THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE EXERCISE ON GALLBLADDER FUNCTION IN AN ADULT FEMALE-POPULATION

It has been suggested that aerobic exercise influences gallstone disea se pathogenesis through its effects on gallbladder motility. The purpo se of the present investigation was to examine the effects of acute ae robic exercise on gallbladder emptying. Gallbladder function was evalu ated, via cholescintigraphy, in 12 healthy females after undergoing tw o experimental trials [i.e., postprandial (P) and exercise + postprand ial (E+P))]. In the E+P trial, 60 min after injection of Tc-99m disofe nin, subjects exercised for 30 min at 65.3 +/- 0.9%, (mean +/- SEM) of VO2 peak on a recumbent leg ergometer, and then ingested 8 oz of a Li quid meal to promote gallbladder emptying. In the P trial the meal was administered at the same time relative to the E+P trial; however, for the 30 min prior to meal ingestion subjects remained in a resting sup ine position. Postprandial gallbladder ejection fraction (EF) was nons ignificantly higher in the E+P trial (49.4 +/- 5.1%) than in the P tri al (46.6 +/- 6.7%). Results of this study also indicated that during a fasted state the gallbladder undergoes significant periods of spontan eous emptying both at rest EF = 25 +/- 5.6% (P < 0.02) and during exer cise EF = 17 +/- 4.3% (P < 0.01). In conclusion. the results of this s tudy indicate that 30 min of aerobic exercise at 65% of VO2 peak does not effect gallbladder motility in a healthy, premenopausal, female po pulation.