New research highlights the powerful impact of endurance cycling on fat distribution and cardiometabolic health, emphasizing fitness over calorie restriction for long-term health benefits. Study: Effects of 1,144 km of road cycling performed in 7 days: a cardiometabolic imaging study . Image Credit: 24K-Production/Shutterstock.
com In a recent cohort study published in American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism , researchers investigated the impact of intense cycling on the cardiometabolic profiles, visceral fat, and ectopic fat of middle-aged, male recreational cyclists. They found that despite increased energy intake, the cyclists experienced a significant decrease in visceral adiposity and fat mass while maintaining high cardiorespiratory fitness. Background Regular exercise is known to reduce body fat, even without weight loss, if lean body mass increases.
In a notable 2015 study, middle-aged male cyclists biked 2,700 km in 14 days, attempting to match their high energy expenditure with increased energy intake to maintain weight. While they managed to keep a stable weight, this was misleading regarding body composition; participants lost 2.2 kg of body fat while gaining 2.
5 kg fat-free mass. This significant body composition change occurred without imaging to confirm the effects on visceral adiposity and ectopic fat. The difference in how various fat types respond to large volumes of exercise with minimal weight loss remains unexplored.
Therefore, research.