Physical Inactivity Rapidly Induces Insulin Resistance and Microvascular Dysfunction in Healthy Volunteers
Open accessAbstract
Objectives— Sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Vascular dysfunction contributes to atherogenesis and has been linked to insulin resistance. Methods and Results— We measured insulin sensitivity by glucose tolerance test and vascular function by ultrasound and venous occlusion plethysmography in 20 healthy subjects (14 men, 6 women) at baseline and during 5 days of bed rest. Bed rest led to a 67% increase in the insulin response to glucose loading ( P <0.001) suggesting increased insulin resistance and produced increases in total cholesterol and triglycerides. Bed rest led to decreased reactive hyperemia in the forearm (1317±404 to 1112±260 mL/min, P =0.01) and the calf (28.5±7.0 to 22.2±8.7 mL/min/dL, P =0.003) indicating impaired microvascular function. Bed rest decreased brachial artery diameter and increased systolic blood pressure suggesting increased basal arterial tone. There were no changes in circulating inflammatory markers arguing against systemic inflammation as a mechanism for vascular dysfunction in this setting. Conclusions— Physical inactivity was associated with the development of insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, increased blood pressure, and impaired microvascular function in healthy volunteers. Our findings may provide insight into the pathogenesis of vascular disease in sedentary individuals and emphasize that even short-term physical inactivity may have adverse metabolic and vascular consequences.
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Because reduced stepping for two weeks and five days of bed rest did not raise inflammatory markers, CRP is probably not the initial trigger.
“However, two weeks of reduced daily stepping (286) and 5 days of bed rest (216) do not increase inflammatory markers so CRP is unlikely to be the first initiating mechanism.”
From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [216]
Strict bed rest for 24 hours/day lasting 5 days, 7 days, or 9 days is associated with substantial increases in insulin resistance.
“Conversely, more extreme physical inactivity such as strict bed rest for 24-hr/day lasting 5 days (216), 7 days (46, 342, 495), and 9 days (7) is also associated with substantial increases in insulin resistance.”
From Lack of Exercise Is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases (2012) · cites this paper as [216]
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- Authors
- Hamburg, N. M., McMackin, C. J., Huang, A. L., Shenouda, S. M., Widlansky, M. E., Schulz, E., Gokce, N., Ruderman, N. B., Keaney, J. F., & Vita, J. A.
- Affiliations
- Boston University (US)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
- Published
- 2007-12
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 2650-2656
- ISSN
- 1079-5642 (ISSN-L)
- 1524-4636
- PMC
- PMC2596308
- OpenAlex
- W2083805707
- Cited by
- 474
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 29 · 2016: 35 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 37 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 31
- FWCI
- 60.30
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL081587, P50HL083801, T32 HL 07224, HL083269, K12HL083781, P01HL081587, R01HL075795, T32HL007224, HL083781, R01HL083269)
- National Center for Research Resources (M01-RR-00533, M01RR000533)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Health and Disease Prevention
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and Lipoproteins
- Keywords
- physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyle, insulin resistance, microvascular dysfunction, bed rest, reactive hyperemia, dyslipidemia, blood pressure, arterial tone, vascular dysfunction, glucose tolerance, healthy volunteers
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Bed Rest, Blood Glucose, Blood Pressure, Brachial Artery, Cholesterol, Female, Forearm, Glucose Tolerance Test, Humans, Hyperemia, Hypertension, Insulin, Insulin Resistance, Leg, Male, Microcirculation, Motor Activity, Reference Values, Time Factors, Triglycerides, Ultrasonography, Vasodilation, Case-Control Studies, Laser-Doppler Flowmetry, Inflammation Mediators, Dyslipidemias
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