Fit but not immune from the risk: the hidden burden of dyslipidemia in elite athletes.

Our aim was to test the hypothesis that a high level of physical activity during leisure time increases the risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality among men with high physical work demands. We carried out a 30-year follow-up of the Copenhagen Male Study of 5249 caucasian, male workers aged 40-59 years; 274 men with overt cardiovascular disease were excluded from the follow-up. During the follow-up period, 591 men (11.9%) died from IHD. Cox analyses of men with low (N=1236), medium (N=2651), and high (N=858) physical work demands showed that those with high demands had a higher risk of IHD mortality compared to men with low demands [age-adjusted hazard ratio 1.51, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.18-1.94]. In all three groups, men with a low level of physical activity during leisure time had a higher risk of IHD than men with a medium or high level. Overall, the age-adjusted hazard ratio for IHD mortality associated with a high level of leisure time physical activity was 0.49 (95% CI 0.34-0.70). Among workers with high physical work demands, the hazard ratio for IHD mortality (adjusted for confounders) was 0.82 (95% CI 0.42-1.56) for a high level of leisure time physical activity and 0.62 (95% CI 0.40-0.97) for a moderate level. We did not find support for the hypothesis that a high level of physical activity during leisure time increases the risk of IHD mortality among men with high physical work demands and with no pre-existing clinical cardiovascular disease. In contrast, moderate and high levels of activity during leisure time seemed to be protective against IHD mortality among people with medium and high physical activity at work.

Background Athletic training is associated with hemodynamic demands leading to physiological cardiac changes referred to as athlete’s heart. Whilst some studies support the hypothesis with predicted eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) from endurance training, data confirming concentric-type effects of resistance training are inconsistent. Also, whether specific geometric adaptations are associated with specific changes of LV myocardial performance is undefined. Purpose To assess patterns of LV remodeling in relation to the type of sport, using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in a cohort of elite athletes (EA). Methods 132 EA (23±5 years) referred for resting echocardiography during annual check-up were prospectively enrolled.They were involved in competitive sports for >10 hours/week for over 3 years and had no history of cardiac/non-cardiac disease or sudden cardiac death. A control group of 15 healthy volunteers (25±3 years), either sedentary or engaged in <6 h of non-competitive training/week, was enrolled. An echocardiogram was performed in all subjects. Global myocardial work (MW) indices - work index (GWI), constructive work (GCW), work efficiency (GWE) and wasted work (GWW)- were calculated using a software able to construct a noninvasive LV pressure-strain loop based on STE-derived global longitudinal strain (GLS) and LV pressure from systolic cuff pressure. Analysis was performed by an experienced investigator blinded to the sport history of each subject. Results Four subgroups of EA were defined according to the sports disciplines: power (n=27), endurance (n=30), mixed (n=62) and skill (n=13). Mean values of LV volumes, wall thickness and mass were significantly higher in EA compared with controls. Normal LV geometry was present in >50% of EA in each group and >70% of power and skill EA. LVH was more prevalent in endurance (23.3%) and mixed (19.4%) as compared to skill (7.7%) and power (7.4%) EA. Eccentric hypertrophy was found only in endurance and mixed EA (<15% each group). Including age, BSA, gender, sport discipline, duration and intensity of training in binary logistic regression to predict LVH, increasing age was the only significant predictor (p=0.01). Conventional and advanced parameters of LV systolic and diastolic function were within normal range in all subjects. The one-way ANOVA revealed no significant differences between groups of EA and controls regarding mean values of GLS, LV ejection fraction and MW indices. However, among EA, endurance EA exhibited the highest values of GCW(2075±228 mmHg%), GWI(1767±222 mmHg%) and GWE(95.5±1.7%) and lowest GWW(76±35 mmHg%) with statistic significance for GWW(p=0.03) and marginally for GWE(p=0.05). Conclusion In our study, the type of sport was not related to the presence of LVH. The most significant LV remodeling was observed in EA, as expected, associated with a resting myocardial work profile characterized by highest values of GWI, GCW and GWE and lowest GWW. MW parameters and the type of sport

Is physical activity, practiced as recommended for health benefit, a risk factor for osteoarthritis?

The nature of changes in the immune system during physical work is a complex process involving many different mechanisms. Research in this direction is an urgent problem. The purpose of the research was to study the indicators of cellular and humoral immunity in students with different levels of physical activity. A total of 77 male students were examined, consisting of 3 groups: 1) with a low level of physical activity (n = 32) – students who were not involved in sports activities on a regular basis; 2) students with an average level of physical activity (n = 22) – beginner sambo wrestlers without sports categories; and 3) students with a high level of physical activity (n = 23) – highly qualified sambo wrestlers – first-class athletes, candidates for masters and masters of sports. In students of all groups, the quantitative content of various phenotypes of lymphocytes in the blood was studied by flow cytometry; serum immunoglobulin levels by laser nephelometry; phagocytic parameters by traditional methods; and oxygen-dependent metabolism of neutrophils by chemiluminescence. In students with a high level of physical activity, the content of T and B lymphocytes in the blood was significantly increased compared to similar indicators of the group with a low level of physical activity and the group of students who did not participate in sports. The concentration of class G immunoglobulin in the blood serum of students with a high level of physical activity significantly exceeded the corresponding values in students with an average level and students not engaged in sports. The highest concentration of class M immunoglobulin was observed in students with high levels of physical activity. Phagocytic activity and phagocytic count in individuals with high levels of physical activity and neutrophils were significantly higher than those of students with medium and low levels of physical activity. The rates of spontaneous and induced chemiluminescence in the groups with high and medium levels of physical activity were significantly higher than in students with low levels. The studies carried out indicate the positive effect of regular training physical activity on the factors of humoral and cellular links of immunity in students in the conditions of the educational environment of a higher educational institution.

ObjectiveThe FTO A/T polymorphism (rs9939609) is a strong candidate to influence obesity-related traits. Elite athletes from many different sporting disciplines are characterized by low body fat. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess whether athletic status is associated with the FTO A/T polymorphism.Subjects and MethodsA large cohort of European Caucasians from Poland, Russia and Spain were tested to examine the association between FTO A/T polymorphism (rs9939609) and athletic status. A total of 551 athletes were divided by type of sport (endurance athletes, n = 266 vs. sprint/power athletes, n = 285) as well as by level of competition (elite-level vs. national-level). The control group consisted of 1,416 ethnically-matched, non-athletic participants, all Europeans. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between FTO A/T genotypes and athletic status/competition level.ResultsThere were no significantly greater/lesser odds of harbouring any type of genotype when comparing across athletic status (endurance athletes, sprint/power athletes or control participants). These effects were observed after controlling for sex and nationality. Furthermore, no significantly greater/lesser odds ratios were observed for any of the genotypes in respect to the level of competition (elite-level vs. national-level).ConclusionThe FTO A/T polymorphism is not associated with elite athletic status in the largest group of elite athletes studied to date. Large collaborations and data sharing between researchers, as presented here, are strongly recommended to enhance the research in the field of exercise genomics.

The purpose was to observe the effects of a four-week lockdown on the resting heart rate (RHR) and well-being perception of elite swimmers. Twenty elite swimmers performed RHR measurements upon waking in supine and standing positions. Baseline values and those measured after four weeks of lockdown were compared. Swimmers completed a questionnaire on their training volume and state of well-being. During the lockdown, swimmers reported a weekly mean physical activity of 10.4 ± 3.6 h (an estimated reduction of 254% compared to their usual training volume). After four weeks of lockdown, RHR in the supine position increased by more than two beats per minute (58.8 ± 8.2 vs. 56.5 ± 7.4 bpm, p < 0.05). In the standing position, RHR increased by almost 15 beats per minute (103.3 ± 13.2 vs. 88.4 ± 9.4 bpm, p < 0.0001). Fifty percent of these athletes expressed a decrease in well-being. These results underline that the lockdown circumstances induced a large reduction in parasympathetic activity in elite athletes, which was associated with a decrease in training volume. This increase in RHR may reflect that a highatly strenuous environment and maintaining a high level of physical activity in this population could be favorable to preserve physical and psychological health.

This research aimed to explore the effects of physical activity and training routine on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and the proclaimed emergency state and curfew. To measure the mental health components of psychological distress and subjective well-being, two studies were conducted on different samples: Study 1 during the beginning of curfew in Serbia (N = 678) and Study 2 during the ending phase (N = 398). The results of Study 1 showed that elite athletes as well as those with high level of physical activity experienced the lowest distress. Furthermore, effects of the changes in the training routine on distress among physically active individuals depended on the level of sports participation with elite athletes who reduced trainings showing lower anxiety compared to recreational athletes who reduced trainings as well or kept the same training routine. Thus, we could conclude that in the early stage of the pandemic, elite athletes showed better mental health and adaptability to the crisis situation. Results of Study 2 showed that although all the participants had decreased well-being during the curfew, compared to the period before the pandemic and the curfew, there were no differences in well-being between elite and recreational athletes, who had higher well-being compared to non-athletes. However, this effect held both before and during the curfew showing that physically active individuals did not additionally benefit from this decrease compared to the non-active. Furthermore, athletes who became physically inactive showed lower well-being compared to those who kept the same training routine. Thus, in the later stage of the pandemic, prolonged physical inactivity had negative effects on mental health.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare executive functions and working memory among children with high and low levels of physical activity, providing insights into how physical activity influences cognitive development in school-aged children. Methodology: A cross-sectional design was employed, involving 269 children (128 girls) aged 9 to 12 years from regular schools in Tehran. Participants were selected using convenience sampling. Executive functions were assessed using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), working memory using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fifth Edition (WISC-V), and physical activity levels using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27, with descriptive statistics calculated and independent samples t-tests conducted to compare cognitive functions between high and low physical activity groups. Findings: The results indicated significant differences between the two groups. Children with high levels of physical activity demonstrated better executive functions (M = 53.67, SD = 7.89) compared to those with low levels (M = 56.79, SD = 8.22), with a t-value of -3.12 (p = .002). Similarly, working memory scores were higher for children with high levels of physical activity (M = 110.24, SD = 14.78) than for those with low levels (M = 104.72, SD = 15.61), with a t-value of 3.58 (p = .0004). These findings suggest that physical activity is positively associated with better cognitive functions in children. Conclusion: The study provides evidence that higher levels of physical activity are associated with improved executive functions and working memory in children. These findings emphasize the importance of promoting physical activity in schools and communities to enhance cognitive development. Further research using longitudinal designs and objective measures of physical activity is recommended to explore causal relationships and broader implications.

Purpose: To study the reliability and validity of the perceived self-efficacy in wheeled mobility scale among elite athletes with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Method: During the Beijing Paralympics, 79 participants with SCI completed the SCI Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES), the revised Self-Efficacy in Wheeled Mobility scale (SEWM) and the perceived wheeled mobility (WM) at present Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Sample included athletes from 18 countries and subcategorized by gender, lesion level/completeness and type of sports. Reliability and concurrent validity were determined. Results: SEWM Cronbach’s α was 0.905. High internal consistency was confirmed in Split-half correlation coefficient (r = 0.87). Validity was supported by significant correlations between SWEM and ESES total scores (r = 0.64, p < 0.05), and between SEWM and WM VAS scores (r = 0.60; p < 0.001). Subgroups analyses showed that athletes with tetraplegia showed significantly lower WM self-efficacy levels than those with paraplegia. There was a significant difference in perceived WM self-efficacy between athletes who participated in dynamic wheelchair sports and those who participated in non-wheelchair sports (p < 0.03). Conclusions: The SEWM is a reliable and valid scale among Paralympic athletes with SCI. Findings confirmed a significantly higher perception of self-efficacy in WM among athletes who participated in dynamic wheelchair sports.Implications for RehabilitationIncreased self-efficacy in wheeled mobility (WM) may encourage wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI) to approach, persist, and persevere at WM related tasks that were previously avoided.The perceived self-efficacy in WM scale (SEWM), which is available on-line in five different languages, may find clinical applications for people with SCI in different countries.The SEWM can be applied to the assessment of progress in WM levels during the acute rehabilitation phase, and also in structured WM workshops conducted after discharge from the hospital.

BackgroundExecutive functions (EFs) not only play an important role in shaping adolescent’s goal-directed, future-oriented cognitive skills under relatively abstract, non-affective conditions (Cool EF), but also under motivationally significant, affective conditions (Hot EF). Empirical evidence suggest a link between EF, exercise and physical activity, specifically elite adult athletes appear to outperform amateur athletes in Cool EF; however, no previous studies have examined the relationship between Hot and Cool EFs and impulsivity during the developmentally sensitive period of adolescence comparing different types of sport (open- vs. closed-skills), and levels (elite athletes vs. amateurs).MethodsA total 86 boys and girls between 13 and 15 years of age (mean: 14.0, SD: 0.79) from different sports (track-and-field; team handball) were recruited. Participants were further divided into two groups: (a) 40 elite, and (b) 46 amateur athletes. They completed four Cool EF tasks including Trail-Making Test, Trail-Walking-Test, Flanker task, n-back-task, and one Hot EF task on Game of Dice task. Data on subjective impulsivity (UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale; Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-15) was also collected.ResultsThere was a significant overall effect for expertise in favor of elite athletes (Wilks’ Lambda = 0.61, F(14,69) = 3.19, p = 0.001, = 0.393), but no overall main effect for type of sport or an interaction for expertise by type of sport. Specifically, elite athletes showed significantly better performances on dual tasks. For Hot EF, there were no main effects for type of sport, expertise level, training experience or training duration. We also found positive correlations among Cool EF and impulsivity measures, and between Hot EF and Impulsivity, but no significant relationship between Cool and Hot EF.ConclusionThe current understanding of the decisive cognitive abilities does not correspond to sporting reality, so that the tests frequently used are not sensitive enough to distinguish between elite and amateur athletes or different sports. However, it should also be remembered that the factors underlying complex sporting performance are multidimensional and are obviously difficult to trace back to selected partial aspects. Without being able to answer this question conclusively, we proposed a 4-D classification of experimental paradigms, in which we differentiate between tasks of different specificity, between Cool and Hot EF, and between task complexity, and type of sport.

Adolescent participation in sports and adult physical activity

A MET a Day Keeps Arrhythmia at Bay: The Association Between Exercise or Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Atrial Fibrillation

ABSTRACTIntroductionPhysical activity level has been identified as an important factor in the development and progression of various types of cancer. In this study, we determined the impact of a low versus high physical activity level on skeletal muscle, healthy prostate, and prostate tumor protein synthesis rates in vivo in prostate cancer patients.MethodsThirty prostate cancer patients (age, 66 ± 5 yr; body mass index, 27.4 ± 2.9 kg·m−2) were randomized to a low (<4000 steps per day, n = 15) or high (>14,000 steps per day, n = 15) physical activity level for 7 d before their scheduled radical prostatectomy. Daily deuterium oxide administration was combined with the collection of plasma, skeletal muscle, nontumorous prostate, and prostate tumor tissue during the surgical procedure to determine tissue protein synthesis rates throughout the intervention period.ResultsDaily step counts averaged 3610 ± 878 and 17,589 ± 4680 steps in patients subjected to the low and high physical activity levels, respectively (P < 0.001). No differences were observed between tissue protein synthesis rates of skeletal muscle, healthy prostate, or prostate tumor between the low (1.47% ± 0.21%, 2.74% ± 0.70%, and 4.76% ± 1.23% per day, respectively) and high (1.42% ± 0.16%, 2.64% ± 0.58%, and 4.72% ± 0.80% per day, respectively) physical activity group (all P > 0.4). Tissue protein synthesis rates were nearly twofold higher in prostate tumor compared with nontumorous prostate tissue.ConclusionsA short-term high or low physical activity level does not modulate prostate or prostate tumor protein synthesis rates in vivo in prostate cancer patients. More studies on the impact of physical activity level on tumor protein synthesis rates and tumor progression are warranted to understand the potential impact of lifestyle interventions in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Previous research has reported higher rates of both injury and illness among Paralympic athletes compared with Olympic athletes during the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, but no studies have directly compared injury and illness incidence between Olympic and Paralympic athletes competing in a Summer Games. To compare injury and illness rates between Olympic and Paralympic Team USA athletes competing in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Descriptive epidemiology study. All injuries and illnesses that occurred among the Team USA athletes competing in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic or Paralympic Games were documented. A total of 701 Team USA athletes (53.6% female) competed in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games, across 34 different sports. For the Tokyo 2020 Summer Paralympic Games, a total of 245 athletes (51.6% female) competed across 20 sports. Incidence rates (IRs) per 1000 athlete-days were calculated according to sex, sport, anatomic location, and illness type. IR ratios (IRRs) were calculated to compare IRs between male and female athletes and between Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Overall, there were no differences in injury incidence (IRR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.84-1.68) or illness incidence (IRR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.41-1.15) between Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Male Paralympic athletes were less likely to sustain an illness compared with female Paralympic athletes (IRR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.11-0.90). There were no differences in injury or illness rates between Olympic and Paralympic Team USA athletes competing at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, contrary to previous comparisons among winter sport athletes. These results challenge the prevailing notion that Summer Paralympic athletes are at greater injury and illness risk, suggesting that factors beyond Olympic or Paralympic Games participation influence health concerns.

Elite athletes have longer telomeres than sedentary subjects: A meta-analysis.