Effect of sprint interval versus continuous cycling on postprandial lipaemia

Abstract

The present study compares the effect of a single bout of sprint interval cycling against continuous cycling on postprandial lipaemia. Participants were nine healthy volunteers (five male), aged 20–26 years. Each participant undertook three 2-d trials in a random order. On day 1, participants rested (control), undertook a single 20 minute bout of continuous cycling at 70% of maximum oxygen uptake or completed four 30-second bouts of sprint interval cycling on a cycle ergometer, separated by 4.5 minutes of recovery. On day 2, participants rested and consumed a test meal (75% fat). Triacylglycerol concentrations were measured fasting and for 6 hours after the meal. The total area under the triacylglycerol concentration against time curve was similar among trials (mean (SD): control, 9.51 (3.50) mmol · l⁻¹ compared with continuous cycling, 8.58 (3.08) mmol · l⁻¹ compared with sprint interval cycling, 9.28 (1.89) mmol · l⁻¹; P = 0.517). There was no difference in the pattern of TAG response to the test meal among trials (trial × time interaction, P = 0.637). The present study found no effect of sprint interval or continuous cycling on postprandial lipaemia, with the reason for this finding unclear. Future studies need to more precisely determine the relationship between exercise and postprandial lipaemia across different types of exercise.

Keywords:

• sprint interval cycling
• continuous cycling
• triacylglycerol
• postprandial lipaemia
• cardiovascular disease

Acknowledgements

None of the authors report any conflict of interest or financial interest with respect to this work. The authors wish to acknowledge the funding support for this project from Nanyang Technological University under the Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) programme. The authors are grateful to Mr Lim Meng Shun Darren for his assistance and technical expertise in the laboratory.

SB was responsible for analysis and interpretation of data and overall supervision of the study. All authors contributed to the conception and design of the study, data collection and review/editing of the manuscript.