Aim. This study was designed to determine the relationship between diet and leptin levels during rowing training. Methods. Dietary intakes using 3-day food records, training volume and leptin responses to a 90-min exercise (measurement before, at the end and after 2 and 24 h of recovery) were assessed at the beginning and at the end of an 8-month training season for heavyweight rowers. Results. During the training, we observed increases in energy intake and in training volume (12.1±1.8 and 14±1.4 MJ/day, and 3.8±1.1 and 6.5±1.8 sessions/week, respectively at the beginning and at the end of the season). Carbohydrate (CHO) and protein intakes were increased (P<0.001 and P<0.05, respectively), whereas those of lipid were unchanged (P=0.08). Leptin levels at rest were unchanged, while delayed decreases occurred (at 2 h postexercise) in response to the 90-min exercise (P<0.01). At the end of the season, postexercise and 24 h postexercise leptin levels were positively correlated to CHO intake (r=0.62 and r=0.69, respectively; P<0.05). Conclusion. There is an increase in CHO intake over a training season for rowers. Our results suggested that repeated hypoleptinemia in response to acute exercise triggered the particular choice of CHO in order to insure the energy homeostasis.
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