ABC | Volume 115, Nº2, August 2020

Original Article Basilio et al. Effects of intermittent fasting on the heart Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; 115(2):184-193 collagen was greater in the ET group compared to control (control: 5.32±1.02; IF: 5.25±0.66; ET: 7.31±2.94; ETI: 4.43±0.79%), while ETI exhibited a lower concentration of interstitial collagen than ET (Figure 4A-B). Tables 3 shows the myocardial expression levels of MAPK- ERK and JNK. No differences were found in the expression of MAPK proteins between the groups (p>0.05). Discussion Restrictive dietary interventions are commonly used to reduce susceptibility to chronic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. In the present study, intermittent fasting was associated with higher food and energy intake on the days the diet was offered, as well as with lower total caloric intake and lower BW measurements. Higher food intake due to intermittent fasting can be explained by changes in satiety. 29,30 The hypothalamus is an important regulator of body homeostasis and promotes several adjustments, including satiety induction. Changes in the lateral hypothalamus result in aphagia (starvation), whereas alterations in the medial hypothalamus are associated with hyperphagia (increased appetite). As observed here, other studies 11,29 have shown that intermittent fasting increases food intake during feeding days. Likewise, Dorighello et al. 31 demonstrated that intermittent restriction reduced total calorie intake, in agreement with our findings. The period of exercise training did not affect food or calorie intake in the ETI Figure 1 – Functional fitness measurements expressed as mean ± standard error; (A) distance covered; (B) final speed; Control: sedentary rats receiving the control diet ad libitum; IF: sedentary rats undergoing intermittent fasting; ET: rats exercising and receiving the control diet ad libitum; ETI: rats exercising while intermittent fasting. * p<0.05 vs. control; † p<0.05 vs. IF (two-way ANOVA and Student-Newman-Keuls test). 187