Friday, January 12, 2007

Heart Health Can Be Improved By Pre-Meal Exercise!

A study reported that taking a long walk before a fatty meal can reduce the effects of high fat intake on blood vessel function. It is known that food with high fat can transiently raise fat and triglycerides levels of the blood. Recent research showed that the function of the endothelium (inner lining of blood vessels) could temporarily be impaired by a rich meal.

Another study suggested that moderate exercise can blunt these effects in both thin and obese middle-aged men. 20 men ate a rich meal including whipped cream, chocolate and a 80 g of fat under different conditions. In one condition, the men were asked to walk for 90 minutes on the treadmill the day before meal while there was no exercise in the other condition.

Men who exercised before the meal had their post-meal triglycerides levels risen to lesser degree. Moreover, their blood vessel function was better when there was no exercise. How pre-meal exercise could counter the effects of fatty meal remains unclear. According to researchers, activity may help lower blood fat levels, giving less opportunity for the fat particles to interact with the blood vessel walls.

Researchers also revealed that exercise of shorter duration might also help for the blood vessel function, as it was previously found that 30 minutes of activity could lower post-meal blood fat levels.

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