A Self-selected 16:8 Time-restricted Eating Quasi-experimental Intervention Improves Various Markers of Cardiovascular Health in Middle-age Male Cyclists

Objectives: Time-restricted eating (TRE) is a dietary intervention that may offer some protection against cardiovascular disease (CVD), while also preserving performance in athletes. To date however, research on TRE in an active population has only been conducted in college-age cohorts and the effects of TRE in an older, trained population are less understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of a 4-wk, 16:8 TRE intervention on markers of CVD risk in middle-age, male cyclists.

Methods: Participants (N = 12; age, 51.9 ± 8.6 y; training duration/wk, 375 ± 140 min; peak aerobic capacity, 41.8 ± 5.6 mL/kg/min) reported to the laboratory for two sessions (i.e., at baseline and post-TRE) where blood was drawn from an antecubital vein after an 8-h overnight fast. Dependent variables measured at baseline and post-TRE included insulin, cortisol, brain-derived neurotropic factor, free testosterone, thyroxine, triiodothyronine, C-reactive protein, advanced oxidative protein products, glutathione, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, glucose, and a full lipid profile.

Results: Compared with baseline, TRE significantly lowered TNF-α (12.3 ± 3.4 versus 9.2 ± 2.4 pg/mL; P = 0.02) and glucose concentrations (93.4 ± 9.7 versus 87.5 ± 7.9 mg/dL; P = 0.01), as well as significantly elevated high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (45.7 ± 13.7 versus 49.2 ± 12.3 mg/dL; P = 0.04), respectively. No further significant changes were observed between the remaining variables (all P > 0.05).

Conclusion: Overall, these data suggest that incorporating a 4-wk TRE intervention with habitual endurance training can significantly improve some markers of CVD risk and may compliment the robust health benefits derived from a regular exercise regimen.