Effect of physical exercise and training on gastrointestinal hormones in populations with different weight statuses

Several types of hormones exert control over appetite in humans. This narrative review explores the effects of exercise and training on the concentrations of gastrointestinal hormones in healthy and obese individuals. It focuses on the major hormones of appetite regulation: ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide 1, peptide YY, cholecystokinin, leptin, and oxyntomodulin. In normal-weight and overweight individuals, responses to most of these hormones depend on the intensity of exercise and training. However, findings in obese individuals are limited in number and, to some degree, contradictory. Although some gastrointestinal hormones have been studied extensively (eg, leptin), most have not been investigated systematically. Further research is required to confirm the effectiveness of exercise and training on gut hormones and to better understand the effect of gut hormones on appetite and hunger suppression in individuals with obesity. Investigations to elucidate the impact of various forms of exercise that have recently engaged the public interest, eg, high-intensity interval training or concurrent aerobic and resistance training, are warranted.