Loss Of Body Fat Research Articles

Anorexia and Fat Aversion Induced by Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Is Attenuated in Neurotensin Receptor 1-Deficient Mice.

Neurotensin (NT) is an anorexic gut hormone and neuropeptide that increases in circulation following bariatric surgery in humans and rodents. We sought to determine the contribution of NT to the metabolic efficacy of vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG). To explore a potential mechanistic role of NT in VSG, we performed sham or VSG surgeries in diet-induced obese NT receptor 1 (NTSR1) wild-type and knockout (ko) mice and compared their weight and fat mass loss, glucose tolerance, food intake, and food preference after surgery. NTSR1 ko mice had reduced initial anorexia and body fat loss. Additionally, NTSR1 ko mice had an attenuated reduction in fat preference following VSG. Results from this study suggest that NTSR1 signaling contributes to the potent effect of VSG to initially reduce food intake following VSG surgeries and potentially also on the effects on macronutrient selection induced by VSG. However, maintenance of long-term weight loss after VSG requires signals in addition to NT.

Eight weeks of intermittent fasting versus calorie restriction does not alter eating behaviors, mood, sleep quality, quality of life and cognitive performance in women with overweight

Human trials that compare intermittent fasting (IF) to calorie restriction (CR) with psychological, behavioral and cognition outcomes are limited. We hypothesized that there would be no difference between CR and IF on perceived eating behaviors, mood, sleep quality, quality of life (QOL) and cognition in women with overweight and obesity. In this prespecified secondary analysis of an open-label, single center, parallel assignment, randomized controlled trial, healthy women with overweight or obesity (N = 46, mean [SD] age 50 [9] years, BMI 32.9 [4.4] kg/m2), without a diagnosed eating disorder and who were randomized into 2 weight loss groups (prescribed 70% of calculated energy requirements as IF or CR) were included. Measurements were assessed in both IF and CR groups following a 12-hour overnight fast during baseline and week 8 and additionally following a 24-hour fast in the IF group only at week 8. We observed that IF produced greater weight and body fat loss than CR (P < .001). We did not detect any statistical difference between groups for the change in dietary restraint, disinhibition, hunger, mood, sleep quality, and QOL. An increase in cognitive performance was found in both IF (P = .036) and CR (P = .006) groups in one of the cognitive tasks, but there was no statistical difference between groups. Perceived eating behaviors, mood, sleep quality and cognitive performance were not changed by an acute 24-hour fast within the IF group (all P > .05). IF may be a viable alternative to CR for weight loss, in the short-term, without adversely impacting eating behaviors, mood, sleep quality, QOL or cognition in healthy women with overweight or obesity. However, larger and long term trials are required.

Time Course of Metabolic, Neuroendocrine, and Adipose Effects During 2 Years of Follow-up After Gastric Bypass in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

ContextRoux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) markedly improves glycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), but underlying mechanisms and changes over time are incompletely understood.ObjectiveIntegrated assessment of neuroendocrine and metabolic changes over time in T2D patients undergoing RYGB.Design and SettingFollow-up of single-center randomized study.PatientsThirteen patients with obesity and T2D compared to 22 healthy subjects.InterventionsBlood chemistry, adipose biopsies, and heart rate variability were obtained before and 4, 24, and 104 weeks post-RYGB.ResultsAfter RYGB, glucose-lowering drugs were discontinued and hemoglobin A1c fell from mean 55 to 41 mmol/mol by 104 weeks (P < 0.001). At 4 weeks, morning cortisol (P < 0.05) and adrenocorticotropin (P = 0.09) were reduced by 20%. Parasympathetic nerve activity (heart rate variability derived) increased at 4 weeks (P < 0.05) and peaked at 24 weeks (P < 0.01). C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cells were rapidly reduced (P < 0.01). At 104 weeks, basal and insulin-stimulated adipocyte glucose uptake increased by 3-fold vs baseline and expression of genes involved in glucose transport, fatty acid oxidation, and adipogenesis was upregulated (P < 0.01). Adipocyte volume was reduced by 4 weeks and more markedly at 104 weeks, by about 40% vs baseline (P < 0.01).ConclusionsWe propose this order of events: (1) rapid glucose lowering (days); (2) attenuated cortisol axis activity and inflammation and increased parasympathetic tone (weeks); and (3) body fat and weight loss, increased adipose glucose uptake, and whole-body insulin sensitivity (months-years; similar to healthy controls). Thus, neuroendocrine pathways can partly mediate early glycemic improvement after RYGB, and adipose factors may promote long-term insulin sensitivity and normoglycemia.

Impact of a randomized weight loss trial on breast tissue markers in breast cancer survivors.

e12501 Background: Weight loss interventions are effective approaches to reduce body weight and alter serum biomarkers in breast cancer survivors, however the impact on breast tissue biomarkers is unknown. The Lifestyle, Exercise and Nutrition (LEAN) study was a randomized trial designed to test the effect of a weight loss intervention on body composition and breast tissue and serum biomarkers. Methods: Fifity-one women with a BMI ³ 25.0 kg/m2 diagnosed with breast cancer, who had completed chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy were randomized to weight loss intervention or usual care. Breast tissue biopsies from the unaffected breast, fasting serum samples, and body composition were measured at baseline and 6-months. Ki67, insulin receptor (IR), CD68 and CD163 were measured by Automated Quantitative Analysis (AQUA) method. Mean baseline to 6-month changes were compared using ANCOVA adjusting for baseline values. Results: Pre- and post-intervention biopsies were conducted in 49 and 42 women respectively, with both pre- and post- epithelial tissue available from 25 women; epithelial tissue was unavailable in the remaining 66 women. Women were 56.8 ± 8.9 years old, diagnosed 3.3 + 3.8 years prior, primarily Stage I breast cancer (54%), with a BMI of 32.8 ± 6.0 kg/m2. At baseline, breast tissue levels of IR were inversely associated with both percent body fat (r = -0.47, p = .03) and serum insulin levels (r = -0.45, p = .04); serum insulin levels were inversely associated with CD68 (r = -0.47, p = .03). Significant between-group biomarker changes are presented in Table 1. At month 6, loss in percent body fat was associated with increased IR (r = -0.42, p = .05). Increased CD68 breast tissue expression was associated with reductions in serum levels of CRP (r = -0.49, p=0.02). There was no significant effect of the intervention on IR expression or Ki67 (p&gt;0.10). Conclusions: Breast tissue biopsies are feasible to collect in a clinical research setting among breast cancer survivors. A 6-month weight loss intervention led to decreased levels of CD163 in breast tissue and serum levels of leptin, and increased serum levels of adiponectin among breast cancer survivors. At baseline and month 6, changes in breast tissue biomarkers were favorably associated with serum biomarkers and body composition. Future confirmation is required to confirm the added benefit of tissue biomarkers beyond serum as an endpoint for lifestyle interventions among breast cancer survivors. Clinical trial information: NCT02110641. [Table: see text]

A Low-Protein High-Fat Diet Leads to Loss of Body Weight and White Adipose Tissue Weight via Enhancing Energy Expenditure in Mice.

Obesity has become a worldwide health problem over the past three decades. During obesity, metabolic dysfunction of white adipose tissue (WAT) is a key factor increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes. A variety of diet approaches have been proposed for the prevention and treatment of obesity. The low-protein high-fat diet (LPHF) is a special kind of high-fat diet, characterized by the intake of a low amount of protein, while compared to typical high-fat diet, may induce weight loss and browning of WAT. Physical activity is another effective intervention to treat obesity by reducing WAT mass, inducing browning of WAT. In order to determine whether an LPHF, along with exercise enhanced body weight loss and body fat loss as well as the synergistic effect of an LPHF and exercise on energy expenditure in a mice model, we combined a 10-week LPHF with an 8-week forced treadmill training. Meanwhile, a traditional high-fat diet (HPHF) containing the same fat and relatively more protein was introduced as a comparison. In the current study, we further analyzed energy metabolism-related gene expression, plasma biomarkers, and related physiological changes. When comparing to HPHF, which induced a dramatic increase in body weight and WAT weight, the LPHF led to considerable loss of body weight and WAT, without muscle mass and strength decline, while it exhibited a risk of liver and pancreas damage. The mechanism underlying the LPHF-induced loss of body weight and WAT may be attributed to the synergistically upregulated expression of Ucp1 in WAT and Fgf21 in the liver, which may enhance energy expenditure. The 8-week training did not further enhance weight loss and increased plasma biomarkers of muscle damage when combined with LPHF. Furthermore, LPHF reduced the expression of fatty acid oxidation-related genes in adipose tissues, muscle tissues, and liver. Our results indicated that an LPHF has potential for obesity treatment, while the physiological condition should be monitored during application.

Fat mass loss correlates with faster disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients: Exploring the utility of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in a prospective study.

Weight loss is a predictor of shorter survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We performed serial measures of body composition using Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) in ALS patients to explore its utility as a biomarker of disease progression. DEXA data were obtained from participants with ALS (enrollment, at 6- and 12- months follow ups) and Parkinson's disease (enrollment and at 4-month follow up) as a comparator group. Body mass index, total lean mass index, appendicular lean mass index, total fat mass index, and percentage body fat at enrollment were compared between the ALS and PD cohorts and age-matched normative data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database. Estimated monthly changes of body composition measures in the ALS cohort were compared to those of the PD cohort and were correlated with disease progression measured by the Revised Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R). The ALS cohort (N = 20) had lower baseline total and appendicular lean mass indices compared to the PD cohort (N = 20) and general population. Loss in total and appendicular lean masses were found to be significantly associated with follow-up time. Low baseline percentage body fat (r = 0.72, p = 0.04), loss of percentage body fat (r = 0.81, p = 0.01), and total fat mass index (r = 0.73, p = 0.04) during follow up correlated significantly with monthly decline of ALSFRS-R scores in ALS cohort who had 2 or more follow-ups (N = 8). Measurement of body composition with DEXA might serve as a biomarker for rapid disease progression in ALS.

Prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in Obese Type Two Diabetes Patients in an Endocrine Clinic

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver diseases that is expected to become the main cause for liver transplantation by 2030.1 Its prevalence is increasing globally and regionally, and it is set to become the leading cause of chronic liver disease in many parts of the world. However, the epidemiology and demographic characteristics of NAFLD vary worldwide.2About 20% to 30% of the patients progress to develop nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a subtype of NAFLD, with features of hepatocyte injury such as hepatocyte ballooning. NASH can develop to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma.3 NAFLD is correlated with obesity and insulin resistance in most cases in the Western world.2In Kuwait, obesity prevalence is estimated to be 39% for adult males and 52% for adult females.4 There is no pharmacotherapy approved for NAFLD treatment, and the main treatment is lifestyle modifications focusing on body fat loss.5 Methods: In 18 months duration, a total number of 306 patients who attended an endocrine clinic in Kuwait for general health checkups with an average BMI of 33.6 (Kg/m2) were requested to do an abdominal ultrasound for fatty liver screening. And out of 306 patients, 218 patients (71% of the patients) were diagnosed with NAFLD, the rest 29% of the patients either didn’t come back for a follow up or were not diagnosed with NAFLD. Results: 218 patients have NAFLD, 153 of them are females and 65 are males with an average age and weight of 56.4 years and 87.9kg respectively. 78% of the patients were diabetic with an average HbA1c of 7.6%. The abdominal ultrasound showed the following result:83 patients had NAFLD grade 184 patients had NAFLD grade 2 21 patients had NAFLD grade 3While 30 patients had no grading, the results showed that they have a fatty liver with no grades mentioned. Also, reports showed that 27 patients had liver cirrhosis.The 218 patients were requested to do blood test and average results of the following parameter were as shown at baseline:Ferritin 98.3 ng/mLHemoglobin 13.5 g/dLPlatelets 274.5 x1000/cmmAST 23.8 U/LALT 27.9 U/LDirect Bilirubin 3.5 umol/LTotal Bilirubin 8.9 umol/LThe average calculated NAFLD, BARD and Fib-4 scores were -1.1, 3 and 1.1 respectively. All patients were unaware of NAFLD. Conclusion: 78% of the study population had NAFLD and were unaware of that. More researches on NAFLD awareness and occurrence in the region are required.

A moderate intensity exercise program improves physical function and oxidative damage in older women with and without sarcopenic obesity

The excess of body fat and muscle mass loss in adulthood results in sarcopenic obesity, which is associated with disability and poor physical condition. A relationship among obesity, sarcopenia and oxidative stress also has been established. These aspects limit a good muscle function which is crucial in the independence of older women with and without sarcopenic obesity. This study had as objective to design a moderate intensity exercise program for older women with sarcopenic obesity, and to examine its effects on oxidative damage and physical function. We hypothesized that the exercise program will reduce oxidative damage and to improve the physical function of older women with sarcopenic obesity. Thirty healthy women (68±5.05years old) and 30 women with sarcopenic obesity (68.06±5.75years old) from the Integral Development of the Family rest home participated in the evaluation. The participants underwent evaluations of body composition, physical fitness (timed up-and-go [TUG] test, reaction time, gait speed, flexibility and muscle strength) and oxidative stress (oxidative damage to lipid and protein as well as evaluation of the antioxidant system) before and after of moderate intensity exercise program. The program consisted of warm-up, flexibility; aerobic exercises of moderate intensity (VO2 max and HR max between 60% and 70%); isotonic exercises of low intensity with progressive weight (250g of initial weight, with increase every two weeks until reaching 750g of final weight) and global stretching at the end of each section. The program was monitored on a personal basis and undertaken three times a week over three months. In both groups, the program induced a five-fold increase in muscle strength, an increase in flexibility and improvement of fragility parameters (TUG and gait speed) (P≤0.001, respectively). Furthermore, this exercise program decreased oxidative damage and increased antioxidant defense (P≤0.001) to a greater extent in the sarcopenic group. It was concluded that moderate intensity exercise is an effective approach to promote changes in body composition, physical fitness and to reduce oxidative damage in older women with and without sarcopenic obesity. These findings might have important implications for the prevention or treatment of sarcopenic obesity in older people.

The Impact of Epigallocatechin Gallate and Coconut Oil Treatment on Cortisol Activity and Depression in Multiple Sclerosis Patients.

(1) Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is pathogenically characterized by high oxidative stress and symptomatically by progressive muscle loss and increased body fat associated with the presence of depression. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) (particularly present in green tea) and ketone bodies (in particular beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB)), whose main source is coconut oil, have shown emotional benefits and body fat loss. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of EGCG and coconut oil on cortisol activity related to fat loss and depression in MS patients. (2) Methods: The study involved 51 MS patients who were randomly divided into an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group received 800 mg of EGCG and 60 mL of coconut oil, which were included in their daily diet for four months. The control group received placebo and all patients followed an isocaloric diet. A blood sample was collected before and after the four-month period, and levels of cortisol, albumin and BHB were measured in serum. In addition, immediately before and after the intervention, anthropometric variables were measured: waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), body fat mass percentage, fat weight, total weight, and muscle mass percentage. Depression was assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). (3) Results: No significant changes were obtained in cortisol levels in any of the groups, and there was a significant increase in albumin in the blood of the intervention group only that could lead to a decrease in serum free cortisol. In addition, it was observed a significant decrease in levels of depression and abdominal fat. (4) Conclusions: EGCG combined with coconut oil increase the concentration of albumin in blood and produce less depression in MS patients.

ACSM Expert Consensus Statement on Weight Loss in Weight-Category Sports.

Weight-category sports are defined by the requirement of a weigh-in before competition to provide performance equity and reduced injury risks by eliminating size discrepancies. Athletes in these sports try to gain a theoretical advantage by competing in weight divisions that are lower than their day-to-day body mass (BM), using a combination of chronic strategies (body-fat losses) and acute manipulations over a period of hours to days before weigh-in ("making weight"). Strategies to support safer practices include minimal competition weight classification based on preseason body composition, reductions in the period between weigh-in and competition, and prohibition of unhealthy weight loss techniques. At an individual level, expert guidance by a sports nutrition professional can help an athlete to establish a pragmatic and long-term approach to BM management, recognizing the nuances of their sport, to achieve favorable outcomes for both health and performance.

Combined nicotinamide N-methyltransferase inhibition and reduced-calorie diet normalizes body composition and enhances metabolic benefits in obese mice

Obesity is a large and growing global health problem with few effective therapies. The present study investigated metabolic and physiological benefits of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase inhibitor (NNMTi) treatment combined with a lean diet substitution in diet-induced obese mice. NNMTi treatment combined with lean diet substitution accelerated and improved body weight and fat loss, increased whole-body lean mass to body weight ratio, reduced liver and epididymal white adipose tissue weights, decreased liver adiposity, and improved hepatic steatosis, relative to a lean diet substitution alone. Importantly, combined lean diet and NNMTi treatment normalized body composition and liver adiposity parameters to levels observed in age-matched lean diet control mice. NNMTi treatment produced a unique metabolomic signature in adipose tissue, with predominant increases in ketogenic amino acid abundance and alterations to metabolites linked to energy metabolic pathways. Taken together, NNMTi treatment’s modulation of body weight, adiposity, liver physiology, and the adipose tissue metabolome strongly support it as a promising therapeutic for obesity and obesity-driven comorbidities.

고지방식이 섭취와 그라비올라 추출물 음용 시 수영 운동이 항산화능과 염증성발현 인자에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study is to observe the effect of Graviola leaves extract Ingestion and swimming exercise on antioxidant and inflammatory cytokine contention. To achieve this purpose, 32 male rats were selected to Graviola leaves extract ingestion and let swimming exercise for 6 weeks. The swimming group and the high-fat diet+graviola Ingestion+swimming group no showed significant total body fat loss. For the change of antioxidant capacity, MDA, SOD no showed significantly and GPX showed significantly high activeness in the high-fat diet+graviola Ingestion+swimming exercise group. TNF-αconcentration was no showed significantly, NF-κB concentration showed significantly high activeness in the high-fat diet+graviola Ingestion, high-fat diet+graviola Ingestion+swimming exercise group. Therefore, the results suggest that immune function and antioxidant is improved by graviola Ingestion and/or exercise training that may inhibit the anti-inflammation and anti-oxidantion process effectively increasing inflammation, antioxidant capacity in rats. In this finding, various researches on the physiological agents which the graviola possesses would give positive effect as a exercise.

Adipocytokine and appetite-regulating hormone response to weight loss in adolescents with obesity: Impact of weight loss magnitude

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the association between the magnitude of weight loss (WL) and serum concentrations of the main adipocytokines and appetite-regulating hormones in adolescents with obesity. MethodsAfter completion of informed consent,108 adolescents with obesity (14–19 y of age; postpubertal) were submitted to clinical, nutritional, psychological, physical exercise, and physiotherapy support for 1 y. Body composition (BC) and plasma levels of neuropeptides (neuropeptide Y [NPY], agouti-related peptide [AgRP], and α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone [α-MSH]) and leptin were measured at baseline and post-intervention. ResultsAfter therapy, adolescents who lost <10% body weight and <10% body weight (were compared. Both groups presented improvements in BC and reduced leptin. The Δα-MSH, Δα-MSH/AgRP ratio, and Δα-MSH/NPY ratio were lower and AgRP and NPY variations were higher in the low weight loss group. The leptin concentration was close to normal in the high weight loss only. The ΔWeight, Δα-MSH and Δleptin were associated with body fat loss by multiple linear regressions for all samples. ConclusionWeight loss >10% seems to reverse obesity-induced hyperleptinemia while stabilizing the neuropeptides that control appetite in adolescents with obesity. We were able to produce a prognostic mathematical model to predict body fat loss using weight, leptin, and α-MSH variations.

Device Pocket Challenges in Elderly and Thin Individuals.

Aging results in loss of subcutaneous body fat as well as lean body mass. Elderly patients are also more likely to require cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) due to rising cardiovascular disease prevalence. A majority of the currently available devices require placement in a pocket created in the subcutaneous space between the subcutaneous fat tissue and the underlying chest wall muscle. Deficient subcutaneous fat tissue can result in device protrusion and even erosion through the skin. This can lead to significant morbidity and mortality especially when associated with device infection and need for device system extraction.This article reviews the scope of the problem and some of the strategies that can be employed to address the lack of subcutaneous soft tissue at the time of device implant.

The Effect of Elderly Gymnastics on Menopausal Women on Decreased Body Fat

Decreased body fat is an important thing to do in menopausal women whose estrogen levels decrease with the addition of age. One way to lose body fat is elderly gymnastics. The elderly gymnastics movement has evolved a lot but no senior gymnastics has focused on body fat loss. The aim of this study is to find out the effect of elderly gymnastics modification on the decrease in body fat in menopausal women. Method of this research is quasi-experimental, in 35 menopausal women given modified elderly gymnastics focused on the reduction of body fat, while 35 respondents with standard senior gymnastics. This study with a frequency of 1x/week for 3 months. After doing senior gymnastics modification 12 times for 3 months, there was an average difference in the percentage of total body fat menopause in all four measurements between groups of 5.5%, elderly gymnastics modification as well as elderly gymnastics older version maintains the stability of visceral fat percentage in menopausal women, a decrease in abdominal fat thickness of 1.1 mm with an average difference between the 3rd and 4th measurements by 7.6%. Abdominal circumference in menopausal women decreased in the treatment group by 1 cm, while in the control group experienced an increase of 0.3 cm after 3 months of treatment. In the treatment group, there was a decrease in triglyceride levels after treatment compared to the control group. Elderly gymnastic modification can decrease body fat gradually after the 2nd month (8th week) intervention in menopausal women.

Comparison of 12-Week Fitness Protocols Following Bariatric Surgery: Aerobic Exercise Versus Aerobic Exercise and Progressive Resistance

Successful bariatric surgery outcomes are better maintained with an exercise program. This pilot study compared the effects on short-term functional capacity and body composition of 2 post-bariatric surgery home-based programs: aerobic exercise alone versus aerobic exercise combined with progressive resistance conditioning. Laboratory measures and self-assessments of post-bariatric surgery patients (BMI ≥ 30kg/m2) undergoing either aerobic exercise (AE group) or aerobic + progressive-resistance exercise (AEPR group) were compared at postoperative months 1 and 3. Anthropometric characteristic changes were recorded, as well as changes in functional capacity (e.g., 6-min walking test), muscle strength (e.g., hand grip strength test; five-times-sit-to-stand test), and quality of life (i.e., Beck Depression Inventory). Between July 2018 and March 2019, 35 patients completed the AE (n = 17) or AEPR (n = 18) program. The AEPR group lost statistically significantly more weight (mean 2.2kg) relative to baseline than the AE group (p < 0.05). The AEPR group achieved significantly greater mean total muscle, liquid, and bone mass; upper-extremity muscle strength; uric acid levels; body fat loss; and performed better on the 6-min walking test (all p < 0.05). In month 3, the AEPR group achieved a greater mean walking distance (p = 0.029) and O2 saturation related to dyspnea (p = 0.001) than the AE group. Group quality of life scores were comparable. In a comparative 12-week post-bariatric surgery study, both aerobic exercise alone and aerobic exercise plus progressive-resistance training were positively correlated with general health improvement. However, the progressive-resistance regimen resulted in significantly greater weight loss, functional capacity, muscle mass, and upper-body strength.

Effects of Self-Administered GH or IGF-1 Hormones on Resting Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Markers in Men with or Without Resistance Exercise

Abstract Introduction. Some athletes and non-athletes use peptide hormones to increase lean body mass and fat loss, but those effects on oxidative stress and antioxidant markers are unknown. The aim of this study was to show the physiological profile of oxidative stress and antioxidant markers in athletes and non-athletes following long-term self-administration of GH or IGF-1 Material and Methods. Seventy-five healthy young men with the history of peptide hormone (i.e., GH or IGF-1) use for at least 1 year (i.e., 3 to 4 times a year) or resistance exercise (RE) experience for at least 3 years volunteered to participate in this study and were divided into 5 selected groups including 1) GH use plus RE (GH+RE, n = 15), 2) IGF-1 use plus RE (IGF-1+RE, n = 15), 3) GH use (GH, n = 15), 4) IGF-1 use (IGF-1, n = 15), and 5) RE only (RE, n = 15). Blood sample was obtained one time in order to evaluate the resting concentration of oxidative stress markers including 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and antioxidant defense systems (i.e., glutathione peroxidase [GPx], catalase [CAT], and glutamate [GLU]). Results. There were no significant (p &gt; 0.05) differences among the groups in the 8-OHdG, MDA, NO, GPx, CAT, and GLU levels. Conclusions. Self-administration of peptide hormone and RE for at least 1 year is not accompanied by alterations in resting oxidative stress and the antioxidant system in male athletes and non-athletes.

Would creatine supplementation augment exercise performance during a low carbohydrate high fat diet?

Low carbohydrate high fat (LCHF) diets are emerging in popularity. Several athletics have adopted LCHF diets in an attempt to improve exercise performance and body composition by enhancing fat utilization. However, these diets impair maximal and supramaximal exercise performance due to limited glycogen stores as well as increasing ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). All of these factors may impact training volume and compliance, leading to less optimal training adaptations over time. In contrast, LCHF diets is an effective strategy for weight and fat mass loss and is beneficial for a variety of metabolic processes. One potential nutritional strategy to off-set the negative aspects of a LCHF is creatine (Cr). Creatine supplementation has been shown to increase muscle power output and reduce the rate of fatigue; thereby allowing individuals to work at a higher intensity for a greater duration. Furthermore, Cr supplementation may positively enhance body composition (gains in muscle mass and possibly aid in fat mass loss). Despite the popularity of both LCHF and creatine supplementation, there is no data available investigating the effects of Cr supplementation on exercise performance and body composition during LCHF diets in humans. We would hypothesize that Cr supplementation may augment exercise performance (anerobic power and strength) during a LCHF diet compared to a LCHF diet and placebo. In addition, combining Cr with a LCHF diet would further increase body fat loss and improve body composition compared to a LCHF diet and/or low-fat diets (LFDs) placebo. Our hypotheses would be under the assumption that total caloric intake and protein intake are matched. Future research is warranted to examine chronic exercise with LCHF diets with and without creatine and compare performance and body composition changes to high carbohydrate diets.

The influence of fasting and energy-restricted diets on leptin and adiponectin levels in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Fasting and energy-restricted diets have been evaluated in several studies as a means of improving cardiometabolic biomarkers related to body fat loss. However, further investigation is required to understand potential alterations of leptin and adiponectin concentrations. Thus, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to derive a more precise estimate of the influence of fasting and energy-restricted diets on leptin and adiponectin levels in humans, as well as to detect potential sources of heterogeneity in the available literature. A comprehensive systematic search was performed in Web of Science, PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, SCOPUS and Embase from inception until June 2019. All clinical trials investigating the effects of fasting and energy-restricted diets on leptin and adiponectin in adults were included. Twelve studies containing 17 arms and a total of 495 individuals (intervention=249, control=246) reported changes in serum leptin concentrations, and 10 studies containing 12 arms with a total of 438 individuals (intervention=222, control=216) reported changes in serum adiponectin concentrations. The combined effect sizes suggested a significant effect of fasting and energy-restricted diets on leptin concentrations (WMD:-3.690ng/ml, 95% CI:-5.190,-2.190, p≤0.001; I2=84.9%). However, no significant effect of fasting and energy-restricted diets on adiponectin concentrations was found (WMD:-159.520ng/ml, 95% CI:-689.491, 370.451, p=0.555; I2=74.2%). Stratified analyses showed that energy-restricted regimens significantly increased adiponectin (WMD: 554.129ng/ml, 95% CI: 150.295, 957.964; I2=0.0%). In addition, subsequent subgroup analyses revealed that energy restriction, to ≤50% normal required daily energy intake, resulted in significantly reduced concentrations of leptin (WMD:-4.199ng/ml, 95% CI:-7.279,-1.118; I2=83.9%) and significantly increased concentrations of adiponectin (WMD: 524.04ng/ml, 95% CI: 115.618, 932.469: I2=0.0%). Fasting and energy-restricted diets elicit significant reductions in serum leptin concentrations. Increases in adiponectin may also be observed when energy intake is ≤50% of normal requirements, although limited data preclude definitive conclusions on this point.

Early changes in appetite and energy expenditure are not associated to body weight and fat losses in pre-menopausal women living with overweight/obesity

The aim of the study was to investigate whether early changes (1-week) in energy balance-related measures would predict changes in body weight (BW) and fat losses in women living with overweight/obesity. BW, body composition (DXA), resting energy expenditure (REE)(indirect calorimetry), olfactory performance (Sniffin' Sticks), appetite and palatability (visual analogue scale) were measured at baseline, after a 1-week of caloric restriction as well as post-intervention (at 10 and 20 weeks) in a group of 30 women living with overweight/obesity. A significant decrease in REE (p=0.033) was noted after 1 week. Fasting desire to eat (p=0.004), hunger (p=0.001) and prospective food consumption (p=0.001) all increased after 1 week. Similarly, significant increases in AUC SQ for desire to eat (p=0.01), hunger (p=0.005) and prospective food consumption (p=0.001) were noted after 1 week. However, these early changes were not associated to final BW or FM losses at the end of the weight loss intervention. Despite significant changes in REE and appetite soon after the onset of a BW loss intervention, these early changes do not seem to predict final BW or FM losses at the end of the program in women living with overweight/obesity.