Postprandial metabolism in resistance-trained versus sedentary males

This investigation examined if postprandial metabolism differed between resistance-trained [(RT), N = 12] and sedentary [(SED), N = 12] males. A secondary objective was to determine whether different resistance-training programs [bodybuilding (BB), N = 8 and power/weight-lifting (PL), N = 8] resulted in disparate effects on postprandial energy metabolism.

Moderate fat [(MF), 37% carbohydrate, 18% protein, and 45% fat] and high carbohydrate [(HC), 79% carbohydrate, 20% protein, and 1% fat] meals were randomly administered, and postprandial metabolism was measured for 240 min. Carbohydrate oxidation, fat oxidation, diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT), and glucose and insulin areas under the curve (AUC) were calculated.

Fat oxidization/lean body mass (LBM) was significantly greater in SED after the HC (RT, 0.27 +/- 0.02 g vs SED, 0.33 +/- 0.02 g, P = 0.017) and MF (RT, 0.34 +/- 0.02 g vs SED, 0.39 +/- 0.02 g, P = 0.036) meals. Carbohydrate oxidation/LBM was significantly greater in RT after the HC meal (RT, 0.87 +/- 0.03 g vs SED, 0.74 +/- 0.04 g, P = 0.017) only. DIT and DIT/LBM were significantly greater in RT compared with SED after the HC meal (DIT: RT, 351 +/- 21 kJ vs SED, 231 +/- 23 kJ, P = 0.001; DIT/LBM: RT, 5.25 +/- 0.028 kJ vs SED, 3.92 +/- 0.37 kJ, P = 0.009). The AUC for both glucose and insulin were significantly greater in SED compared with RT in response to the HC meal but not the MF meal. There were no differences in the BB and PL groups for any measured variables in response to either the HC or MF meals.

These data indicate that postprandial metabolism is different between resistance-trained and sedentary males but that no such differences exist with different resistance training styles.