Higher Aerobic Fitness Research Articles

Effect of Heat Acclimatization, Heat Acclimation, and Intermittent Heat Training on Maximal Oxygen Uptake.

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) is an important determinant of endurance performance. Heat acclimation/acclimatization (HA/HAz) elicits improvements in endurance performance. Upon heat exposure reduction, intermittent heat training (IHT) may alleviate HA/HAz adaptation decay; however, corresponding VO2max responses are unknown. VO2max is maintained after HAz/HA; IHT mitigates decrements in aerobic power after HAz/HA. Interventional study. Level 3. A total of 27 male endurance runners (mean ± SD; age, 36 ± 12 years; body mass, 73.03 ± 8.97 kg; height, 178.81 ± 6.39 cm) completed VO2max testing at 5 timepoints; baseline, post-HAz, post-HA, and weeks 4 and 8 of IHT (IHT4, IHT8). After baseline testing, participants completed HAz, preceded by 5 days of HA involving exercise to induce hyperthermia for 60 minutes in the heat (ambient temperature, 39.13 ± 1.37°C; relative humidity, 51.08 ± 8.42%). Participants were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 IHT groups: once-weekly, twice-weekly, or no IHT. Differences in VO2max, velocity at VO2max (vVO2), and maximal heart rate (HRmax) at all 5 timepoints were analyzed using repeated-measure analyses of variance with Bonferroni corrections post hoc. No significant VO2max or vVO2 differences were observed between baseline, post-HAz, or post-HA (P = 0.36 and P = 0.09, respectively). No significant group or time effects were identified for VO2max or vVO2 at post-HA, IHT4, and IHT8 (P = 0.67 and P = 0.21, respectively). Significant HRmax differences were observed between baseline and post-HA tests (P < 0.01). No significant group or time HRmax differences shown for post-HA, IHT4, and IHT8 (P = 0.59). VO2max was not reduced among endurance runners after HA/HAz and IHT potentially due to participants' similar aerobic training status and high aerobic fitness levels. HAz/HA and IHT maintain aerobic power in endurance runners, with HAz/HA procuring reductions in HRmax.

Fatigue Affects Body Acceleration During Vertical Jumping and Agility Tasks in Elite Young Badminton Players.

Badminton is a sport demanding both high aerobic and anaerobic fitness levels, and fatigue can significantly impact game performance. However, relevant studies are limited, and none have employed a wearable inertial measurement unit (IMU) to investigate the effects of fatigue on athletic performance in the field. Overall performance and body acceleration in both time and frequency domains during the fundamental badminton skills of vertical jumping and changes of direction will be affected by fatigue. Cross-sectional study. Level 3. A total of 38 young badminton players competing at the Division I level participated. Body accelerations while performing vertical jump and agility-T tests before and immediately after undergoing a fatigue protocol were measured by an IMU, positioned at the L4 to L5 level. Jumping height decreased significantly by 4 cm (P < 0.01) after fatigue with greater downward acceleration (1.03 m/s2, P < 0.05) during the squatting subphase. Finishing time increased significantly by 50 ms only during the 10-m side-shuffling of the agility-T test (P = 0.02) after fatigue with greater peak and mean accelerations (3.83 m/s2, P = 0.04; 0.43 m/s2, P < 0.01), and higher median and mean frequency (0.38 Hz, P = 0.04, 0.11 Hz, P = 0.01). This study using a wearable IMU demonstrates the effects of fatigue on body acceleration in badminton players. The frequency-domain analysis further indicated that fatigue might lead to loss of voluntary control of active muscles and increased impacts on the passive elastic elements. The findings imply that fatigue can lead to diminished athletic performance and highlight the potential for an increased risk of sports injuries. Consequently, maintaining precision in monitoring fatigue is crucial for elite young badminton players.

A STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF AEROBIC FITNESS ON THE SYNCHRONICITY OF BRAIN NERVE–LIMB MOVEMENT IN HUMANS

In order to analyze the synchronization ability of human brain nerve–limb movement, a research framework based on the gray wolf algorithm was constructed. The response timestamp data of human brain nerves was obtained under command excitation using a near-infrared brain functional imaging testing system as input for the gray wolf algorithm. The body motion response timestamp data was used as the output of the gray wolf algorithm. By using the gray wolf algorithm for swarm intelligence learning and training, the synchronization relationship between brain nerves and limb movements can be obtained. Taking aerobic energy as the key factor, we set up groups with higher aerobic energy and groups with lower aerobic energy, and then conduct the experimental research. The experimental results showed that the synchronization ability of “brain nerve–limb movement” was significantly stronger in the group with higher aerobic fitness than in the group with lower aerobic fitness, and this advantage increased with the increase of testing time interval.

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms are Related to Blood-biomarkers in Major Neurocognitive Disorders.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are highly prevalent among individuals with major neurocognitive disorders (MNCD). Here, we characterized blood biomarkers (metabolic, inflammatory, neurotrophic profiles and total antioxidant), body composition, physical fitness and quality of life (QoL) in individuals with MNCD according to NPS. The sample comprised 34 older adults (71.4% women; 74.06±6.03 yrs, with MNCD diagnosis) categorized according to 50th percentile [Low (≤12) or High (≥13)] for NPS (Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire). Sociodemographic, clinical data, body composition, anthropometric, cognitive assessment (ADAS-Cog), physical fitness (Senior Fitness Test), QoL (QoL-Alzheimer's Disease scale) were evaluated, and blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis. Low compared to high NPS group showed higher levels of IL-6, IGF-1and neurotrophic zscore (composite of IGF-1, VEGF-1, BDNF). Additionally, low compared to high NPS group have higher QoL, aerobic fitness and upper body and lower body strength. The severity of NPS seems to be related to modified neurotrophic and inflammatory outcomes, lower physical fitness, and poor QoL. Strategies to counteract NPS development may preserve the physical and mental health of individuals with MNCD.</p>.

Antioxidant enzymes and Nrf2/Keap1 in human skeletal muscle: Influence of age, sex, adiposity and aerobic fitness

Ageing, a sedentary lifestyle, and obesity are associated with increased oxidative stress, while regular exercise is associated with an increased antioxidant capacity in trained skeletal muscles. Whether a higher aerobic fitness is associated with increased expression of antioxidant enzymes and their regulatory factors in skeletal muscle remains unknown. Although oestrogens could promote a higher antioxidant capacity in females, it remains unknown whether a sex dimorphism exists in humans regarding the antioxidant capacity of skeletal muscle. Thus, the aim was to determine the protein expression levels of the antioxidant enzymes SOD1, SOD2, catalase and glutathione reductase (GR) and their regulatory factors Nrf2 and Keap1 in 189 volunteers (120 males and 69 females) to establish whether sex differences exist and how age, VO2max and adiposity influence these. For this purpose, vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were obtained in all participants under resting and unstressed conditions. No significant sex differences in Nrf2, Keap1, SOD1, SOD2, catalase and GR protein expression levels were observed after accounting for VO2max, age and adiposity differences. Multiple regression analysis indicates that the VO2max in mL.kg LLM−1.min−1can be predicted from the levels of SOD2, Total Nrf2 and Keap1 (R = 0.58, P < 0.001), with SOD2 being the main predictor explaining 28 % of variance in VO2max, while Nrf2 and Keap1 explained each around 3 % of the variance. SOD1 protein expression increased with ageing in the whole group after accounting for differences in VO2max and body fat percentage. Overweight and obesity were associated with increased pSer40-Nrf2, pSer40-Nrf2/Total Nrf2 ratio and SOD1 protein expression levels after accounting for differences in age and VO2max. Overall, at the population level, higher aerobic fitness is associated with increased basal expression of muscle antioxidant enzymes, which may explain some of the benefits of regular exercise.

Association between aerobic fitness and attentional functions in Egyptian preadolescent children.

Growing evidence indicates that culture and education can influence cognitive constructs. Studies targeting Western and Asian populations have shown a positive relationship between aerobic fitness and cognitive control in children; however, this association has yet to be explored in the Arab world. The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between aerobic fitness and attentional networks in Egyptian preadolescent children. In total, 103 preadolescent children (9.76 ± 0.11) completed an assessment of aerobic fitness using a 6-min running test and a computerized attention network test that allowed for assessing alerting, orienting, and executive networks. The results revealed that higher aerobic fitness was associated with shorter response time and higher response accuracy in a more cognitively demanding task condition (i.e., incongruent trials). Furthermore, higher aerobic fitness was associated with a more efficient executive network. No associations were observed for alerting and orienting networks. These findings corroborate growing evidence indicating the importance of aerobic fitness for cognitive development and extend the literature by suggesting that the positive association between aerobic fitness and cognitive control might be generalized to the Arab population and not significantly change across cultures.

Longitudinal associations of movement behaviours with body composition and physical fitness from 4 to 9 years of age: structural equation and mediation analysis with compositional data

BackgroundThe associations of movement behaviours (physical activity [PA], sedentary behaviour [SB], and sleep) with body composition and physical fitness from pre-school to childhood, as well as the direction of the associations, could provide important information for healthy lifestyle promotion in children. This study investigated the longitudinal and bidirectional associations of movement behaviours with body composition and physical fitness measured at 4 and 9 years of age.MethodsThis longitudinal study included baseline (n = 315, 4.5 [SD = 0.1] years) and follow-up data (n = 231, 9.6 [SD = 0.1] years) from the MINISTOP study. Movement behaviours were measured for 7 days using wrist-worn accelerometers, body composition with air-displacement plethysmography, and physical fitness with the ALPHA health-related fitness test battery. Cross-lagged panel models and mediation analyses were performed in combination with compositional data analysis.ResultsWe did not observe direct associations of the movement behaviours at 4 years with either body composition or physical fitness at 9 years (all P > 0.05). However, fat mass index at 4 years was negatively associated with vigorous PA (VPA), relative to remaining behaviours (VPA, β = − 0.22, P = 0.002) and light PA (LPA), relative to SB and sleep (β = − 0.19, P = 0.016) at 9 years. VPA (relative to remaining), moderate PA (MPA) (relative to LPA, SB, and sleep), and SB (relative to sleep) tracked from 4 to 9 years (all β ≥ 0.17, all P < 0.002), and these behaviours shared variance with fat mass index (all|β| ≥ 0.19, all P < 0.019), and aerobic, motor, and muscular fitness (all|β| ≥ 0.19, all P < 0.014) at 9 years. Mediation analysis suggested that the tracking of VPA (relative to remaining behaviours) from 4 to 9 years was negatively associated with fat mass index (β ≥ − 0.45, P = 0.012), and positively with aerobic fitness at 9 years (β ≥ 1.64, P = 0.016).ConclusionPA and SB tracked from the pre-school years into childhood. Fat mass index at 4 years of age was negatively associated with VPA (relative to remaining behaviours) and LPA (relative to SB and sleep) at 9 years of age. The tracking of VPA was associated with lower fat mass index and higher aerobic fitness at 9 years of age. These findings suggest that higher levels of VPA in pre-school age, if maintained throughout childhood, may support the development of healthy body composition and aerobic fitness levels in later childhood.

Nuclear Cytoplasmic Conflict in Hybrids of Roach &lt;i&gt;Rutilus rutilus&lt;/i&gt; and Bream &lt;i&gt;Abramis brama&lt;/i&gt; as a Consequence of the Divergence Species in Body and Genome Sizes

Species divergence in body size is often associated with changes in genome size and the rate of evolution of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which can lead to problems of nuclear-cytoplasmic compatibility and embryonic genome activation and reduce the fitness of hybrids. The bream Abramis brama (L.) is larger than the roach Rutilus rutilus (L.) in body and genome sizes. In the first generation of hybrids according to the ITS1 region of ribosomal DNA, a change in the donor genome of male to the level of the maternal species was previously established, which can affect the inheritance of traits from the male and, in particular, body size. Body length and height, a complex of diagnostic morphological characters, and genotyping (ITS1 rDNA and cyt b mtDNA) of underyearlings and mature individuals of bream, roach, F1 hybrids and underyearlings of backcrosses (Fb) were analyzed. Sexually mature hybrids of both directions of crossing are close in body length to R. rutilus, which indicates a violation of the paternal effect when inheriting the body length of a larger of species. Violation of the inheritance of bream body length in hybrids of cross R. rutilus × A. brama (♀ ♂, RA) is considered as a developmental deviation, which, obviously, can affect the adaptation of hybrids and determines the rarity of this variant in nature. At the same time, alloplasmic ARR backcrosses restore the body length of the bream even in the presence of the roach nuclear genome, which indicates the influence of mitochondrial genes on the development of this trait. The observed decrease in the fitness of first-generation hybrids with roach mtDNA may be associated with to an insufficient level of transcription of ribosomal genes due to a decrease in the number and variability of copies of the donor bream rDNA. Moreover, the high level of changes of mtDNA roach indicate a suboptimal mitochondrial-nuclear correspondence of respiratory a complexes in hybrids RA, which negatively affects key physiological processes, including growth and development of a large body size. Presumably, the development of large body size, as a complex trait with high aerobic fitness, is blocked in RA hybrids for energy reasons. The paper shows that differences families of repeated sequences rDNA and mtDNA in terms of the number and variability of copies in genome of R. rutilus and A. brama can lead to regulatory nuclear-cytoplasmic incompatibility of genomes and affect the fitness of hybrids already in the first generation.

Cellular Integrative Immune Markers in Elite Athletes.

The integrative immune markers neutrophil-lymphocyte-ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte-ratio (PLR) and systemic immune inflammation index (SII) are established markers in clinical patient care. Adoption of these markers in elite athletics might prove beneficial for monitoring training and health. Blood samples of 195 healthy national Olympic squad athletes were collected before a graded bicycle-ergometric exercise test until complete exhaustion. Measurements included white blood cells, lymphocytes and platelets, allowing for the calculation of the integrative immune markers. Correlations between athlete characteristics (sex, age, sporting discipline, training experience, training volume) and integrative immune marker-values were assessed. In a subgroup analysis a second blood sample was collected from 25 athletes at 1 minute after exercise test to assess its effect on the immune marker levels.An inverse correlation between peak power output and SII-level (Pearson correlation coefficient=-.270, p<.001) and NLR-level (Pearson correlation coefficient=-.249, p<.001) was found. Athletes with higher aerobic fitness had significantly lower values of SII and PLR compared to athletes with lower aerobic fitness. An elevated SII (p=.003) and a reduced PLR (p=.001) was documented as acute response to the exercise test. The integrative immune markers might be a promising tool for monitoring training and health in elite athletes.

International orienteering experts’ consensus on the definition, development, cause, impact and methods to reduce mental fatigue in orienteering: A Delphi study

ABSTRACT Orienteering is an outdoor activity wherein participants use a map and compass to locate control points and choose the quickest path to the next control point in a natural environment. Attentional focus, rapid decision-making, and high aerobic fitness may influence orienteering performance. Therefore, this research aimed to seek international orienteering expert consensus regarding the definition, development, causes, influences and methods to reduce mental fatigue (MF) in orienteering based on practical experience. Following ethical approval, a three-round Delphi survey was conducted online with twenty-four orienteering coaches and athletes (or former athletes) from 10 different countries with international orienteering competition experience. The threshold of consensus was ≥ 70% agreement among respondents. The experts agreed that MF exists in daily life and orienteering with a substantial negative effect on their conscious decision-making performance and psychological responses. The experts disagreed that the form of MF that athletes experienced in orienteering training are similar to the competition. However, there was no agreement that MF would impact endurance and high-speed running performance during orienteering. This research refines the definition of MF and summarises the distinctions in what causes MF in orienteering training and competition, implying that MF should be addressed separately.

Sex-related differences in perceptual indices, serum cortisol and blood lactate responses to endurance exertion in competitive male and female athletes in a field setting

Background: Boxing requires very high aerobic fitness from male and female practitioners, therefore, endurance exercises play an important role in the preparation to competition. One of the way for rating of the state of demanded physical adaptation is monitoring of biological responses to endurance training units. The aim of the study was to examine psycho-hormonal responses to a 10km cross-country run in male and female boxers. Material and methods: Twenty-four amateur adult boxers, 12 women and 12 men, of various weight categories, excluding heavyweight athletes, performed field a 10km run. Capillary blood was sampled in the morning at 8:00, 5 minutes prior to the run (11:00 am), and within 5 minutes after exercise. Plasma cortisol concentration (C) was determined using a commercial ELISA kit (IBL, GERMANY). Post-exercise blood lactate was determined with a Lactate Scout analyzer. Pre-run anticipatory stress (AS) was estimated on a numerical scale of 1 to 10 points, with the same tool used to measure the rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Results: Morning plasma cortisol levels in females (54082 nM) and males (52073 nM) did not differ significantly but the pre-and post-run levels were higher in females. Furthermore, males rather than females showed lower pre-exercise compared to post-exercise C levels, meaning that blood lactate level was significantly higher in males (6.31.1 mM) compared to that in females (5.40.7 mM). There were no significant differences between the sexes for AS and RPE. However, both perceptual parameters were slightly higher in females. Conclusion: Based on blood cortisol measurements and perceptual parameters it can be concluded that the psychophysiological cost of exercise is higher in female athletes, even in the case of non-competitive exercise.

Effects of exercise types on white matter microstructure in late midlife adults: Preliminary results from a diffusion tensor imaging study.

Higher aerobic fitness during late midlife is associated with higher white matter (WM) microstructure. Compared with individuals engaged in irregular exercise, those who engage in regular aerobic exercise show higher fractional anisotropy (FA), a diffusion tenor imaging (DTI) measure that provides an index of WM microstructural integrity. However, whether other types of exercise, such as Tai Chi, can also facilitate WM changes in adults during late midlife remains unknown. The present study compares two types of exercise, Tai Chi and walking, with a sedentary control group, in order to examine the effects of exercise on WM microstructure and determine the regional specificity of WM differences. Thirty-six healthy adults between the ages of 55 and 65 years participated in the study. Based on the participants' exercise habits, they were allocated into three groups: Tai Chi, walking, or sedentary control. All participants were required to complete physical fitness measurements and completed magnetic reasoning imaging (MRI) scans. Our results revealed that the Tai Chi group exhibited a higher FA value in the left cerebral peduncle, compared to the sedentary control group. We also observed that both the Tai Chi and walking groups exhibited higher FA values in the right uncinate fasciculus and the left external capsule, in comparison to the sedentary control group. Increased FA values in these regions was positively correlated with higher levels of physical fitness measurements (i.e., peak oxygen uptake [VO2peak], muscular endurance/number of push-up, agility, power). These findings collectively suggest that regular exercise is associated with improved WM microstructural integrity, regardless of the exercise type, which could guide the development and application of future prevention and intervention strategies designed to address age-related cognitive impairments during late midlife.

Effects of acute exercise with different modalities on working memory in men with high and low aerobic fitness

ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine the effects of high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) and moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) on working memory in individuals with high and low aerobic fitness. DesignThe protocol adopted a between-subjects crossover design. MethodsForty healthy male college students (mean age = 19.59 ± 1.00 years) were assigned to high fitness (n = 20) or low fitness (n = 20) groups based on their estimated maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) in the 20 m shuttle run test. All participants were instructed to engage in three acute exercise interventions (10 min HIIE, 20 min HIIE, 20 min MICE) and a reading control intervention on separate days in a randomized order. A spatial 2-back task was performed before and after each intervention to assess working memory. ResultsAnalyses of the 2-back task performance revealed that the working memory of high and low fitness participants benefited from different modalities of acute exercise. Specifically, reaction time in the 2-back task was significantly shorter after 20 min HIIE compared to pre-exercise in high fitness participants, whereas low fitness participants had significantly faster reaction time in the 2-back task after 20 min MICE and 10 min HIIE relative to pre-exercise. ConclusionsThe effects of acute aerobic exercise on working memory are modulated by a combination of exercise modality and aerobic fitness. This finding has important implications for providing experimental evidence that participants choose appropriate exercise to undertake based on their level of aerobic fitness to improve cognitive performance.

Altered skeletal muscle sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase calcium transport efficiency after a thermogenic stimulus.

Exposure to predator threat induces a rapid and robust increase in skeletal muscle thermogenesis in rats. The central nervous system relays threat information to skeletal muscle through activation of the sympathetic nervous system, but muscle mechanisms mediating this thermogenesis remain unidentified. Given the relevance of sarcolipin-mediated futile calcium cycling through the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) pump to mammalian muscle nonshivering thermogenesis, we hypothesized that this plays a role in contextually induced muscle thermogenesis as well. This was assessed by measuring enzymatic activity of SERCA and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ transport, where the apparent coupling ratio (Ca2+ uptake rate divided by ATPase activity rate at a standard Ca2+ concentration) was predicted to decrease in association with muscle thermogenesis. Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to predator (ferret) odor (PO) showed a rapid decrease in the apparent coupling ratio in the soleus muscle, indicating SERCA uncoupling compared with control-odor-exposed rats. A rat model of high aerobic fitness and elevated muscle thermogenesis also demonstrated soleus muscle SERCA uncoupling relative to their obesity-prone, low-fitness counterparts. Both the high- and low-aerobic fitness rats showed soleus SERCA uncoupling with exposure to PO. Finally, no increase in sarcolipin expression in soleus muscle was detected with PO exposure. This dataset implicates muscle uncoupling of SERCA Ca2+ transport and ATP hydrolysis, likely through altered SERCA or sarcolipin function outside of translational regulation, as one contributor to the muscle thermogenesis provoked by exposure to predator threat. These data support the involvement of SERCA uncoupling in both muscle thermogenic induction and enhanced aerobic capacity.

The Associations Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Hippocampal Health, And Cognition In Mild Cognitive Impairment

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a prodromal stage of Alzheimer’s disease, has negative effects on cognition and is associated with structural changes in the brain, particularly the hippocampus. We utilized magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), an imaging technique that estimates brain mechanical properties, to quantify the integrity of the underlying tissue microstructure. MRE is an emerging method for evaluating hippocampal health and its relation to cognition. We used MRE to assess the relationship between aerobic fitness and hippocampal integrity in MCI and aging, as fitness is a modifiable lifestyle factor. Establishing these links can help identify those at risk of cognitive impairment and establish interventions. PURPOSE: To demonstrate the value of MRE measures of hippocampal health to assess the relationship between aerobic fitness, cognition, and MRE in MCI. METHODS: We recruited 47 healthy older adults (69 ± 6 yrs) and 13 with amnestic MCI (72 ± 9 yrs). Participants had an MRI, fitness and cognitive testing to collect hippocampal stiffness and damping ratio, reflecting the resistance of tissue, relative VO2,max, and a composite cognitive score. RESULTS: Older adults had significantly higher stiffness (p < .01) and lower damping ratio (p = .001). Stiffness significantly mediated the relationship between diagnosis and cognition (Estimated indirect effect, ACME (95% CI) = .04 (-.004, -.009)). VO2 was differentially associated with MRE measures in MCI compared healthy older adults. A significant diagnosis x fitness interaction effect was observed (Stiffness: β = .012, SE = .006, p = .041; Damping ratio: β = -.001, SE = .001, p = .041), with a stronger relationship between VO2 and MRE measures in the MCI group (Stiffness: p = .029, 95% CI = .075, .881; Damping ratio: p = .243, 95% CI = -.74, .33) compared to in the healthy older group (Stiffness: p = .191, 95% CI = -1.01, .49; Damping ratio: p = .764, 95% CI = -.36, .27). Only stiffness was associated with fitness in MCI participants. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings suggest the utility of MRE in studying the mechanism of disease, with stiffness mediating the relationship between groups and cognition. Fitness is related to MRE outcomes in MCI, specifically stiffness, suggesting that higher aerobic fitness may be even more beneficial for those with MCI.

Better cognitive function predicts maintenance of dual-task walking ability over time among people with relapsing-remitting MS.

Physical fitness and preserved cognitive function may provide neuroprotection in multiple sclerosis (MS), but few studies have examined their role in symptom progression over time. Dual-task paradigms can be useful to detect subtle impairment among people with MS in early stages of the disease. The present study investigated whether higher aerobic fitness or greater cognitive function could predict performance in dual-task walking 1-2 years later among people with mild or no MS-related walking impairment. Participants (n = 50) performed dual-task walking (walking while serially subtracting 7's from 100), completed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), and a fitness test (VO2max). They were tested at two time points (T1 and T2), approximately 1 year apart. Walking speed, MoCA, SDMT, and VO2max at baseline (T1) were examined as predictors of dual-task walking speed at T2. MoCA (higher score), but not SDMT or fitness, was significantly correlated with percentage decrease in dual-task walking and was a significant predictor of dual-task-walking speed at T2, accounting for additional 6.1% of its variance. Cognitive impairment (MoCA < 26) at baseline corresponded to a 12 cm/s unit decrease in dual-task-walking speed at T2. Our results provide longitudinal evidence that better cognitive function, specifically global MoCA score, may protect against decline in dual-task walking ability over the years. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Exercise increases the release of NAMPT in extracellular vesicles and alters NAD+ activity in recipient cells.

Aging is associated with a loss of metabolic homeostasis, with cofactors such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) declining over time. The decrease in NAD+ production has been linked to the age‐related loss of circulating extracellular nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (eNAMPT), the rate‐limiting enzyme in the NAD+ biosynthetic pathway. eNAMPT is found almost exclusively in extracellular vesicles (EVs), providing a mechanism for the distribution of the enzyme in different tissues. Currently, the physiological cause for the release of eNAMPT is unknown, and how it may be affected by age and physical exercise. Here, we show that release of small EVs into the bloodstream is stimulated following moderate intensity exercise in humans. Exercise also increased the eNAMPT content in EVs, most prominently in young individuals with higher aerobic fitness. Both mature fit and young unfit individuals exhibited a limited increase in EV‐eNAMPT release following exercise, indicating that this mechanism is related to both the age and physical fitness of a person. Notably, unfit mature individuals were unable to increase the release of eNAMPT in EVs after exercise, suggesting that lower fitness levels and aging attenuate this important signalling mechanism in the body. EVs isolated from exercising humans containing eNAMPT were able to alter the abundance of NAD+ and SIRT1 activity in recipient cells compared to pre‐exercise EVs, indicating a pathway for inter‐tissue signalling promoted through exercise. Our results suggest a mechanism to limit age‐related NAD+ decline, through the systemic delivery of eNAMPT via EVs released during exercise.

Dietary Inorganic Nitrate as an Ergogenic Aid: An Expert Consensus Derived via the Modified Delphi Technique

IntroductionDietary inorganic nitrate is a popular nutritional supplement, which increases nitric oxide bioavailability and may improve exercise performance. Despite over a decade of research into the effects of dietary nitrate supplementation during exercise there is currently no expert consensus on how, when and for whom this compound could be recommended as an ergogenic aid. Moreover, there is no consensus on the safe administration of dietary nitrate as an ergogenic aid. This study aimed to address these research gaps.MethodsThe modified Delphi technique was used to establish the views of 12 expert panel members on the use of dietary nitrate as an ergogenic aid. Over three iterative rounds (two via questionnaire and one via videoconferencing), the expert panel members voted on 222 statements relating to dietary nitrate as an ergogenic aid. Consensus was reached when > 80% of the panel provided the same answer (i.e. yes or no). Statements for which > 80% of the panel cast a vote of insufficient evidence were categorised as such and removed from further voting. These statements were subsequently used to identify directions for future research.ResultsThe 12 panel members contributed to voting in all three rounds. A total of 39 statements (17.6%) reached consensus across the three rounds (20 yes, 19 no). In round one, 21 statements reached consensus (11 yes, 10 no). In round two, seven further statements reached consensus (4 yes, 3 no). In round three, an additional 11 statements reached consensus (5 yes, 6 no). The panel agreed that there was insufficient evidence for 134 (60.4%) of the statements, and were unable to agree on the outcome of the remaining statements.ConclusionsThis study provides information on the current expert consensus on dietary nitrate, which may be of value to athletes, coaches, practitioners and researchers. The effects of dietary nitrate appear to be diminished in individuals with a higher aerobic fitness (peak oxygen consumption [V̇O2peak] > 60 ml/kg/min), and therefore, aerobic fitness should be taken into account when considering use of dietary nitrate as an ergogenic aid. It is recommended that athletes looking to benefit from dietary nitrate supplementation should consume 8–16 mmol nitrate acutely or 4–16 mmol/day nitrate chronically (with the final dose ingested 2–4 h pre-exercise) to maximise ergogenic effects, taking into consideration that, from a safety perspective, athletes may be best advised to increase their intake of nitrate via vegetables and vegetable juices. Acute nitrate supplementation up to ~ 16 mmol is believed to be safe, although the safety of chronic nitrate supplementation requires further investigation. The expert panel agreed that there was insufficient evidence for most of the appraised statements, highlighting the need for future research in this area.Graphical

Associations Between Fitness, Physical Activity, and Fatness in Preschool Children With Typical and Atypical Motor Coordination.

PurposeIncreased adiposity in children confers a higher risk of cardiovascular disease in later life, with low cardiorespiratory fitness strongly linked to poorer metabolic health. Children with motor coordination problems are likely to be less physically fit and at a higher risk of obesity. In this study, we examined the associations between aerobic and anaerobic fitness, device-measured physical activity, and body adiposity in children (aged 4–5 years) with typical and atypical motor coordination.MethodsBaseline data from the Coordination and Activity Tracking in CHildren (CATCH) cohort study were utilised. The assessments included aerobic and anaerobic fitness via time-to-exhaustion on Bruce treadmill test and normalised mean power on Wingate cycling test, respectively; light physical activity (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and sedentary time via accelerometry; and body adiposity (%) via bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC-2) was used to assess motor coordination and classify children as typically developing (TD, >16th percentile) or at risk of developmental coordination disorder (DCD, ≤16th percentile). General linear regression models were fitted to examine associations.ResultsThe analyses included 495 participants (5.0 ± 0.6 years, 56% male, and body adiposity 22.7 ± 4.2%). Aerobic fitness (β = −0.006, p < 0.001) and MVPA (β = −0.018, p = 0.045) were negatively associated with body adiposity when adjusted for age, sex, and MABC-2 score. There was no relationship between sedentary time and body adiposity. There were no interactions of sex or MABC-2 score with any variable.ConclusionLower aerobic fitness and MVPA were associated with higher body adiposity in preschoolers, regardless of motor coordination. Interventions targetting improved aerobic fitness and MVPA are therefore warranted in both TD and atypically developing preschoolers. Whether maintaining high aerobic fitness in children with possible DCD confers protection against obesity requires longitudinal investigation.

Influence of Body Composition Parameters on Agility in Female Football Professional Players

Abstract Introduction. Modern football game places a large number of requirements for numerous physiological and motor abilities because athletes must show high aerobic and anaerobic fitness, ability to run, jump, change direction and improve specific sports skills, such as dribbling, feints and goal shots. The speed of change of direction is a physical component of agility, which includes technique, strength and the ability to effectively slow down or speed up your running. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of body composition parameters on agility in professional female football players who compete in the highest rank of competition. We hypothesized that body composition values have an impact on specific motor skills, agility. Material and methods. The sample of respondents consisted of female football players who compete in the highest rank of the competition, the Serbian Super League. The total number of respondents included in the research was 20 football players (age 20.15 ± 4, body height 168.57 ± 8.55 cm, body weight 61.03 ± 6.08 kg). Results. The results of the research showed that body composition of football players can affect the results of the speed of change of direction. Muscle mass, both in absolute and relative values, individually contributes the most and influences the results in agility tests. Conclusions. Coaches and players need to pay attention to the values of their body composition in order to have better results in specific motor abilities.