Dietary Carbohydrate, Exercise and Human Metabolism

Contact

Dr Edward Chambers
e.chambers@imperial.ac.uk 

Lab/office contact number:
10.N4, 10th Floor, Commonwealth Building, Hammersmith Campus

What we do

We are interested in understanding the independent and interactive effects of dietary and exercise intervention on human metabolism and the management of obesity-related diseases. We are primarily focused on the impact of carbohydrate, which is the major energy source in a typical human diet. The term carbohydrate covers a wide range of foods that differ in their effects on human metabolism. For example, digestible carbohydrate (e.g. sugars) can rapidly raise blood glucose levels, whilst non-digestible carbohydrate (e.g. dietary fibre) can modify physiological responses through fermentation by gut bacteria. We are focused on how the type and timing of carbohydrate intake alters the changes in blood glucose, appetite regulation and skeletal muscle metabolism in response to exercise.

Why it is important

In the UK, over 25% of adults have obesity which substantially increases the risk of developing metabolic health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Lifestyle intervention, including dietary modification and exercise training, remains the cornerstone for the prevention and treatment of obesity-related diseases. A better understanding of the interplay between dietary carbohydrate intake and exercise and their effects on human metabolism will help develop optimal lifestyle interventions with improved potential to transform long-term health.

How it can benefit patients

Many individuals with obesity fail to engage and adhere to lifestyle interventions as they perceive them to be ineffective for improving health. This belief stems from the considerable inter-individual variability observed in response to lifestyle interventions. By better understanding the close metabolic interaction between nutrition and physical activity, it will be possible to develop combined ‘dietary-exercise’ guidelines that have improved effectiveness for preventing and treating obesity-related diseases.

Summary of current research

  1. The metabolic interplay between dietary carbohydrate intake and exercise and its role in appetite-regulation and energy intake
  2. The impact of raising gut-derived propionate during exercise on appetite-regulation and whole-body lipid oxidation
  3. The effect of sodium acetate supplementation on energy metabolism in older adults
  4. The impact of propionate and lactate bioavailability on skeletal muscle growth

Information

Funders and related centres

Funders
Related centres

Collaborators

Internal
External

Publications

  • Frampton J, Edinburgh RM, Ogden HB, Gonzalez JT, Chambers ES. The acute effect of fasted exercise on energy intake, energy expenditure, subjective hunger and gastrointestinal hormone release compared to fed exercise in healthy individuals: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Int J Obes (Lond). 2022 Feb;46(2):255-268. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-021-00993-1

  • Frampton J, Murphy KG, Frost G, Chambers ES. Higher dietary fibre intake is associated with increased skeletal muscle mass and strength in adults aged 40 years and older. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2021 Dec;12(6):2134-2144. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12820 

  • Frampton J, Cobbold B, Nozdrin M, Oo HTH, Wilson H, Murphy KG, Frost G, Chambers ES. The Effect of a Single Bout of Continuous Aerobic Exercise on Glucose, Insulin and Glucagon Concentrations Compared to Resting Conditions in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression. Sports Med. 2021 Sep;51(9):1949-1966. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01473-2

  • Frampton J, Murphy KG, Frost G, Chambers ES. Short-chain fatty acids as potential regulators of skeletal muscle metabolism and function. Nat Metab. 2020 Sep;2(9):840-848. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-020-0188-7

  • Malkova D, Polyviou T, Rizou E, Gerasimidis K, Chambers ES, Preston T, Tedford MC, Frost G, Morrison DJ. Moderate intensity exercise training combined with inulin-propionate ester supplementation increases whole body resting fat oxidation in overweight women. Metabolism. 2020 Mar;104:154043. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2019.154043

  • Chambers ES, Byrne CS, Aspey K, Chen Y, Khan S, Morrison DJ, Frost G. Acute oral sodium propionate supplementation raises resting energy expenditure and lipid oxidation in fasted humans. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2018 Apr;20(4):1034-1039. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.13159

Our researchers

Dr Edward Chambers

Dr Edward Chambers
Non-Clinical Lecturer

Jamie Frampton

Jamie Frampton
PhD Student

Jomana Khawandanah

Jomana Khawandanah
PhD student