Calorie Restriction Improves Physical Performance and Modulates the Antioxidant and Inflammatory Responses to Acute Exercise
Xavier Capó,
Miquel Martorell,
Miguel D. Ferrer,
Antoni Sureda,
Victoria Pons,
Juan C. Domingo,
Franchek Drobnic,
Alejandro Martínez-Rodríguez,
Belén Leyva-Vela,
José M. Sarabia,
María Herranz-López,
Enrique Roche,
Josep A. Tur,
Antoni Pons
Affiliations
Xavier Capó
Laboratory of Physical Activity Science, Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Miquel Martorell
Laboratory of Physical Activity Science, Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Miguel D. Ferrer
Laboratory of Physical Activity Science, Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Antoni Sureda
Laboratory of Physical Activity Science, Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Victoria Pons
Performance and Health Research Group for High Level Sports, High Performance Center of Barcelona, 08174 Sant Cugat, Spain
Juan C. Domingo
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Franchek Drobnic
Performance and Health Research Group for High Level Sports, High Performance Center of Barcelona, 08174 Sant Cugat, Spain
Alejandro Martínez-Rodríguez
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Science, Alicante University,03690 Alicante, Spain
Belén Leyva-Vela
Vinalopó Hospital, 03293 Elche, Spain
José M. Sarabia
Sport Research Center, University Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Spain
María Herranz-López
Institute of Research, Development, and Innovation in Biotechnolgy of Elche (IDiBE) and Molecular and Cell Biology Institute (IBMC), University Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Spain
Enrique Roche
CIBEROBN (Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CB12/03/30038), 28220 Madrid, Spain
Josep A. Tur
Laboratory of Physical Activity Science, Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Antoni Pons
Laboratory of Physical Activity Science, Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Our aim was to characterize the effects of calorie restriction on the anthropometric characteristics and physical performance of sportsmen and to evaluate the effects of calorie restriction and acute exercise on mitochondria energetics, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Twenty volunteer taekwondo practitioners undertook a calorie restriction of 30–40% on three alternate days a week for one month. Eleven volunteer sportsmen participated as controls. Both groups performed an energy efficiency test to evaluate physical performance, and samples were taken before and after exercise. The total weight of participants significantly decreased (5.9%) after calorie restriction, while the efficiency of work and the contributions of fat to obtain energy were enhanced by calorie restriction. No significant differences induced by acute exercise were observed in individual non-esterified fatty acid percentage or oxidative stress markers. Calorie restriction downregulated the basal gene expression of nitric oxide synthase, antioxidant enzymes, mitochondrial uncoupling proteins, and repairing stress proteins, but it enhanced the expression of sirtuins in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In conclusion, one month of calorie restriction decreases body weight and increases physical performance, enhancing energy efficiency, moderating the antioxidant and inflammatory basal gene expression, and influencing its response to acute exercise.
