Knowledge about the relationship between exercise and appetite is important both for athletes wishing to optimise performance and for those interested in maintaining a healthy body weight. A variety of hormones are involved in appetite regulation including both episodic hormones, which are responsive to episodes of feeding, and tonic hormones, which are important regulators of energy storage over the longer term (e.g. insulin and leptin). Notable among the episodic appetite-regulating hormones is ghrelin, which plays a unique role in stimulating appetite and energy intake. Many studies have demonstrated that acute bouts of moderately vigorous exercise transiently suppress appetite and this has been termed ‘exercise-induced anorexia’. The mechanisms by which acute exercise suppresses appetite are not fully understood but may involve lowered concentrations of ghrelin and increased concentrations of satiety hormones, notably peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide 1. Evidence suggests that chronic exercise training typically causes a partial but incomplete compensation in energy intake perhaps due to beneficial changes in appetite-regulating hormones. The lack of a full compensatory response of appetite to exercise may facilitate the development of a negative energy balance and weight loss although there is individual variability in the response to exercise. From a practical standpoint athletes should not feel concerned that exercise will cause overeating as there is limited evidence to support this. For those desiring weight loss there may be some merit in performing exercise in the postprandial period as a means of enhancing the satiating effect of a meal but additional evidence is required to confirm the effectiveness of this strategy.

1.
Benelam B: Satiation, satiety and their effects on eating behaviour. Br Nutr Found Nutr Bull 2009;34:126–173.
2.
Delzenne N, Blundell J, Brouns F, Cunningham K, De Graaf K, Erkner A, Lluch A, Mars M, Peters HPF, Westerterp-Plantenga M: Gastrointestinal targets of appetite regulation in humans. Obes Rev 2010;11:234–250.
3.
Kara E, Batterham RL: The role of gut hormones in the regulation of body weight and energy homeostasis. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2010;316:120–128.
4.
Neary MT, Batterham RL: Gut hormones: implications for the treatment of obesity. Pharmacol Ther 2009;124:44–56.
5.
Druce MR, Neary NM, Small CJ, Milton J, Monteiro M, Patterson M, Ghatei MA, Bloom SR: Subcutaneous administration of ghrelin stimulates energy intake in healthy lean human volunteers. Int J Obes 2006;30:293–296.
6.
Druce MR, Wren AM, Park AJ, Milton JE, Patterson M, Frost G, Ghatei MA, Small C, Bloom SR: Ghrelin increases food intake in obese as well as lean subjects. Int J Obes 2005;29:1130–1136.
7.
Chen CY, Asakawa A, Fujimiya M, Lee SD, Inui A: Ghrelin gene products and the regulation of food intake and gut motility. Pharmacol Rev 2009;61:430–481.
8.
Stengel A, Goebel M, Wang L, Taché Y: Ghrelin, des-acyl ghrelin and nesfatin-1 in gastric X/A-like cells: role as regulators of food intake and body weight. Peptides 2010;31:357–369.
9.
Adachi S, Takiguchi S, Okada K, Yamamoto K, Yamasaki M, Miyata H, Nakajima K, Fujiwara Y, Hosoda H, Kangawa K, Mori M, Doki Y: Effects of ghrelin administration after total gastrectomy: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled phase II study. Gastroenterology 2010;138:1312–1320.
10.
Adams CE, Greenway FL, Brantley PJ: Lifestyle factors and ghrelin: critical review and implications for weight loss maintenance. Obes Rev 2010, DOI: 10.1111/j.1467–789X. 2010.00776.x.
11.
Borer KT: Nonhomeostatic control of human appetite and physical activity in regulation of energy balance. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 2010;38:114–121.
12.
Neary MT, Batterham RL: Gaining new insights into food reward with functional neuroimaging; in Langhans W, Geary N (eds): Frontiers in Eating and Weight Regulation. Forum Nutr. Basel, Karger, 2010, vol 63, pp 152–163.
13.
Blundell J, de Graaf C, Hulshof T, Jebb S, Livingstone B, Lluch A, Mela D, Salah S, Schuring E, van der Knaap H, Westerterp M: Appetite control: methodological aspects of the evaluation of foods. Obes Rev 2010;11:251–270.
14.
Flint A, Raben A, Blundell JE, Astrup A: Reproducibility, power and validity of visual analogue scales in assessment of appetite sensations in single test meal studies. Int J Obes 2000;24:38–48.
15.
Bilski J, Teległów A, Zahradnik-Bilska J, Dembiński A, Warzecha Z: Effects of exercise on appetite and food intake regulation. Med Sport 2009;13:82–94.
16.
Martins C, Morgan L, Truby H: A review of the effects of exercise on appetite regulation: an obesity perspective. Int J Obes 2008;32:1337–1347.
17.
Burns SF, Broom DR, Miyashita M, Mundy C, Stensel DJ: A single session of treadmill running has no effect on plasma total ghrelin concentrations. J Sports Sci 2007;25:635–642.
18.
Dall R, Kanaley J, Hansen TK, Møller N, Christiansen JS, Hosoda H, Kangawa K, Jørgensen JOL: Plasma ghrelin levels during exercise in healthy subjects and in growth hormone-deficient patients. Eur J Endocrinol 2002;147:65–70.
19.
Broom DR, Batterham RL, King JA, Stensel DJ: Influence of resistance and aerobic exercise on hunger, circulating levels of acylated ghrelin and peptide YY in healthy males. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2009;296:R29–R35.
20.
Broom DR, Stensel DJ, Bishop NC, Burns SF, Miyashita M: Exercise induced suppression of acylated ghrelin in humans. J Appl Physiol 2007;102:2165–2171.
21.
Neary MT, Batterham RL: Peptide YY: food for thought. Physiol Behav 2009;97:616–619.
22.
Martins C, Morgan LM, Bloom SR, Robertson MD: Effects of exercise on gut peptides, energy intake and appetite. J Endocrinol 2007;193:251–258.
23.
Ueda S, Yoshikawa T, Katsura Y, Usui T, Fujimoto S: Comparable effects of moderate intensity exercise on changes in anorectic gut hormone levels and energy intake to high intensity exercise. J Endocrinol 2009;203:357–364.
24.
Ueda S, Yoshikawa T, Katsura Y, Usui T, Nakao H, Fujimoto S: Changes in gut hormone levels and negative energy balance during aerobic exercise in obese young males. J Endocrinol 2009;201:151–159.
25.
Hagobian TA, Braun B: Physical activity and hormonal regulation of appetite: sex differences and weight control. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 2010;38:25–30.
26.
Hagobian TA, Sharoff CG, Stephens BR, Wade GN, Silva JE, Chipkin SR, Braun B: Effects of exercise on energy-regulating hormones and appetite in men and women. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2009;296:R233–R242.
27.
Hickey MS, Houmard JA, Considine RV, Tyndall GL, Midgette JB, Gavigan KE, Weidner ML, McCammon MR, Israel RG, Caro JF: Gender-dependent effects of exercise training on serum leptin levels in humans. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 1997;272:E562–E566.
28.
Donnelly JE, Hill JO, Jacobsen DJ, Potteiger J, Sullivan DK, Johnson SL, Heelan K, Hise M, Fennessey PV, Sonko B, Sharp T, Jakicic JM, Blair SN, Tran ZV, Mayo M, Gibson C, Washburn RA: Effects of a 16-month randomized controlled exercise trial on body weight and composition in young, overweight men and women. The Midwest Exercise Trial. Arch Intern Med 2003;163:1343–1350.
29.
Gregersen NT, Flint A, Bitz C, Blundell JE, Raben A, Astrup A: Reproducibility and power of ad libitum energy intake assessed by repeated single meals. Am J Clin Nutr 2008;87:1277–1281.
30.
Blundell JE, King NA: Physical activity and regulation of food intake: current evidence. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1999;31:S573–S583.
31.
King JA, Miyashita M, Wasse LK, Stensel DJ: Influence of prolonged treadmill running on appetite, energy intake and circulating concentrations of acylated ghrelin. Appetite 2010;54:492–498.
32.
King JA, Wasse LC, Broom DR, Stensel DJ: The influence of brisk walking on appetite, energy intake and plasma acylated ghrelin. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2010;42:485–492.
33.
Boyer SJ, Blume FD: Weight loss and change in body composition at high altitude. J Appl Physiol 1984;57:1580–1585.
34.
Lippl FJ, Neubauer S, Schipfer S, Lichter N, Tufman A, Otto B, Fischer R: Hypobaric hypoxia causes body weight reduction in obese subjects. Obesity 2010;18:675–681.
35.
Shorten AL, Wallman KE, Guelfi KJ: Acute effect of environmental temperature during exercise on subsequent energy intake in active men. Am J Clin Nutr 2009;90:1215–1221.
36.
Westerterp-Plantenga MS, Verwegen CRT, Ijedema MJW, Wijckmans NEG, Saris WHM: Acute effects of exercise or sauna on appetite in obese and non-obese men. Physiol Behav 1997;62:1345–1354.
37.
White LJ, Dressendorfer RH, Holland E, McCoy SC, Ferguson MA: Increased caloric intake soon after exercise in cold water. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2005;14:38–47.
38.
Jones TE, Basilio JL, Brophy PM, McCammon MR, Hickner RC: Long-term exercise training in overweight adolescents improves plasma peptide YY and resistin. Obesity 2009;17:1189–1195.
39.
Roth CL, Enriori PJ, Harz K, Woelfle J, Cowley MA, Reinehr T: Peptide YY is a regulator of energy homeostasis in obese children before and after weight loss. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2005;90:6386–6391.
40.
Martins C, Kulseng B, King NA, Holst JJ, Blundell JE: The effects of exercise-induced weight loss on appetite-regulated peptides and motivation to eat. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2010;95:1609–1616.
41.
Hagobian TA, Sharoff CG, Braun B: Effects of short-term exercise and energy surplus on hormones related to regulation of energy balance. Metab Clin Exp 2008;57:393–398.
42.
Leidy HJ, Gardner JK, Frye BR, Snook ML, Schuchert MK, Richard EL, Williams NI: Circulating ghrelin is sensitive to changes in body weight during a diet and exercise program in normal-weight young women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2004;89:2659–2664.
43.
Mackelvie KJ, Meneilly GS, Elahi D, Wong ACK, Barr SI, Chanoine JP: Regulation of appetite in lean and obese adolescents after exercise: role of acylated and desacyl ghrelin. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2007;92:648–654.
44.
Kim JK, Leet S, Kim TW, Kim HH, Jeon TY, Yoon YS, Oh SW, Kwak H, Lee JG: Effects of exercise-induced weight loss on acylated and unacylated ghrelin in overweight children. Clin Endocrinol 2008;68:416–422.
45.
Stubbs RJ, Sepp A, Hughes DA, Johnstone AM, King N, Horgan G, Blundell JE: The effect of graded levels of exercise on energy intake and balance in free-living women. Int J Obes 2002;26:866–869.
46.
Stubbs RJ, Hughes DA, Johnstone AM, Horgan GW, King N, Blundell JE: A decrease in physical activity affects appetite, energy, and nutrient balance in lean men feeding ad libitum. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;79:62–69.
47.
Woo R, Garrow JS, Pi-Sunyer FX: Effect of exercise on spontaneous calorie intake in obesity. Am J Clin Nutr 1982;36:470–477.
48.
Woo R, Garrow JS, Pi-Sunyer FX: Voluntary food intake during prolonged exercise in obese women. Am J Clin Nutr 1982;36:478–484.
49.
Manthou E, Gill JMR, Wright A, Malkova D: Behavioural compensatory adjustments to exercise training in overweight women. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2010;42:1221–1228.
50.
Caudwell P, Hopkins M, King NA, Stubbs RJ, Blundell JE: Exercise alone is not enough: weight loss also needs a healthy (Mediterranean) diet. Public Health Nutr 2009;12:1663–1666.
51.
Cloud J: Why exercise won’t make you thin. Time, Aug 9, 2009. http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857-1,00.html (accessed October 19, 2010).
52.
Cheng MH, Bushnell D, Cannon DT, Kern M: Appetite regulation via exercise prior or subsequent to high-fat meal consumption. Appetite 2009;52:193–198.
53.
Jürimäe JA, Mäestu J, Jürimäe T, Mangus B, von Duvillard SP: Peripheral signals of energy homeostasis as possible markers of training stress in athletes: a review. Metabolism 2010, DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2010.02. 009.
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.