Effects of acute exercise on spontaneous physical activity in mice at different ages

BACKGROUND: Exercise is often used to obtain a negative energy balance. However, its effects on body weight reduction are usually below expectations. One possible explanation is a reduction in spontaneous physical activity (SPA) after exercise since the increase in energy expenditure caused by the exercise session would be offset by the decrease in SPA and its associated energy cost. Thus, we evaluated the effects of a single bout of moderate exercise at individualized intensity on spontaneous physical activity. The impact of the single bout of exercise was determined in early adulthood and at the transition to middle age. METHODS: Male C57bl/6j (n = 10) mice were evaluated at 4 (4 M) and 9 (9 M) months of age. One week after a treadmill Maximal Exercise Capacity Test (MECT), mice performed a 30-min single bout of exercise at 50 % of the maximal speed reached at MECT. An infrared-based system was used to determine locomotor parameters (SPA and average speed of displacement, ASD) before (basal) and immediately after the single bout of exercise for 48 h (D1, 0-24 h; D2, 24-48 h). Food intake was measured simultaneously. Data were analyzed by GEE and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Basal SPA declined from 4 M to 9 M (p = 0.01), but maximal exercise capacity was similar. At both ages, SPA and ASD decreased significantly (p < 0.0001) on day 1 after exercise. On D2, SPA returned to basal levels but ASD remained lower than basal (p < 0.001). The magnitude (% of basal) of change in SPA and ASD on D1 and D2 was similar at 4 M and 9 M. Food intake did not change at 4 M but decreased on D2 at 9 M. CONCLUSIONS: A single bout of moderate exercise decreases physical activity in the first 24 h and average speed of locomotion in the 48 h following exercise. This compensation is similar from early adulthood to the transition to middle age. The decrease in both the amount and intensity (speed) of SPA may compensate for the increase in energy expenditure induced by exercise, helping to understand the below-than-expected effect of exercise interventions to cause a negative energy balance. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13102-021-00311-2.