Nutritional and metabolic determinants of blood rheology differ between trained and sedentary individuals

Abstract

Body composition and nutrition have been reported to be correlated with blood rheology. However, in sedentary and in physically active individuals these relationships seem to be not exactly similar. This study investigated whether exercise training status influences these relationships. 32 athletes (ATH) (age: 25 ± 0.7 yr; body mass index (BMI): 23.75 ± 0.23 kg/m²) were compared to 21 sedentary subjects (SED) (age: 45.19 ± 2.90; BMI = 33.41 ± 1.33) with nutritional assessment (autoquestionnaire), bioelectrical impedancemetry, viscometry at high shear rate (MT90) and Myrenne aggregometer. Subjects differ according to age, weight and adiposity parameters. Their eating behavior is different: ATH eat a higher percentage of protein (p < 0.005), a lower percentage of lipid (p < 0.05), and a higher total amount of carbohydrate (+31% p < 0.02). Their viscosity factors are similar except plasma viscosity which is higher in SED than ATH (1.51 ± 0.03 vs 1.43 ± 0.02 mPa.s, p < 0.05). In both ATH and SED, abdominal obesity (waist-to-hip ratio or WHR) is associated with impairments in blood rheology, but not exactly the same. In ATH, WHR is associated with an increase in hematocrit (r = 0.647; p = 0.009), plasma viscosity (r = 0.723; p = 0.002), and caloric (and CHO) intake moderately increase RBC rigidity (r = 0.5405; p = 0.0251) and aggregability (r = 0.3366 p = 0.0596). In SED the picture is different, adiposity increases hematocrit (r = 0.460; p = 0.048), abdominal fatness increases blood viscosity independent of hematocrit, and CHO intake is associated with lower RBC aggregability (r = −0.493; p = 0.0319).

The Effects of the Type of Exercise and Physical Activity on Eating Behavior and Body Composition in Overweight and Obese Subjects

“…In our study, although the sample was sedentary at the beginning of the intervention (<30 min physical activity/day), subjects who started the program with more daily steps presented an increase in protein intake, although diet recommendations were equal for all the participants. Other studies have shown that active individuals consumed more protein than inactive counterparts [10,29]. This fact could be related to the belief that active individuals need to consume more proteins than sedentary individuals [10].…”

Metabolic Influences Modulating Erythrocyte Deformability and Eryptosis

“…ingly, in physiological conditions, RBC rigidity is positively correlated with carbohydrate intake in trained athletes [117]. Presumably, this physiological effect does not have the same significance as the red cell stiffening induced by chronic hyperglycemia.…”

“…In fact, in normal red cells, glucose deprivation (energy crisis) [20,24], rather than hyperglycemia, induces irreversible red cell damage and eryptosis [115,116]. Interestingly, in physiological conditions, RBC rigidity is positively correlated with carbohydrate intake in trained athletes [117]. Presumably, this physiological effect does not have the same significance as the red cell stiffening induced by chronic hyperglycemia.…”

Extended physiological functions for erythrocyte deformability and aggregation beyond regulation of oxygen delivery?

“…RBC rigidity is also positively correlated with carbohydrate intake in trained athletes, in whom positive correlations are evidenced between caloric (and CHO) intake and both RBC rigidity and aggregability [37].…”