Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of moderate aerobic exercises on symptoms of functional dyspepsia

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Indian Journal of Gastroenterology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a commonly encountered entity worldwide and is difficult to treat. Most of the treatment modalities have low-quality evidence for use, except for proton pump inhibitors. Aerobic exercise has been shown to improve the symptoms, but its direct effect on symptoms has never been studied. The objective was to study the effects of moderate aerobic exercise on symptoms of FD and to compare the effect of conventional treatment alone vs. exercise plus conventional treatment.

Methods

Out of 112 patients, 72 were randomly divided into controls (conventional treatment; n=36) and experimental (aerobic exercise for 30 min per session, 5 times a week for 6 weeks with conventional treatment; n=36) groups. Both the groups were assessed on day 1 and at the end of 6 weeks, using Glasgow Dyspepsia Severity Score (GDSS), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-42 (DASS-42), and visual analogue scale (VAS).

Results

Pre-treatment GDSS, DASS-42, and VAS in the experimental group were significantly different as compared to the post-treatment scores (p=0.00019, p=0.0002, p=0.00019, respectively). Even in the control group, pre- and post-treatment GDSS, DASS-42, and VAS scores were significantly different (p=0.00019, p=0.0002, p=0.00019, respectively). However, on the head-to-head comparison of the 2 groups, scores at the end of 6 weeks were significantly different (p< 0.05), in favor of the experimental group.

Conclusion

Aerobic exercise as an auxiliary therapy to conventional treatment has better outcomes in the functional well-being of dyspepsia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Garber CE, Blissmer B, Deschenes MR, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: guidance for prescribing exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43:1334–59.

  2. Simrén M. Physical activity and the gastrointestinal tract. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2002;14:1053–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Stanghellini V, Chan FK, Hasler WL, et al. Gastroduodenal disorders. Gastroenterology. 2016;150:1380–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Tack J, Bisschops R, Sarnelli G. Pathophysiology and treatment of functional dyspepsia. Gastroenterology. 2004;127:1239–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Koduru P, Irani M, Quigley EMM. Definition, pathogenesis, and management of that cursed dyspepsia. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;16:467–79.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Van Oudenhove L, Vandenberghe J, Demyttenaere K, Tack J. Psychosocial factors, psychiatric illness and functional gastrointestinal disorders: a historical perspective. Digestion. 2010;82:201–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Bakkali-Kassemi L, El Ouezzani S, Magoul R, et al. Effects of cannabinoids on neuropeptide Y and β-endorphin expression in the rat hypothalamic arcuate nucleus. Br J Nutr. 2011;105:654–60.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Wahid A, Manek N, Nichols M, et al. Quantifying the association between physical activity and cardiovascular disease and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Heart Assoc. 2016;5:e002495.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Bae JY. Aerobic exercise increases meteorin-like protein in muscle and adipose tissue of chronic high-fat diet-induced obese mice. Biomed Res Int. 2018;2018:6283932.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Scribbans TD, Vecsey S, Hankinson PB, et al. The effect of training intensity on VO2max in young healthy adults: a meta-regression and meta-analysis. Int J Exerc Sci. 2016;9:230–47.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Gundersen J, Levine BD. Maximal oxygen uptake as a parametric measure of cardiorespiratory capacity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007; 39:103-7. Erratum in: Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007; 39:574.

  12. World Health Organization. Global strategy on diet, physical activity and health. Title of document: what is moderate intensity and vigorous intensity physical activity? Available via https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/physical_activity_intensity/en/. Accessed 8 September 2020.

  13. Jetté M, Sidney K, Blümchen G. Metabolic equivalents (METS) in exercise testing, exercise prescription, and evaluation of functional capacity. Clin Cardiol. 1990;13:555–65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Shahsavarani AM, Ashayeri H, Lotfian M, et al. The effects of stress on visual selective attention: the moderating role of personality factors. J Am Sci. 2013;9:1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  15. El-Omar EM, Banerjee S, Wirz A, McColl KE. The Glasgow Dyspepsia Severity Score--a tool for the global measurement of dyspepsia. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1996;8:967–71.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Lovibond PF, Lovibond SH. The structure of negative emotional states: comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck depression and anxiety inventories. Behav Res Ther. 1995;33:335–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Misra A, Chowbey P, Makkar BM, et al. Consensus statement for diagnosis of obesity, abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome for Asian Indians and recommendations for physical activity, medical and surgical management. J Assoc Physicians India. 2009;57:163–70.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Wani RT. Socioeconomic status scales-modified Kuppuswamy and Udai Pareekh’s scale updated for. J Family Med Prim Care. 2019;2019:8,1846–9.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kumar A, Pate J, Sawant P. Epidemiology of functional dyspepsia. J Assoc Physicians India. 2012;60:9–12.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Talley NJ, Weaver AL, Zinsmeister AR. Impact of functional dyspepsia on quality of life. Dig Dis Sci. 1995;40:584–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Monés J, Adan A, Segú JL. Quality of life in functional dyspepsia. Dig Dis Sci. 2002;47:20–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Wiklund I, Glise H, Jerndal P, et al. Does endoscopy have a positive impact on quality of life in dyspepsia? Gastrointest Endosc. 1998;47:449–54.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Mahadeva S, Yadav H, Rampal S, Goh KL. Risk factors associated with dyspepsia in a rural Asian population and its impact on quality of life. Am J Gastroenterol. 2010;105:904–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Mahadeva S, Yadav H, Rampal S, et al. Ethnic variation, epidemiological factors and quality of life impairment associated with dyspepsia in urban Malaysia. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2010;31:1141–51.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Mahadeva S, Wee HL, Goh KL, Thumboo J. The EQ-5D (Euroqol) is a valid generic instrument for measuring quality of life in patients with dyspepsia. BMC Gastroenterol. 2009;9:20.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Black CJ, Houghton LA, Ford AC. Insights into the evaluation and management of dyspepsia: recent developments and new guidelines. Ther Adv Gastroenterol. 2018;11:1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Matsuzaki J, Suzuki H, Masaoka T, et al. Influence of regular exercise on gastric emptying in healthy men: a pilot study. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2016;59:130–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Strid H, Simrén M, Störsrud S, et al. Effect of heavy exercise on gastrointestinal transit in endurance athletes. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2011;46:673–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Welén K, Faresjö A, Faresjö T. Functional dyspepsia affects women more than men in daily life: a case-control study in primary care. Gend Med. 2008;5:62–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Gontar AS, Halim S, Sitepu RR. Dyspepsia and Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales (DASS) Score. Indones J Gastroenterol Hepatol Dig Endosc. 2016;17:28–31.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Göktaş Z, Köklü S, Dikmen D, et al. Nutritional habits in functional dyspepsia and its subgroups: a comparative study. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2016;51:903–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Ho KY, Kang JY. SeowA. Prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms in a multiracial Asian population, with particular reference to reflux-type symptoms. Am J Gastroenterol. 1998;93:1816–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Hu WH, Wong WM, Lam CL, et al. Anxiety but not depression determines health care-seeking behaviour in Chinese patients with dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome: a population-based study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2002;16:2081–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Yang SY, Lee OY, Bak YT, et al. Prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms and uninvestigated dyspepsia in Korea: a population-based study. Dig Dis Sci. 2008;53:188–93.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Rabeneck L, Cook KF, Wristers K, et al. SODA (severity of dyspepsia assessment): a new effective outcome measure for dyspepsia-related health. J Clin Epidemiol. 2001;54:755–65.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Talley NJ, Phillips SF, Melton J 3rd, et al. A patient questionnaire to identify bowel disease. Ann Intern Med. 1989;111:671–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Junghard O, Lauritsen K, Talley NJ, Wiklund IK. Validation of seven graded diary cards for severity of dyspeptic symptoms in patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia. Eur J Surg Suppl. 1998;583:106–11.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Talley NJ, Haque M, Wyeth JW, et al. Development of a new dyspepsia impact scale: the Nepean Dyspepsia Index. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 1999;13:225–35.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Sander GB, Mazzoleni LE, Francesconi CF, et al. Development and validation of a cross-cultural questionnaire to evaluate non ulcer dyspepsia: the Porto Alegre Dyspeptic Symptoms Questionnaire (PADYQ). Dig Dis Sci. 2004;49:1822–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Calvet X, Bustamante E, Montserrat A, et al. Validation of phone interview for follow-up in clinical trials on dyspepsia: evaluation of the Glasgow Dyspepsia Severity Score and a Likert-scale symptoms test. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2000;12:949–53.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Crawford JR, Henry JD. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS): normative data and latent structure in a large non-clinical sample. Br J Clin Psychol. 2003;42:111–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Huang ZP, Yang XF, Lan LS, et al. Correlation between social factors and anxiety-depression in function dyspepsia: do relationships exist? Prz Gastroenterol. 2014;9:348–53.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  43. Kim YS, Song BK, Oh JS, Woo SS. Aerobic exercise improves gastrointestinal motility in psychiatric inpatients. World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20:10577-84.

  44. Heijnen S, Hommel B, Kibele A, Colzato LS. Neuromodulation of aerobic exercise—a review. Front Psychol. 2015;6:1890.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Crosby KM, Bains JS. The intricate link between glucocorticoids and endocannabinoids at stress-relevant synapses in the hypothalamus. Neuroscience. 2012;204:31–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Heyman E, Gamelin FX, Goekint M, et al. Intense exercise increases circulating endocannabinoid and BDNF levels in humans—possible implications for reward and depression. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2012;37:844–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Marco EM, García-Gutiérrez MS, Bermúdez-Silva FJ, et al. Endocannabinoid system and psychiatry: in search of a neurobiological basis for detrimental and potential therapeutic effects. Front Behav Neurosci. 2011;5:63.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  48. Patrick RP, Ames BN. Vitamin D and the omega-3 fatty acids control serotonin synthesis and action, part 2: relevance for ADHD, bipolar, schizophrenia, and impulsive behavior. FASEB J. 2015;29:2207–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Harmer CJ. Serotonin and emotional processing: does it help explain antidepressant drug action? Neuropharmacology. 2008;55:1023–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Foley TE, Fleshner M. Neuroplasticity of dopamine circuits after exercise: implications for central fatigue. Neuromolecular Med. 2008;10:67–80.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Tziatzios G, Gkolfakis P, Papanikolaou, et al. Gut microbiota dysbiosis in functional dyspepsia. Microorganisms. 2020;8:691.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  52. Bravo JA, Forsythe P, Chew MV, et al. Ingestion of Lactobacillus strain regulates emotional behavior and central GABA receptor expression in a mouse via the vagus nerve. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011;108:16050–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  53. Mika A, Van Treuren W, González A, et al. Exercise is more effective at altering gut microbial composition and producing stable changes in lean mass in juvenile versus adult male F344 rats. PLoS One. 2015;10:e0125889.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Topiwala National Medical College and B.Y.L. Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai Central, Mumbai, 400 008, India

    Siddhesh Vijay Rane, Pravin Rathi, Qais Contractor, Sanjay Chandnani, Parmeshwar Junare & Prasanta Debnath

  2. Department of Physical Therapy, Topiwala National Medical College and B.Y.L. Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai Central, Mumbai, 400 008, India

    Bharati Asgaonkar & Vidya Bhat

Authors
  1. Siddhesh Vijay Rane
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bharati Asgaonkar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Pravin Rathi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Qais Contractor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sanjay Chandnani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Parmeshwar Junare
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Prasanta Debnath
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Vidya Bhat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Siddhesh Vijay Rane, Bharati Asgaonkar, Pravin Rathi, Qais Contractor, Sanjay Chandnani, Parmeshwar Junare, Prasanta Debnath, and Vidya Bhat were involved in conceptualizing and designing the study. Siddhesh Vijay Rane, Bharati Asgaonkar, Pravin Rathi, Qais Contractor, and Vidya Bhat searched the literature. Siddhesh VijayRane and Bharati Asgaonkar acquired the data and analyzed it with Pravin Rathi, Qais Contractor, Sanjay Chandnani, Parmeshwar Junare, and Prasanta Debnath. The initial manuscript was prepared by Siddhesh Vijay Rane, Bharati Asgaonkar, Sanjay Chandnani, and Vidya Bhat. Manuscript editing was done by Pravin Rathi, Qais Contractor, Sanjay Chandnani, Parmeshwar Junare, and Prasanta Debnath. All the authors agreed upon the final version.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Siddhesh Vijay Rane.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

SVR, BA, PR, QC, SC, PJ, PD, and VB declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethics statement

The study was performed conforming to the Helsinki declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000 and 2008 concerning human and animal rights, and the authors followed the policy concerning informed consent as shown on Springer.com.

Disclaimer

The authors are solely responsible for the data and the contents of the paper. In no way, the Honorary Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Board Members, the Indian Society of Gastroenterology or the printer/publishers are responsible for the results/findings and content of this article.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rane, S.V., Asgaonkar, B., Rathi, P. et al. Effect of moderate aerobic exercises on symptoms of functional dyspepsia. Indian J Gastroenterol 40, 189–197 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12664-021-01174-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12664-021-01174-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation