PHYSICAL ACTIVITY is associated with higher cardiac parasympathetic modulation and a more favourable serum metabolomic profile in healthy men, according to a new exploratory study.
Researchers followed 51 healthy men with a mean age of 37 years. Participants were divided into physically active and physically inactive groups, and investigators assessed serum metabolites alongside measures of cardiovascular autonomic modulation.
Serum metabolomics were evaluated using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, while autonomic function was measured using resting cardiovascular data.
Compared with inactive participants, men in the active group demonstrated significantly higher levels of several metabolites, such as indolelactic acid, acetate, and betaine.
In contrast, glycochenodeoxycholic acid and L-tyrosine concentrations were lower among active participants.
The active group also displayed a healthier metabolic profile beyond metabolomics findings. Participants in the active group had higher high-density lipoprotein levels and improved insulin sensitivity markers, alongside lower basal insulin and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance values.
Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Autonomic Modulation
Assessment of cardiovascular autonomic modulation revealed modest but significant differences between groups.
Men who engaged in regular physical activity showed higher average heart period values and increased cardiac parasympathetic modulation at rest.
These findings suggest enhanced parasympathetic influence on cardiac function among physically active individuals, supporting previous observations that habitual exercise is associated with favourable autonomic regulation.
However, differences between groups were relatively limited, which the investigators suggested may have been reflective of the predominantly young and healthy study population.
No Clear Link Between Metabolites and Autonomic Function
Despite observing differences in both metabolic and autonomic profiles, the researchers found no significant association between serum metabolites and cardiovascular autonomic modulation indices.
The findings indicate that regular physical activity may independently influence the serum metabolome and cardiac autonomic regulation.
Taken together, the results highlight the potential of regular physical activity to support cardiometabolic health through distinct metabolic and autonomic pathways. Further research is needed to clarify how these mechanisms interact and whether they translate into long-term disease prevention.
Reference
Signini ÉF et al. Association of physical activity with cardiovascular autonomic modulation and the serum metabolome in healthy men. Sci Rep. 2026;DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-59112-7
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