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THE IMPACT OF PRENATAL EXERCISE TRAINING ON INTRA-EXERCISE METABOLISM

Abstract

PURPOSE: Exercise training in non-pregnant populations affects several blood metabolites during an exercise challenge, which reflects shifts in fuel use and tissue biochemistry. This study explores how exercise training in pregnancy affects plasma metabolite responses to acute exercise. METHODS: In a randomized controlled trial at Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (NCT02125149), sedentary pregnant women with obesity were assigned to an exercise (EX, N=66, aerobic/resistance 3x/week from ~13 weeks of gestation [wks] until birth) or a control (CON, N=53, standard care) group. All participants completed submaximal cardiorespiratory treadmill tests at 12 and 24 wks (gradual workload increase to 15 RPE; average maximum grade achieved = 8 ± 2%). Immediate post-exercise finger prick blood samples were analyzed using untargeted metabolomics by LC-MS/MS. Linear mixed models were used to assess main effects of group, time, and group x time interaction (statistical significance considered at FDR < 0.10). RESULTS: A total of 401 annotated metabolites were identified in 119 women (age: 28 ± 5 years; BMI: 37 ± 6 kg/m²). Two metabolites showed a group x time interaction: nicotinamide (cellular energy production associated metabolite) and cis-13,14-methylene heptadecanoic acid (a metabolite derived from microbial metabolism and previously reported to be higher in fasting and post-exercise blood of insulin resistant, sedentary women with obesity and then reduced by training/weight loss) were both increased at 24 wks vs. 12 wk in CON, but were unchanged in EX. A significant time effect was observed with 125 metabolites. Several carnitines related to intermediary metabolism decreased (e.g., D-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine, decanoylcarnitine) while metabolites associated with fat absorption and metabolism increased (e.g., palmitoyl sphingomyelin, tauro-α-muricholic) at 24 wks. CONCLUSION: Regular prenatal exercise alters specific metabolite responses related to energy production and lipid metabolism following an acute exercise challenge. Exercise appeared to prevent the increase in at least one metabolite associated with insulin resistance. Additionally, metabolites linked to fat metabolism changed over time in both groups, suggesting a natural adaptation to the physiological demands of pregnancy.

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