Enhanced postprandial gastric myoelectrical activity after moderate-intensity exercise

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the change of postprand ial gastric myoelectrical activity and its relation with vagal activity aft er exercise. METHODS: Nine subjects were studied in two sessions. In the control session , gastric myoelectrical activity was recorded using electrogastrography (EG G) for 30 min in the fasting state and 60 min after a test meal. In the exe rcise session, after the baseline recording of both the EGG and electrocard iogram (ECG), the subject was put on a cycle ergometer for exercise until r eaching 50% of the maximum age-predicted heart rate for 10 min. The test me al was then given and the recording was resumed for 60 more minutes. Spectr al analyses were performed on both the EGG and the heart rate variability d erived from the EGG. RESULTS: The postprandial increment of the dominant power (p < 0.05) and th e percentage of the 2-4 cpm slow waves (p = 0.01) were significantly higher with exercise. The standard deviation of the,postprandial dominant frequen cy was significantly decreased (more stable slow waves) with exercise (p < 0.04). While cardiac vagal activity was significantly decreased after the m eal, exercise did not significantly affect the postprandial change. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric slow waves become more regular, more stable, and of hi gher amplitude after exercise, and this enhancement is probably not mediate d via the vagal pathway. (C) 2000 by Am. Cell. of Gastroenterology.