A new study shows that the benefits both men and women get from exercise depend on the time of day they exercise.
The research, led by Paul Arciero, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Health and Human Physiological Sciences at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, upstate New York, has been reported on the Frontiers Science News blog, which also The full text is published here.
Randomized controlled trials have found that exercise time of day (ETOD) not only affects exercise effectiveness, but also differs not only between exercise types, but also between men and women.
The trial was conducted in 30 men and 26 women, aged 25 to 55, who were all described as “healthy, highly active, non-smoking and of normal weight”.
They underwent a 12-week training program led by a trainer, with Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday rest, and 60 minutes of resistance, sprint interval, stretch or endurance training depending on the day of the week. They also follow specially designed meal plans.
Beforehand, participants were randomly assigned independently to ensure that they either trained for an hour in the morning (sometime between 0630-0830) or in the evening (1800-2000).
Participants were assessed for aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, flexibility, balance, upper and lower body strength and explosiveness, and jumping ability before and after the trial.
All but 16% of participants dropped out due to inability to adhere to a nutrition program or exercise program, with improvements in overall health and performance, with no differences observed between participants who exercised in the morning or evening.
However, the results also showed that “ETOD determines the intensity of improvements in physical function, body composition, cardiometabolic health, and mood,” according to Frontiers in Science News.
“For example, all female participants reduced their total body fat, abdominal and hip fat, and blood pressure during the trial, but these improvements were greater among women who exercised in the morning,” it said.
“Only men who exercised in the evening showed reductions in total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio, blood pressure, respiratory exchange rate, and carbohydrate oxidation, as fat became the preferred fuel source.”
“Here, we show for the first time that, for women, exercising in the morning reduces belly fat and blood pressure, while exercising in the evening increases upper-body muscle strength, power and endurance, and improves overall mood and nutritional satiety,” said Dr. Arciero. .
“We also showed that, for men, exercising in the evening was associated with lower blood pressure, heart disease risk and fatigue, and burning more fat than exercising in the morning.
“Based on our findings, women interested in reducing belly fat and blood pressure while increasing leg muscle strength should consider exercising in the morning.
“However, for women interested in gaining upper body muscle strength, strength and endurance, as well as improving their overall emotional state and food intake, nighttime exercise is the first choice,” Arciero said.
“Conversely, nighttime exercise is ideal for men interested in improving their heart and metabolic health, as well as their emotional health.”
Stephen J Ives, associate professor at Skidmore College who was involved in the study, added: “We have shown that ETOD should be an important consideration for anyone, male or female, because of its impact on the intensity of the physiological outcome of exercise. Regardless of ETOD, regular exercise is critical to our health.”