Exercise Raises Free Fatty Acids

[Diddleum]

I am quite new to the forum, I posted a intro on the logs forum if anyone is interested in me!

I wanted to ask you all on why does Free Fatty Acids increase during exercise??? What is likely to happen as I minimize FFA by eating less fat?

Could the raise in FFA cause bad symptoms such as tiredness dizzyness foggy head? I get these when I eat alot of fat and carbs together. My exercise tolerance is poor and have been feeling bad afterwards, this is just a theory!?

 

[paymanz]

Exercise cause FFAs to raise by lowering blood sugar,and that increases stress hormones like cortisol then these hormones activate lipysis and raise in FFA levels.

This at least main mechanism.

Dietary fat also increases FFAs; some of fats break down into FFAs during digestion.

High FFAs can cause inflammation , insulin resistance.they probably may cause tiredness but I don't know if they can cause foggy brain or dizziness. Maybe low blood sugar can cause them.

Keep your carb intake high before and after(immediately) workout,that can keep FFAs as low as possible. Enough salt intake is important also.

 

[Diddleum]

Exercise cause FFAs to raise by lowering blood sugar,and that increases stress hormones like cortisol then these hormones activate lipysis and raise in FFA levels.

This at least main mechanism.

Dietary fat also increases FFAs; some of fats break down into FFAs during digestion.

High FFAs can cause inflammation , insulin resistance.they probably may cause tiredness but I don't know if they can cause foggy brain or dizziness. Maybe low blood sugar can cause them.

Keep your carb intake high before and after(immediately) workout,that can keep FFAs as low as possible. Enough salt intake is important also.

Thank you paymanz.

I am just trying to figure out why even small amounts of exertion just make me want to sleep and set off my symptoms. Yestarday morning I eat alot of sugar before my workout, zero fats, 10 mins of interval sprints I was destroyed. I've been reading my diary and I can see the same pattern in the past. I would wake up feeling positive, decide to do something positive and then end up back in bed. This has happened even on a 20 minute walk to the shops (studies show even walking increases lipid FFA.

This is what CFS/ME refer to as Post Exterional Malaise. Could PEM be attributed to the release of to much/to unsaturated FFA upon exercise.

I read this study Effects of exercise on the fatty-acid composition of blood and tissue lipids. - PubMed - NCBI and this bit interests me...

"The most consistently observed effect has been an increase in the relative amount of unsaturated, especially monounsaturated, non-esterified fatty acids in plasma of both animals and humans after acute exercise. Chronic exercise seems to increase the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids and omega6 fatty acids, while decreasing the proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids in animal and human adipose tissue."

So it seems the study concurs with my thoughts, a larger relative concentration of unsaturated fats in the blood after extertion. Could this possibly explain the PEM in CFS/ME and that I experience?

Also if it was the increase of FFA after my workout that brought me down and the mechanism is because of lowered blood sugar during exercise, then why didnt my eating 100gram of sugar and gelatin (gummy bears) prevent it? I would think my sugar would be quite high.

What could be the strategies to prevent this PEM? Perhaps sugar, coconut oil (to increase the saturation of lipid FFA before and after), asprin, niacinamide etc before the workout?

I struggle to create a theory why PEM tends to bring people down for a number of days after exertion. Could it be possible that the concentration of Unsaturated FFA remains high for several days? I have read that in most people FFA levels drop off after eating carbs after exercise, but do consider myself metabolically different!

Next time I am feeling good, I want to try and remember not to get ahead of myself and see if the good feeling continues with more and more rest and sugar

 

[Diddleum]

@Constatine - I read that you feel terrible exercising unless you eat 4k calories. I am eating 2.5-3k in sugar atm. Can you relate to post extertional malaise? Would you find exercise would bring you down for days if you havent been quite hitting 4k calories?

 

[Westside PUFAs]

Of course it does. Increased energy demand for the muscles. It's impossible to eat no fat because there is a small amount naturally occurring fat in all foods. In addition to that our gut bacteria make fats from fiber. There is always some amount of FFA because it's a constant feedback loop like most things in the body. The body is a constant anabolic and catabolic machine. It breaks down things and builds up things over and over again. Fat is one part of it.

"We make fats from sugar, starch, and amino acids. Even the brain has enzymes to make new fats."-RP

"Resting muscle burns mostly fatty acids, and the amount of glucose used increases with the intensity."-RP

.

 

[Agent207]

Exercise cause FFAs to raise by lowering blood sugar,and that increases stress hormones like cortisol then these hormones activate lipysis and raise in FFA levels.

Actually, exercise spikes blood sugar. You can clearly see this with a constant glucose monitor.

 

[paymanz]

Its hard to tell what cause those symptoms you mentioned, I suggest you to stop any exercise for a while and focuse on improving your metabolism.

Thyroid is first priority;in my opinion you need to improve your thyroid hormones while keeping your adrenalin and cortisol low, for a person recovering from bad diet habits and hard exercise these are most important.

 

[paymanz]

Actually, exercise spikes blood sugar. You can clearly see this with a constant glucose monitor.

Then what are mechanisms that cause FFA to raise after exercise you think?

-------

While you workout you consume the sugar for sure, if there is studies reporting spikes in blood sugar during workout then I guess that is because at beginning of workout glycolysis accompanies lipolysis,and when you go further your glycogen depletes and you start dessolve your lean tissues for glucose.and you have periods of higher blood sugar.

That spike is a respond to hypoglycemia I think.

 

[Agent207]

Yes, I agree it depends on the type of exercise. Is not the same weight training with long recover between sets, than steady or more constant training. Also the duration, your glycogen stores, insulin sensivity...

 

[paymanz]

Yes with a proper type of exercise you don't damage your body,its even beneficial.

 

[Peater Piper]

Actually, exercise spikes blood sugar. You can clearly see this with a constant glucose monitor.

I think it depends on the intensity and duration. Low intensity, like a comfortable walk, seems to lower it (especially after a meal), or at least keep it steady. A longer walk...I'm not as sure. High intensity can definitely spike glucose. Not surprising, energy demands are going through the roof so glycogen and fat stores are released for energy, and both can remain elevated for hours after exercise due to raised levels of cortisol and adrenaline.