HugeRipped, are my results accurate?
The overall results of our meta-analysis suggest that exercise and physical activity do not result in statistically significant reductions in Hcy. However, from a clinical perspective, our 0.8 μmol/L reduction in Hcy may be important since a 1.0 μmol/L reduction has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease by 10%. One of the most interesting findings from our meta-analysis was
the fact that the only group in which statistically significant reductions in Hcy occurred was in older, overweight and obese subjects who participated in progressive resistance training. While the authors also found statistically significant reductions in the normal weight group, our weighted results and subsequent 95% confidence intervals did not observe such. Whether our observed changes
were a spurious finding or the result of their body weight, type of exercise intervention, the fact that the subjects had probably been sedentary over a long period of time, or some other factor, is not known. One possible explanation may be related to insulin sensitivity. For example, it has been has suggested that since Hcy clearance can be problematic in overweight and obese subjects, particularly
those with insulin resistance, and that insulin sensitivity is improved as a result of resistance training, such improvements may be associated with greater Hcy clearance. For those who are not insulin resistant, reductions in Hcy may be the result of the preservation of muscle amino acids brought about by concentric contractions causing transitory elevations in insulin levels and
increased protein synthesis. However, further randomized controlled trials on this topic are warranted before any firm conclusions can be drawn.
