Aerobic training doesn't create an afterburn effect?

Very interesting read...

Aerobic training doesn't create an afterburn effect?

via Alwyn Cosgrove by Alwyn Cosgrove on 11/16/09

A recent study from the University of Colorado (published in the Journal of Applied Physiology) had participants perform an hour long easy ride and monitored the "afterburn" - to see how much fat they burned post workout.

They didn't burn any more than they did if they hadn't exercised.

From the New York Times:

To their surprise, the researchers found that none of the groups, including the athletes, experienced “afterburn.” They did not use additional body fat on the day when they exercised. In fact, most of the subjects burned slightly less fat over the 24-hour study period when they exercised than when they did not.

WAIT -- An hour long EASY ride didn't have an afterburn effect?

Really? I'm shocked..... you'd think that an hour of pedaling easily would melt the pounds off these people (note sarcasm)

And the title of the study: " When energy balance is maintained, exercise does not induce negative fat balance..." ?????

Really? If you burn 300 calories (and there is no afterburn effect or additional post-workout caloric burn) and then you replace those calories you don't lose fat?

Again -- REALLY? Who'd have thought that? (note sarcasm again)

I understand that wasn't the point of the study - but did they really think that an easy ride would increase post workout fat burning significantly? Did they also really think that - for example burning 300 calories and then eating 300 calories would have resulted in fat loss?

I think I've said A LOT that low intensity aerobics doesn't create any post workout increase in metabolism. I'm just surprised that people still thought it did.

The researchers concluded:

These data suggest that when exercise is performed with energy replacement (i.e. energy balance is maintained), 24 h fat oxidation does not increase and in fact, may be slightly decreased. It appears that the state of energy balance is an under appreciated factor determining the impact of exercise on fat oxidation.

First off I don't think anyone thinks that energy balance is an under appreciated factor. I think we all know you have to burn calories (although I do think our understanding of calories in vs calories out is probably incomplete).

But performing low intensity aerobic work in that state could LOWER fat oxidation (burning) post workout -- In other words it could be a negative?

I wonder if anyone ever said that before.

(For the record - Dr. Eric Serrano showed me research that he had done on aerobic work actually hurting fat loss back in the mid 90s)

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