Does exercise increase metabolic rate?

Yes, exercise does increase metabolic rate. Andrew Huberman has discussed this topic extensively in the Huberman Lab.

Here are some key points:

1. High-Intensity Exercise: Activities like anaerobic training, weight lifting, and sprints lead to a significant increase in post-exercise oxygen consumption, which can raise metabolism for up to 24 hours. This process helps in oxidizing more fat post-exercise 1.

2. Muscle Building and Metabolism: Exercises that build muscle, such as resistance training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT), cause long-lasting increases in basal metabolic rate due to muscle being more metabolically active than fat 2 3. The increase in basal metabolic rate is not enormous, but adding muscle can contribute to higher daily caloric expenditure over time 4.

   • 

     1

     Exercise Metabolism Insights

     01:22:43
     
   • 

     2

     Exercise for Fat Loss

     01:09:20
     
   • 

     3

     Glycogen and Metabolism

     01:07:55
     
   • 

     4

     Muscle and Metabolism

     01:16:08
     
   • 

     5

     Shivering and Metabolism

     01:25:15
     
   • 

     6

     Myokines and Metabolism

     01:39:02
     

3. Shivering and Metabolism: Although not directly related to exercise, shivering can also increase metabolism significantly, though not as effectively as exercise, which can boost it up to ten times the resting rate 5.

4. Myokines and Hormonal Effects: Exercise releases myokines, which are peptide hormones that improve glucose utilization and stimulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), further enhancing metabolic health and overall physiological benefits post-exercise 6.

5. Comparison of Exercise Types: Moderate to high-intensity training combined with low-intensity sessions can optimally increase basal metabolic rate and fat burning 1.

Overall, consistent exercise, especially higher intensity and muscle-building activities, significantly enhances metabolic rate. This, combined with the release of beneficial hormones and peptides, underscores the multifaceted benefits of exercise on metabolism.