Light Breaks Mitigate Harmful Effects Of Sedentary Lifestyles

[DaveFoster]

"Plasma insulin and glucose levels were higher on the day of uninterrupted sitting, in comparison to the days with light or moderate intensity breaks. And not just a bit higher – more than 20% higher! I’ve graphed the average insulin and glucose levels during each condition below."

Reference: Sitting for just a couple hours has measurable (and negative) health impact | Obesity Panacea

 

[Texon]

"Plasma insulin and glucose levels were higher on the day of uninterrupted sitting, in comparison to the days with light or moderate intensity breaks. And not just a bit higher – more than 20% higher! I’ve graphed the average insulin and glucose levels during each condition below."

Reference: Sitting for just a couple hours has measurable (and negative) health impact | Obesity Panacea

Someone has said recently that sitting is the new smoking

 

[DaveFoster]

Someone has said recently that sitting is the new smoking

Caffeine has many of the same anti-aging benefits as exercise.

Dr. Peat lives a sedentary lifestyle, but he drinks very strong coffee. Larger amounts of caffeine administered prior to exercise results in elevates (FFA) after exercise, a sign of an activated stress response.

 

[Beastmode]

Caffeine has many of the same anti-aging benefits as exercise.

Dr. Peat lives a sedentary lifestyle, but he drinks very strong coffee. Larger amounts of caffeine administered prior to exercise results in elevates (FFA) after exercise, a sign of an activated stress response.

I didn't know that about coffee prior to exercise. Is this why B3 is often recommended to use during workouts? Due to the FFA release.

 

[DaveFoster]

I didn't know that about coffee prior to exercise. Is this why B3 is often recommended to use during workouts? Due to the FFA release.

Vitamin B3 may have a beneficial effect, but I've never read anything regarding its use as an ergogenic aid. Mildronate lowers FFA and enhanced brain function as well as exercise performance.

 

[CoolTweetPete]

Do you think an active lifestyle is somehow less desirable? I feel an incredible amount of energy if I limit my sitting to ~2-3 hours a day maximum. Typically this is forced upon me because of driving and school, but I notice my digestion begins to suffer if I get into the 4-6 hour range.

The lymphatic system of the human body is said to "not have a pumping system" according to traditional biology. I don't know if Dr. Peat somehow refutes that. The comparison they make is to the vascular & respiratory systems which certainly seem to have pumping mechanisms (heart & lungs). They say this means the lymphatic system requires kinetic energy (movement) to do it's job.

I can imagine a scenario where an active lifestyle is more energetic but possibly accelerates aging due to elevations in stress hormones. But then again Dr. Peat has said athletes are able to adapt to a level where they do not produce much lactate until they reach heavy exertion. This also sounds desirable. Interesting post. Thanks.

 

[Beastmode]

Vitamin B3 may have a beneficial effect, but I've never read anything regarding its use as an ergogenic aid. Mildronate lowers FFA and enhanced brain function as well as exercise performance.

I thought B3 inhibit the release of FFA, therefore being useful while working out as the stress from working out may liberate FFA into the bloodstream.

Still learning here so please correct me if I'm off. Possibly with a good reference to learn more about this.

 

[DaveFoster]

I thought B3 inhibit the release of FFA, therefore being useful while working out as the stress from working out may liberate FFA into the bloodstream.

Still learning here so please correct me if I'm off. Possibly with a good reference to learn more about this.

If you're talking about recovery and protection against some of the oxidative stress caused by exercise, then B3 may have a beneficial effect.

 

[Amazoniac]

- Leg Fidgeting Improves Executive Function following Prolonged Sitting with a Typical Western Meal: A Randomized, Controlled Cross-Over Trial

Prolonged uninterrupted sitting and a typical Western meal, high in fat and refined sugar, can additively impair cognitive and cerebrovascular functions. However, it is unknown whether interrupting these behaviours, with a simple desk-based activity, can attenuate the impairment. The aim of this study was to determine whether regular leg fidgeting can off-set the detrimental effects of prolonged sitting following the consumption of a typical Western meal, on executive and cerebrovascular function. Using a randomized cross-over design, 13 healthy males consumed a Western meal and completed 180-min of prolonged sitting with leg fidgeting of 1 min on/4 min off (intervention [INT]) and without (control [CON]). Cognitive function was assessed pre and post sitting using the Trail Maker Test (TMT) parts A and B. Common carotid artery (CCA) blood flow, as an index of brain flow, was measured pre and post, and cerebral (FP1) perfusion was measured continuously. For TMT B the CON trial significantly increased (worsened) completion time (mean difference [MD] = 5.2 s, d = 0.38), the number of errors (MD = 3.33, d = 0.68) and cognitive fatigue (MD = 0.73, d = 0.92). Compared to CON, the INT trial significantly improved completion time (MD = 2.3 s, d = 0.97), and prevented declines in cognitive fatigue and a reduction in the number of errors. No significant changes in cerebral perfusion or CCA blood flow were found. Leg fidgeting for 1-min on/4-min off following a meal high in fats and refined sugars attenuated the impairment in executive function. This attenuation in executive function may not be caused by alterations in CCA blood flow or cerebral perfusion.