Reporter of Science and Technology Daily Zhang Mengran
Are you a "early bird" or a "night owl"? Human activity patterns and sleep cycles may affect the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. New research published in Experimental Physiology found that wake/sleep cycles can lead to metabolic differences and change the body's preference for energy. Those who stay up late have a lower ability to use fat to get energy, which means fat may accumulate in the body and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Source: Visual China
Metabolic differences are related to people's ability to use insulin to promote cells to absorb glucose for storage and energy use. Compared to "night owls", "early birds" (people who like to be active in the morning) rely more on fat as energy source and are more active during the day, with higher levels of cardio fitness . On the other hand, "night owls" (people who like to be active during the day and at night) consume less fat to get energy while resting and exercising.
Researchers from Rutgers University in the United States divided participants into two groups (early and late) based on their "time-type" (natural tendency to seek activity and sleep at different times). They used advanced imaging techniques to evaluate body weight and body composition, as well as insulin sensitivity and breathing samples to measure fat and carbohydrate metabolism.
participants were monitored for one week to evaluate their activity patterns throughout the day. They eat a diet that controls calorie and nutrition and must fast overnight to minimize the impact of their diet on the outcome. They tested at rest before completing two 15-minute exercises: once on a treadmill and once on a high-intensity training. The aerobic energy level was tested by the tilt challenge, which increased the tilt by 2.5% every two minutes until the participants reached exhaustion.
Researchers found that "early birds" consume more fat as energy when resting and exercising than "night owls". "Early Birds" are also more sensitive to insulin. On the other hand, "night owls" are insulin-resistant, meaning their bodies need more insulin to lower blood sugar levels, and their bodies prefer carbohydrates as energy sources rather than fat. Impaired ability of this population to respond to insulin to promote fuel use may be harmful because it indicates a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and/or heart disease. The reason for this shift in metabolic preference between "early birds" and "night owls" needs further investigation.
Researchers said that the difference in fat metabolism between "early birds" and "night owls" suggests that the body's circadian rhythm (wake/sleep cycle) may affect the way the body uses insulin. Sensitivity or impaired ability to respond to insulin hormones has a significant impact on human health. This observation deepens understanding of how the body's circadian rhythm affects health. Because phenotypes appear to affect metabolism and hormone effects, researchers recommend using phenotypes as a factor in predicting individual disease risk.
study also found that compared with the "night owls" that sit for a long time throughout the day, the "early birds" are more active and have a higher level of health. The researchers will examine the link between phenotype, exercise and metabolic adaptation through further studies to determine whether exercise earlier in the day has greater health benefits.
Source: Science and Technology Daily
Editor: Shen Wei (internship)
Review: Zhu Li
