Effects of Acute Prednisolone Intake on Substrate Utilization During Submaximal Exercise

Abstract

We examined the hypothesis that acute therapeutic glucocorticoid intake could change the contribution of fat and carbohydrate (CHO) in energy production during exercise. Nine healthy recreationally-trained male subjects twice performed submaximal exercise (60 min at 60 % V·O_2max) after ingestion of placebo (Pla) or 20 mg of prednisolone (Pred), according to a double blind and randomized protocol. Respiratory exchange was monitored during exercise and blood samples were collected at rest, every 10 min during exercise and after 5, 10, and 20 min of passive recovery. Pred intake significantly increased total energy expenditure during exercise, but CHO oxidation was lower and fat oxidation higher after Pred vs. Pla. ACTH and IL-6 concentrations were significantly decreased with Pred during exercise, whereas no variations were found in GH, insulin, blood glucose, and lactate between the 2 treatments. In conclusion, it appears that acute prednisolone systemic administration does reduce total carbohydrate oxidation during submaximal exercise. Further studies are necessary to clarify the mechanisms involved and to determine whether this modification in the substrate oxidation balance under glucocorticoid administration in recreationally-trained male subjects could result in a competitive advantage in elite athletes.

glucocorticoid - acute intake - hormones - fat oxidation - energy expenditure

References

• 1 Arlettaz A, Collomp K, Portier H, Lecoq A M, Pellé A, De Ceaurriz J. Effect of acute prednisolone intake during intense submaximal exercise.  Int J Sport Med. 2006;  27 673-679
• 2 Bauer A, Tronche F, Wessely O, Kellendonk C, Reichardt H M, Steinlein P, Schutz G, Beug H. The glucocorticoid receptor is required for stress erythropoiesis.  Genes Dev. 1999;  13 2996-3002
• 3 Brillon D H, Zheng B, Campbell R G, Matthews D E. Effect of cortisol on energy expenditure and amino acid metabolism in humans.  Am J Physiol. 1995;  268 E501-E513
• 4 Carballo-Jane E, Pandit S, Santoro J C, Freund C, Harris G, Forrest M J, Sitlani A. Skeletal muscle: a dual system to measure glucocorticoid-dependent transactivation and transrepression of gene regulation.  J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2004;  88 191-201
• 5 Carter S L, Rennie C, Tarnopolsky M A. Substrate utilization during endurance exercise in men and women after endurance training.  Am J Physiol. 2001;  280 E898-E907
• 6 Casanueva F F, Burguera B, Muruais C, Dieguez C. Acute administration of corticoids: a new and peculiar stimulus of growth hormone secretion in man.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1990;  70 234-237
• 7 Del Corral P, Howley E T, Hartsell M, Ashraf M, Younger M S. Metabolic effects of low cortisol during exercise in humans.  J Appl Physiol. 1998;  84 939-947
• 8 Deuster P A, Chrousos G P, Luger A, DeBolt J E, Bernier L L, Trostmann U H, Kyle S B, Montgomery L C, Loriaux D L. Hormonal and metabolic responses of untrained, moderately trained and highly trained men to three exercise intensities.  Metabolism. 1989;  38 141-148
• 9 Deuster P A, Petrides J S, Singh A, Lucci E B, Chrousos G P, Gold P W. High intensity exercise promotes escape of adrenocorticotropin and cortisol from suppression by dexamethasone : sexually dimporphic responses.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1998;  83 3332-3338
• 10 El-Khoury A E, Forslund A, Olsson R, Branth S, Sjodin A, Andersson A, Atkinson A, Selvaraj A, Hambraeus L, Young V R. Moderate exercise at energy balance does not affect 24-h leucine oxidation or nitrogen retention in healthy men.  Am J Physiol. 1997;  273 E394-E407
• 11 Gorostiaga E M, Czerwinski S M, Hickson R C. Acute glucocorticoid effects on glycogen utilization, O₂ uptake, and endurance.  J Appl Physiol. 1988;  64 1098-1106
• 12 Green H J, Jones S, Ball-Burnett M, Farrance B, Ranney D. Adaptations in muscle metabolism to prolonged voluntary exercise and training.  J Appl Physiol. 1995;  78 138-145
• 13 Holloszy J O, Kohrt W M, Hansen P A. The regulation of carbohydrate and fat metabolism during and after exercise.  Front Biosci. 1998;  3 D1011-D1027
• 14 Knapik J, Meredith C, Jones B, Fielding R, Young V R, Evans W. Leucine metabolism during fasting and exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1991;  70 43-47
• 15 McKenzie S, Phillips S M, Carter S L, Lowther S, Gibala M J, Tarnopolsky M A. Endurance exercise training attenuates leucine oxidation and BCOAD activation during exercise in humans.  Am J Physiol. 2000;  278 E580-E587
• 16 Malarkey W B, Lipkus I M, Cacioppo J T. The dissociation of catecholamine and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal responses to daily stressors using dexamethasone.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1995;  80 2458-2463
• 17 Marquet P, Lac G, Chassain A P, Habrioux G, Galen F X. Dexamethasone in resting and exercising men. I. Effects on bioenergetics, minerals, and related hormones.  J Appl Physiol. 1999;  87 175-182
• 18 McMahon M, Gerich J, Rizza R. Effects of glucocorticoids on carbohydrate metabolism.  Diabetes Metab Rev. 1988;  4 17-30
• 19 Papanicolaou D A, Petrides J S, Tsigos C, Bina S, Kalogeras K T, Wilder R, Gold P W, Deuster P A, Chrousos G P. Exercise stimulates interleukin-6 secretion: inhibition by glucocorticoids and correlation with catecholamines.  Am J Physiol. 1996;  271 E601-E605
• 20 Pedersen B, Steensberg A, Schjerling P. Muscle-derived interleukin-6: possible biological effects.  J Physiol. 2001;  536 329-337
• 21 Perronet F, Massicotte D. Table of nonprotein respiratory quotient: an update.  Can J Sport Sci. 1991;  16 23-29
• 22 Petrides J S, Gold P W, Mueller G P, Singh A, Stratakis C, Chrousos G P, Deuster P A. Marked differences in functionning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis between groups of men.  J Appl Physiol. 1997;  82 1979-1988
• 23 Phillips S M, Green H J, Tarnopolsky M A, Heigenhauser G F, Hill R E, Grant S M. Effects of training duration on substrate turnover and oxidation during exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1996;  81 2182-2191
• 24 Phillips S M, Atkinson S A, Tarnopolsky M A, MacDougall J D. Gender differences in leucine kinetics and nitrogen balance in endurance athletes.  J Appl Physiol. 1993;  75 2134-2141
• 25 Qi D, Pulinilkunnil T, An D, Ghosh S, Abrahani A, Pospisilik J A, Brownsey R, Wambolt R, Allard M, Rodrigues B. Single-dose dexamethasone induces whole-body insulin resistance and alters both cardiac fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism.  Diabetes. 2004;  53 1790-1797
• 26 Rennie M J, Edwards R H, Krywawych S, Davies C T. Effect of exercise on protein turnover in man.  Clin Sci. 1981;  61 627-639
• 27 Swinburn C R, Wakefield J M, Newman S P, Jones P W. Evidence of prednisolone induces mood change (‘steroid euphoria’) in patients with chronic obstructive airways disease.  Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1988;  26 709-713
• 28 Tarnopolsky M A. Gender differences in substrate metabolism during endurance exercise.  Can J Appl Physiol. 2000;  25 312-327
• 29 Tataranni P, Larson D, Snitker S, Young J, Flatt J, Ravussin E. Effects of glucocorticoids on energy metabolism and food intake in humans.  Am J Physiol. 1996;  271 E317-E325
• 30 Thakore G D, Dinan T H. Subnormal growth hormone responses to acutely administered dexamethasone in depression.  Clin Endocrinol. 1994;  40 623-627
• 31 Viru A, Litvinova L, Viru M, Smirnova T. Glucocorticoids in metabolic control during exercise: alanine metabolism.  J Appl Physiol. 1994;  76 801-805
• 32 Yasuda K, Kitabchi A E. Decreased insulin binding of human erythrocytes after dexamethasone or prednisone ingestion.  Diabetes. 1980;  29 811-814
• 33 [no authors listed] .WADA list of doping classes and methods. World Anti-Doping Agency 2006