose, and insulin sensitivity (all p<0.001). Notably, the exercise group demonstrated preserved muscle mass and greater fat mass reduction compared to the diet-only group. Furthermore, leg press strength significantly improved only in the exercise group (p=0.016), with a trend toward improved VO2max (p=0.053). The proportion of larger LDL particles increased significantly in both groups. No significant group×time interactions were observed for metabolic parameters.
Discussion: The combined low-carbohydrate TRF intervention rapidly improved metabolic parameters and favorably shifted LDL particle distribution toward larger, less atherogenic subfractions. Exercise provided additional benefits in preserving lean mass and improving muscular strength and cardiorespiratory fitness. These findings suggest that timing and composition of food intake may offer targeted strategies to improve cardiometabolic health beyond conventional approaches.
Keywords
time-restricted feeding, low-carbohydrate diet, combined exercise, metabolic health
| Abstract submitters declaration | yes |
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| Conflict of Interest & Ethical Approval | yes |
