The Effect of Chronic Exercise on Energy and Fatigue States: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials

Abstract

In this meta-analysis, we synthesized the results of randomized controlled trials of different exercise training interventions on participants’ feelings of fatigue, energy, and vitality. The search of studies was conducted using six databases as well as several other supplementary search strategies available before December 2021. The initial search generated over 3,600 articles with 81 studies (7,050 participants) and 172 effects meeting the inclusion criteria. We analyzed the effects from the studies using a meta-analytic multivariate model and considered the potential moderating effect of multiple variables. Our analysis revealed exercise to decrease the feelings of fatigue by a small effect size (g = −0.374; 95% CI [−0.521, −0.227]), increase energy by a small-to-moderate effect size (g = 0.415; 95% CI [0.252, 0.578]), and to increase the feeling of vitality by a moderate effect size (g = 0.537; 95% CI [0.404, 0.671]). All main results remained robust after several sensitivity analyses using different statistical estimators, and consideration of outlier and influential studies. Moreover, moderator analyses revealed significant effects of exercise intensity and intervention duration on fatigue, exercise intensity, and modality on energy, and participant health, exercise intensity modality, and exercise training location on vitality. We conclude that when groups adopt a moderate intensity exercise training program while participating in a randomized trial, compared to controls, this typically results in small-to-moderate average improvements in feelings of fatigue, energy, and vitality.

A systematic review on the effects of non-pharmacological interventions for fatigue among people with upper and/or lower limb osteoarthritis

“…[ 56 ] shed light on the pivotal role of exercise as an effective intervention for mitigating fatigue in individuals grappling with RA, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and HIV. Evidence indicates that regular low to moderate intensity exercise boosts energy [ 57 ]. A proposed mechanism is through the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine.…”

“…Further, their findings showed that exercise intensity predicted fatigue levels, with low- and moderate-intensity being protective of fatigue [ 59 ]. Relatedly, higher intensity of exercise can increase the release of stress hormones in higher amounts which can be a deterrent to the energy levels of individuals [ 57 ].…”

Association Between Physical Activity and the Risk of Burnout in Health Care Workers: Systematic Review

“…Indeed, it is suggested that it facilitates psychological detachment from work and enhance self-efficacy [ 53 ], providing an opportunity to divert attention from stressful thoughts [ 50 ]. It has also been shown that moderate-intensity exercise training programs improve feelings of vigor, energy, and vitality [ 98 ]. In particular, greater effects occurred when combining resistance exercise with aerobic exercise compared with aerobic exercise alone [ 98 ].…”

“…It has also been shown that moderate-intensity exercise training programs improve feelings of vigor, energy, and vitality [ 98 ]. In particular, greater effects occurred when combining resistance exercise with aerobic exercise compared with aerobic exercise alone [ 98 ]. This finding is consistent with the World Health Organization recommendations for physical activity, which underlie the importance for adults of regularly performing both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities to support health, including mental health outcomes [ 96 ].…”

Efectos de tres tipos de ejercicio físico sobre los niveles de actividad física y el perfil de estados de ánimo en personal administrativo de una institución de educación superior (Effects of three types of physical exercise on the levels of physical activity and the profile of mood states in administrative personnel of a higher education institution)

“…En este mismo grupo de intervención, las medias para la dimensión de vigor disminuyeron significativamente, lo cual discrepa de la mayoría de los referentes bibliográficos revisados, los cuales indican que el ejercicio físico como adaptación promueve aumento del vigor y reducción de la fatiga principalmente cuando es desarrollado a intensidades leves a moderadas (Dishman et al 2010;Michishita et al, 2017;Wender et al, 2022;Cortés-Rocco et al, 2023). Es importante precisar que, se ha reportado una atenuación del efecto del ejercicio sobre el vigor cuando se experimentan niveles elevados de estrés laboral (Cortes et al, 2022), siendo esta una de las posibles explicaciones por las cuales no se evidenció mejorías en el grupo de intervención concurrente, teniendo en cuenta que este grupo reportó los valores más altos de tensión, cólera y fatiga dimensiones relacionados con los niveles de estrés (Gavelin et al, 2020;Kocalevent et al, 201;Cortés-Rocco et al, 2023) La reducción observada en la dimensión de la fatiga posterior al ejercicio aeróbico está en consonancia con lo reportado en la literatura, la cual describe a esta modalidad como potencialmente beneficiosa para mejorar los estados de energía, vitalidad y principalmente la sensación de fatiga (Puetz et al, 2006;Puetz et al, 2008;Wender et al, 2022). Lo anterior puede ser justificado teniendo en cuenta que este tipo de entrenamiento aumenta la densidad mitocondrial y capilar, lo que puede llevar a mejorar los procesos de obtención y utilización de energía, promoviendo así una mayor funcionalidad física y mental (Ament et al, 2009;Pessoa et al, 2022;Cortés-Rocco et al, 2023).…”