Evidence mapPaperPMID 30764736Full record

Trial reportEpigenetics2019

Impact of aerobic exercise and fatty acid supplementation on global and gene-specific DNA methylation.

David John Hunter, Lynsey James, Bethan Hussey, Alex J Wadley, Martin R Lindley, Sarabjit S Mastana

Open access · greenAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Epigenetics, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 50 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
50citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
4.8field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

50 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 75 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Trial
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Neurobiology of exercise in Parkinson's disease.Journal of Parkinson's disease · 2026
    Review
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. Article
  16. Review
  17. Review
  18. Skeletal Muscle as Endocrine Organ.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2025
    Review
  19. Review
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

David John Huntera Translational Chemical Biology Research Group, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences , Loughborough University , Loughborough , UK.ORCID 0000-0003-1060-3334
Lynsey Jamesa Translational Chemical Biology Research Group, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences , Loughborough University , Loughborough , UK.ORCID 0000-0002-9712-9358
Bethan Husseya Translational Chemical Biology Research Group, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences , Loughborough University , Loughborough , UK.ORCID 0000-0002-1827-5489
Alex J Wadleyb National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences , Loughborough University , Loughborough , UK.ORCID 0000-0002-1820-8446
Martin R Lindleya Translational Chemical Biology Research Group, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences , Loughborough University , Loughborough , UK.ORCID 0000-0001-7686-9421
Sarabjit S Mastanaa Translational Chemical Biology Research Group, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences , Loughborough University , Loughborough , UK.ORCID 0000-0002-9553-4886
Loughborough University · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Lifestyle interventions, including exercise and dietary supplementation, can modify DNA methylation and exert health benefits; however, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we investigated the impact of acute aerobic exercise and the supplementation of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) on global and gene-specific (PPARGC1A, IL6 and TNF) DNA methylation, and DNMT mRNA expression in leukocytes of disease-free individuals. Eight trained male cyclists completed an exercise test before and after a four-week supplementation of n-3 PUFA and EVOO in a double-blind, randomised, repeated measures design. Exercise triggered global hypomethylation (Pre 79.2%; Post 78.7%; p = 0.008), alongside, hypomethylation (Pre 6.9%; Post 6.3%; p < 0.001) and increased mRNA expression of PPARGC1A (p < 0.001). Associations between PPARGC1A methylation and exercise performance were also detected. An interaction between supplement and trial was detected for a single CpG of IL6 indicating increased DNA methylation following n-3 PUFA and decreased methylation following EVOO (p = 0.038). Global and gene-specific DNA methylation associated with markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. The supplementation of EVOO reduced DNMT1 mRNA expression compared to n-3 PUFA supplementation (p = 0.048), whereas, DNMT3a (p = 0.018) and DNMT3b (p = 0.046) mRNA expression were decreased following exercise. In conclusion, we demonstrate that acute exercise and dietary supplementation of n-3 PUFAs and EVOO induce DNA methylation changes in leukocytes, potentially via the modulation of DNMT mRNA expression. Future studies are required to further elucidate the impact of lifestyle interventions on DNA methylation.

Indexed as

AdultCytosineDietary SupplementsDNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1DNA MethylationDouble-Blind MethodEpigenesis, GeneticExerciseFatty Acids, Omega-3Gene Expression RegulationHumansInterleukin-6Olive OilPeroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alphaTumor Necrosis Factor-alphaCytosineDNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1DNMT1 protein, humanFatty Acids, Omega-3IL6 protein, humanInterleukin-6Olive OilPeroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alphaPPARGC1A protein, humanTumor Necrosis Factor-alphaDNA methylationDNMTexerciseIL6inflammationn-3 PUFAPPARGC1ATNFa

Identifiers

PMID30764736
PMCPMC6557554
OpenAlexW2913391554

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.