Increase Exercise Performance Research Articles

Brown adipose tissue enhances exercise performance and healthful longevity.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT), a major subtypes of adipose tissues, is known for thermogenesis and promoting healthful longevity. Our hypothesis is that BAT protects against impaired healthful longevity, i.e., obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and reduced exercise tolerance. While most prior studies have shown that exercise regulates BAT activation and improves BAT density, relatively few have shown that BAT increases exercise performance. In contrast, our recent studies with the regulator of G protein signaling 14 (RGS14) knockout (KO) model of extended longevity showed that it enhances exercise performance, mediated by its more potent BAT, compared with BAT from wild type mice. For example, when the BAT from RGS14 KO mice is transplanted to WT mice, their exercise capacity is enhanced at 3 days after BAT transplantation, whereas BAT transplantation from WT to WT mice increased exercise performance, but only at 8 weeks after transplantation. The goal of this research perspective is to review the role of BAT in mediating healthful longevity, specifically exercise capacity. In view of the ability of BAT to mediate healthful longevity and enhance exercise performance, it is likely that a pharmaceutical analog of BAT will become a novel therapeutic modality.

Phycocyanin attenuates skeletal muscle damage and fatigue via modulation of Nrf2 and IRS-1/AKT/mTOR pathway in exercise-induced oxidative stress in rats.

Prolonged strenuous exercise induces oxidative stress, leading to oxidative damage, skeletal muscle fatigue, and reduced exercise performance. The body compensates for oxidative stress through antioxidant actions, while related enzymes alone may not overcome excessive oxidative stress during prolonged strenuous exercise. Phycocyanin is an important antioxidant supplement derived from blue-green algae, which may be helpful in this type of situation. This study determined the effects of phycocyanin on exercise performance from prolonged strenuous exercise. Forty Sprague Dawley male rats were divided into 5 groups (n = 8 /group); Control group (C), Exercise group (E), and Exercise with supplement groups receiving low dose (Phycocyanin = 100 mg/kg BW; ELP) and high dose (Phycocyanin = 200 mg/kg BW; EHP) or vitamin C (Vitamin C = 200 mg/kg BW; VC). Phycocyanin was found to decrease oxidative damage markers, muscle fatigue, and muscle atrophy through the activated AKT/mTOR pathway. This was also found to have greater increases in antioxidants via Nrf2 signaling and increases ATP synthesis, GLUT4 transporters, and insulin signaling due to increased IRS-1/AKT signaling. In conclusion, phycocyanin was found to reduce oxidative damage and muscle atrophy, including an increase in insulin signaling in skeletal muscles leading to increased exercise performance in rats.

The role of brown adipose tissue in mediating healthful longevity.

There are two major subtypes of adipose tissue, i.e., white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT). It has been known for a long time that WAT mediates obesity and impairs healthful longevity. More recently, interest has focused on BAT, which, unlike WAT, actually augments healthful aging. The goal of this review is to examine the role of BAT in mediating healthful longevity. A major role for BAT and its related beige adipose tissue is thermogenesis, as a mechanism to maintain body temperature by producing heat through uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) or through UCP1-independent thermogenic pathways. Our hypothesis is that healthful longevity is, in part, mediated by BAT. BAT protects against the major causes of impaired healthful longevity, i.e., obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, reduced exercise tolerance, and impaired blood flow. Several genetically engineered mouse models have shown that BAT enhances healthful aging and that their BAT is more potent than wild-type (WT) BAT. For example, when BAT, which increases longevity and exercise performance in mice with disruption of the regulator of G protein signaling 14 (RGS14), is transplanted to WT mice, their exercise capacity is enhanced at 3 days after BAT transplantation, whereas BAT transplantation from WT to WT mice also resulted in increased exercise performance, but only at 8 weeks after transplantation. In view of the ability of BAT to mediate healthful longevity, it is likely that a pharmaceutical analog of BAT will become a novel therapeutic modality.

Effect of iron supplementation on physical and physiological variables of active females

Introduction: This study investigates the impact of iron supplementation on physiological and physical variables among active female students. Iron is essential for oxygen transport and is routinely depleted among iron runners due to exercise intensity. Considering the complicated relationship between exercise intensity, participants’ current health status, eating habits, and normal iron levels, this study seeks to illuminate whether iron supplementation benefits female athletes recruited among students from Burdwan University’s M.P.Ed. Department. Materials and Methods: This study targets a population of 10 female students aged between 22 and 27 years. Participants were selected on the basis of the homogeneity of their age, height, and weight. The study design was conducted as pretest/posttest research. Participants were provided with iron supplements, Punarnaba Moondur, with 250 mg of iron to be taken twice a day with honey and fed as specified. Hemoglobin level and various physiological and physical test parameters were chosen as primary outcomes. Using a t-test setting, P = 0.05, the difference between pre- and postparameters was analyzed. Results: Analysis indicates significant positive variations in postintervention hemoglobin level results in relation to preintervention results. Thus, the iron level was successfully increased. Comparably, various physiological functions and physical fitness parameters were improved among the participants: Their muscles worked more efficiently, and physical capabilities were generally enhanced. Conclusion: The use of Punarnaba Moondur as an iron supplement significantly increased the amount of hemoglobin among the active students. This development led to improved physiological and physical capacity. Parametric supplementation can be used to correct exercise-induced iron deficiency in female athletes to increase exercise performance and health outcomes. This study highlights the value of attenuation nutrition as an intervention tool against exercise-induced iron depletion.

Can transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the motor cortex increase endurance running performance? a randomized crossover-controlled trial.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, has been shown to increase exercise performance in strength and cycling studies but its effects on running endurance remain unclear. The objectives of this randomized sham-controlled crossover trial were to assess tDCS efficacy on submaximal treadmill running time to exhaustion (TTE). Forty-five healthy male runners aged between 18 and 32 years (mean maximal oxygen consumption: 46.6 mL/min/kg) performed two constant-load tests at 90% of their maximal aerobic speed preceded by 20 minutes of active or sham multichannel (5 anodes, 3 cathodes) tDCS applied over the bilateral motor cortex with a total intensity of 4 mA. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), blood lactate, VO2, and heart rate were monitored every five minutes until volitional exhaustion. The median [IQR] TTE was similar following active (12.2 [10.5, 16.1] minutes) or sham (12.5 [10.2, 15.1] minutes) tDCS (p = 0.96). Likewise, there were no significant differences between active and sham conditions for RPE, blood lactate, final VO2, and final heart rate (all p ≥0.05). No difference in TTE was found when stratifying groups according to their VO2max (i.e., VO2max ≥ 45 mL/min/Kg, p = 0.53; VO2max < 45 mL/min/Kg, p = 0.45) but there was a trend for a significant correlation between VO2max and change in TTE (p = 0.06). TDCS applied over the bilateral motor cortex did not improve endurance performance in a large sample of trained runners. Characterization of individual tDCS responsiveness deserves further consideration. In our experimental conditions, tDCS had no ergogenic effect on endurance running performance. Trial registration: Clinical trial registration: NCT04005846.

Exercise performance is not improved in mice with skeletal muscle deletion of natriuretic peptide clearance receptor.

Natriuretic peptides (NP), including atrial, brain, and C-type natriuretic peptides (ANP, BNP, and CNP), play essential roles in regulating blood pressure, cardiovascular homeostasis, and systemic metabolism. One of the major metabolic effects of NP is manifested by their capacity to stimulate lipolysis and the thermogenesis gene program in adipocytes, however, in skeletal muscle their effects on metabolism and muscle function are not as well understood. There are three NP receptors (NPR): NPRA, NPRB, and NPRC, and all three NPR genes are expressed in skeletal muscle and C2C12 myocytes. In C2C12 myocytes treatment with either ANP, BNP, or CNP evokes the cGMP signaling pathway. Since NPRC functions as a clearance receptor and the amount of NPRC in a cell type determines the signaling strength of NPs, we generated a genetic model with Nprc gene deletion in skeletal muscle and tested whether enhancing NP signaling by preventing its clearance in skeletal muscle would improve exercise performance in mice. Under sedentary conditions, Nprc skeletal muscle knockout (MKO) mice showed comparable exercise performance to their floxed littermates in terms of maximal running velocity and total endurance running time. Eight weeks of voluntary running-wheel training in a young cohort significantly increased exercise performance, but no significant differences were observed in MKO compared with floxed control mice. Furthermore, 6-weeks of treadmill training in a relatively aged cohort also increased exercise performance compared with their baseline values, but again there were no differences between genotypes. In summary, our study suggests that NP signaling is potentially important in skeletal myocytes but its function in skeletal muscle in vivo needs to be further studied in additional physiological conditions or with new genetic mouse models.

3'sialyllactose and 6'sialyllactose enhance performance in endurance-type exercise through metabolic adaptation.

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) belong to a group of multifunctional glycans that are abundantly present in human breast milk. While health effects of neutral oligosaccharides have been investigated extensively, a lot remains unknown regarding health effects of acidic oligosaccharides, such as the two sialyllactoses (SLs), 3'sialyllactose (3'SL), and 6'sialyllactose (6'SL). We utilized Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) to investigate the effects of SLs on exercise performance. Using swimming as an endurance-type exercise, we found that SLs decrease exhaustion, signifying an increase in endurance that is strongest for 6'SL. Through an unbiased metabolomics approach, we identified changes in energy metabolism that correlated with endurance performance. Further investigation suggested that these metabolic changes were related to adaptations of muscle mitochondria that facilitated a shift from beta oxidation to glycogenolysis during exercise. We found that the effect of SLs on endurance performance required AMPK- (aak-1/aak-2) and adenosine receptor (ador-1) signaling. We propose a model where SLs alter the metabolic status in the gut, causing a signal from the intestine to the nervous system toward muscle cells, where metabolic adaptation increases exercise performance. Together, our results underline the potential of SLs in exercise-associated health and contribute to our understanding of the molecular processes involved in nutritionally-induced health benefits.

Hematological, skeletal muscle fiber and exercise performance adaptations to heat training in elite female and male cyclists.

Heat exercise training may increase exercise performance in athletes. The underlying mechanisms remain partly unresolved, and it is unknown if female and male athletes may experience comparable gains. The aims were to investigate whether heat training (HEAT) increases hemoglobin mass (Hbmass), skeletal muscle fiber characteristics and thermoneutral exercise performance in elite female and male endurance athletes. Female (n=20; VO2max = 58.2 ± 6.7 ml.min.kg) and male (n=27; VO2max = 76.4 ± 7.8 ml.min.kg) cyclists were studied before and after five weeks of randomized control or HEAT training consisting of five weekly sessions each of 50 min duration which were included in their normal training regimes. Overall, the observed relative responses to HEAT were largely similar in female and male study participants. HEAT increased (P<0.05) Hbmass in female from 650 ± 77 to 675 ± 76 g (4.0 ± 1.6%) and from 1008 ± 155 to 1041 ± 147 g (3.5 ± 2.3%) in male. In contrast, skeletal muscle citrate synthase activity, fiber type distribution and capillary density remained unchanged with HEAT. Lactate threshold, VO2max and mean power output during 15 min all out testing were all enhanced (P<0.05) following HEAT in female and male study participants. In conclusion, five weeks of HEAT increases Hbmass in female and male elite cyclists and improves exercise performance in a thermoneutral environment. Based on this, heat training may be recommended to elite female and male athletes aiming to perform in a thermoneutral environment.

Inpatient stroke survivors with low gait functioning benefit from music interventions during cardiorespiratory exercise: A randomized cross-over trial

ABSTRACT Introduction Stroke survivors struggle to meet clinical recommendations for physical exercise duration and intensity. During the past two decades, emerging evidence has shown effectiveness of music interventions for several motor tasks in stroke rehabilitation. Additionally, music has been found effective for increasing exercise performance in athletes and clinical populations. It is postulated that the therapeutic effects of music in physical exercise are modulated by preference and task-specificity of the music. Methods We tested this hypothesis in a pilot study using a three-arm randomized cross-over design comprising the following auditory conditions during cycle ergometry cardiorespiratory exercise sessions: (a) a group-tailored music playlist, (b) radio music, and (c) a non-music control condition. Participants (n = 19) were inpatient stroke survivors undergoing rehabilitation between 2 and 12 weeks post infarct. Results Our results demonstrate that clinical characteristics are an important determinant for identifying patients who can benefit from music. Specifically, participants with a higher level of gait functioning experienced no benefit, whereas participants with a low level of gait functioning showed an increase in both exercise duration (M = 4.46 minutes) and time spent in the recommended heart rate intensity (M = 6.39 and M = 2.49 minutes for the playlist and radio condition, respectively). Discussion The findings suggest a beneficial role of music in rehabilitation of stroke patients with low gait functioning. Future studies should ultimately disentangle which musical parameters are more likely to induce the putative ergogenic effects. Trial registry number: NCT05398575.

Exercise enhancement by RGS14 disruption is mediated by brown adipose tissue.

Enhanced exercise capacity is not only a feature of healthful aging, but also a therapy for aging patients and patients with cardiovascular disease. Disruption of the Regulator of G Protein Signaling 14 (RGS14) in mice extends healthful lifespan, mediated by increased brown adipose tissue (BAT). Accordingly, we determined whether RGS14 knockout (KO) mice exhibit enhanced exercise capacity and the role of BAT in mediating exercise capacity. Exercise was performed on a treadmill and exercise capacity was assessed by maximal running distance and work to exhaustion. Exercise capacity was measured in RGS14 KO mice and their wild types (WT), and also in WT mice with BAT transplantation from RGS14 KO mice or from other WT mice. RGS14 KO mice demonstrated 160 ± 9% increased maximal running distance and 154 ± 6% increased work to exhaustion, compared to WT mice. RGS14 KO BAT transplantation to WT mice, resulted in a reversal of phenotype, with the WT mice receiving the BAT transplant from RGS14 KO mice demonstrating 151 ± 5% increased maximal running distance and 158 ± 7% increased work to exhaustion, at three days after BAT transplantation, compared to RGS14 KO donors. BAT transplantation from WT to WT mice also resulted in increased exercise performance, but not at 3 days, but only at 8 weeks after transplantation. The BAT induced enhanced exercise capacity was mediated by (1) mitochondrial biogenesis and SIRT3; (2) antioxidant defense and the MEK/ERK pathway, and increased hindlimb perfusion. Thus, BAT mediates enhanced exercise capacity, a mechanism more powerful with RGS14 disruption.

Can capsaicinoids and their analogs affect energy expenditure and substrate oxidation during exercise? A systematic review with acute studies

Capsaicinoids and their analogs (CAP) are found in various types of peppers and have received great attention as weight management agents. An increase in energy expenditure and fat oxidation at rest, along with appetite and energy intake reduction has been reported. CAP supplementation has also been indicated to increase exercise performance. Another potential effect of CAP during exercise is to increase energy expenditure and fat oxidation. Thus, the present systematic review aimed to compare the energy expenditure (EE) and substrate oxidation during exercise with CAP administration, or placebo (no CAP administration), in acute studies. Ten studies met our inclusion criteria for EE, including one with mice. Only one study reported higher EE during exercise compared to non-CAP conditions. We found seven studies that met our inclusion criteria for substrate oxidation measurement during exercise. One study reported lower fat oxidation during CAP conditions, while two reported higher fat oxidation with CAP supplementation. From studies retrieved, some reported increased EE and fat oxidation at rest, which means that the effect of CAP at rest was not carried over into exercise. In conclusion, CAP seems not to be a potential ergogenic aid to affect EE considering the studies retrieved in this current review; however, inconsistent results have been reported regarding to substrate oxidation. Further research should clarify the effect of CAP on substrate oxidation during exercise. • Capsaicinoids and their analogs do not seem to affect energy expenditure during exercise. • Effect of capsaicinoids and their analogs on substrate oxidation during exercise presents conflicting outcomes. • Further studies on capsaicinoids and their analogs are needed manipulating type, dose and timing of administration. • Further studies on capsaicinoids and their analogs are needed in people with different body mass.

Effects of music on psychophysiological responses during high intensity interval training using body weight exercises

The use of music in exercise sessions is considered an interesting strategy as it facilitates, through motivation, an improvement in physical performance, as well as a reduction in the subjective perception of effort and an improvement in mood. Such factors are important for the maintenance of physical exercise programs, however, considering high intensity interval training, the effects of music remain inconclusive. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of music during high intensity interval training sessions using body weight (HIIT-B) on the physiological parameters and mood state of adults. Methods: 11 CrossFit male practitioners were randomly submitted to three sessions of HIIT-B under the following experimental conditions: preference music (PM), non-preference music (nPM) and without music (WM). The HIIT-B protocol consisted of 20 sets of 30 s of stimulus using maximal intensities followed by 30 s of passive recovery. The following exercises were used: jumping jacks, burpee, mountain climber and squat jumping. The following parameters were analyzed: heart rate (HR), lactate (La), total amount of movements (TAM), affective response (AR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), recovery (RPR) and mood states. Results: although an increase (p< 0.05) of HR, RPE and La, reduction of RPR was found after performing the HIIT session, no differences were found between the three conditions to these parameters. The nPM condition promoted lower (p< 0.001) TAM compared to the WM and PM conditions, which also differed from each other. However, for AR, a music effect was found among the protocols (p< 0.0001), indicating that the PM session promoted an increase in pleasure, unlike WM and nPM session which provided pleasure reduction and displeasure respectively. The WM session did not promote any changes. There were no main effects on time for depression and anger, which were different for vigor, fatigue, mental confusion, tension and mood disturbance. Additionally, differences were found after session to tension (p = 0.0229), vigor (p = 0.0424) and fatigue (p = 0.0400) for PM condition, vigor (p = 0.0424), fatigue (p = 0.0400) mental confusion (p = 0.0302) and mood disturbance (p = 0.0129) for nPM and vigor (p = 0.0363) and fatigue (p = 0.0468) to WM conditions. Conclusion: Listening to preferred music during an 'all out' HIIT-B session increases exercise performance and elicits more positive affective responses in recreationally active adult males, despite similar HR, blood lactate, RPE and fatigue compared to nonpreferred music or no-music.

Curcumin: A dietary phytochemical for boosting exercise performance and recovery.

Curcumin, as the main natural compound in the turmeric plant (Curcuma longa), is a yellowish polyphenol that has been used traditionally in Asian countries as a medicinal herb for various types of disease and pathological conditions caused by inflammation and oxidative stress. In the present review, we conducted a comprehensive literature search for evidence that shows the effect of curcumin on factors influencing exercise performance, including muscle damage, muscle soreness, inflammation, and oxidative stress. During exercise, reactive oxygen species and inflammation are increased. Thus, if there is no balance between endogenous and exogenous antioxidants and increases in oxidative stress and inflammation, which is important for maintaining redox homeostasis in skeletal muscle, it can lead to muscle soreness and muscle damage and ultimately result in reduced exercise performance. Due to the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin, it can increase exercise performance and decrease exercise-induced muscle soreness and muscle damage. It appears that curcumin supplementation can have positive effects on exercise performance and recovery, muscle damage and pain, inflammation, and oxidative stress. However, there is still a need to precisely evaluate factors to more accurately assess/quantify the beneficial therapeutic effects of curcumin with regard to enhancing exercise performance and recovery.

Effect of exercise in obese diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease

IntroductionObesity is the most dangerous risk factor for kidney disease if it is coupled with diabetes mellitus and hypertension, and it has a direct impact on chronic kidney disease progression to end-stage renal disease. The present study was to document the effect of 3 months of aerobic exercises vs. resistance exercises in obese patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease.MethodsOverall, 84 patients (36 males and 48 females) who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to 2 groups. Group 1 received aerobic exercises 3 times/week for 3 months, and group 2 was treated with resistance exercises 3 times/week for 3 months.ResultsAt baseline, no significant difference was found between the groups in body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, blood pressure, heart rate, or blood glucose. The difference in exercise performance between the 2 groups prior to treatment was not significant, but after 3 months of treatment, there was a significant increase in exercise performance and improvement in the parameters of body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, blood pressure, heart rate, and blood glucose within group 1 and group 2, with no significant difference between the 2 groups.ConclusionsAerobic exercise is effective in decreasing obesity and increasing physical performance in obese diabetic chronic kidney disease patients. Resistance exercises alone can also decrease obesity and increase physical performance. So, both types of exercises can be used in the treatment of obesity.

Exercise, Mitohormesis, and Mitochondrial ORF of the 12S rRNA Type-C (MOTS-c).

Low levels of mitochondrial stress are beneficial for organismal health and survival through a process known as mitohormesis. Mitohormetic responses occur during or after exercise and may mediate some salutary effects of exercise on metabolism. Exercise-related mitohormesis involves reactive oxygen species production, mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt), and release of mitochondria-derived peptides (MDPs). MDPs are a group of small peptides encoded by mitochondrial DNA with beneficial metabolic effects. Among MDPs, mitochondrial ORF of the 12S rRNA type-c (MOTS-c) is the most associated with exercise. MOTS-c expression levels increase in skeletal muscles, systemic circulation, and the hypothalamus upon exercise. Systemic MOTS-c administration increases exercise performance by boosting skeletal muscle stress responses and by enhancing metabolic adaptation to exercise. Exogenous MOTS-c also stimulates thermogenesis in subcutaneous white adipose tissues, thereby enhancing energy expenditure and contributing to the anti-obesity effects of exercise training. This review briefly summarizes the mitohormetic mechanisms of exercise with an emphasis on MOTS-c.

Probiotic Strains Isolated from an Olympic Woman's Weightlifting Gold Medalist Increase Weight Loss and Exercise Performance in a Mouse Model.

Obesity is a worldwide health problem. Calorie-restricted diets constitute a common intervention for treating obesity. However, an improper calorie-restricted diet can lead to malnutrition, fatigue, poor concretion, muscle loss, and reduced exercise performance. Probiotics have been introduced as an alternative treatment for obesity. In the present study, we tested the weight loss and exercise performance enhancement effectiveness of probiotic strains of different origins, including four isolated from an Olympic weightlifting gold medalist (Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum OLP-01, Lactobacillus plantarum PL-02, Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinius SA-03, and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis LY-66). A high-fat diet (HFD) was used to induce obesity in 16 groups of mice (n = 8/group). The mice were administered probiotic supplements at a dosage of 4.1 × 109 CFU/kg/day for 10 weeks. All probiotic supplementation groups showed a significant reduction in body weight and fat mass compared with the HFD group. TYCA06, CS-773, BLI-02, PL-02, bv-77, and OLP-01 were the most effective in facilitating weight loss and fat reduction, which may be due to fatty-acid absorbing activity. PL-02, LY-66, TYCA06, CS-773, and OLP-01 elevated the animals’ grip strength and exhaustive running duration. PL-02, LY-66, and OLP-01 increased tissue glycogen (liver and muscle) levels and muscle capillary density and reduced blood lactate production levels after exercise. In conclusion, OLP-01, PL-02, LY-66, TYCA06, and CS-773 were highly effective in enhancing weight loss and exercise performance. This study should be repeated on humans in the future to further confirm the findings.

Warm-Up With Added Respiratory Dead Space Volume Mask Improves the Performance of the Cycling Sprint Interval Exercise: Cross-Over Study.

Special breathing exercises performed during warm-up lead to hypercapnia and stimulation of mechanisms leading to increased exercise performance, but the effect of a device that increases the respiratory dead space volume (ARDSv) during warm-up has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 10 min warm-up with ARDSv on performance, physiological and biochemical responses during sprint interval cycling exercise (SIE). During four laboratory visits at least 72 h apart, they completed: (1) an incremental exercise test (IET) on a cycloergometer, (2) a familiarization session, and cross-over SIE sessions conducted in random order on visits (3) and (4). During one of them, 1200 mL of ARDSv was used for breathing over a 10-min warm-up. SIE consisted of 6 × 10-s all-out bouts with 4-min active recovery. Work capacity, cardiopulmonary parameters, body temperature, respiratory muscle strength, blood acid-base balance, lactate concentration, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were analyzed. After warm-up with ARDSv, PETCO2 was 45.0 ± 3.7 vs. 41.6 ± 2.5 (mm Hg) (p < 0.001). Body temperature was 0.6 (°C) higher after this form of warm-up (p < 0.05), bicarbonate concentration increased by 1.8 (mmol⋅L–1) (p < 0.01). As a result, work performed was 2.9% greater (p < 0.01) compared to the control condition. Respiratory muscle strength did not decreased. Warming up with added respiratory dead space volume mask prior to cycling SIE produces an ergogenic effect by increasing body temperature and buffering capacity.

Anti-Fatigue and Exercise Performance Improvement Effect of Glossogyne tenuifolia Extract in Mice.

Glossogyne tenuifolia (GT) is a native perennial plant growing across the coastline areas in Taiwan. The current study aimed to examine the efficacy of GT extract in ameliorating physical fatigue during exercise and increasing exercise performance. Fifty male Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were randomly segregated into five groups (n = 10) to GT extract orally for 4 weeks, at different concentrations (50, 100, 250, and 500 mg/kg BW/day): LGT 1X, MGT 2X, HGT 5X, and HGT 10X groups. Forelimb grip strength, endurance swimming time, serum biochemical marker levels, blood lipid profile and histological analysis of various organs were performed to assess the anti-fatigue effect and exercise performance of GT extract. The forelimb-grips strength and endurance-swimming time of GT-administered mice were increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner when compared to the control. Serum glucose, creatine kinase, and lactate levels were increased significantly in the HGT 10X group. Liver marker serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) was increased in the HGT 5X and HGT 10X groups, whereas Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase (GPT) was not altered. Renal markers, creatinine and uric acid levels, were not altered. Muscle and hepatic glycogen levels, which are essential for energy sources during exercise, were also significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner in all GT extract groups. No visible histological aberrations were observed in the vital organs after GT extract administration. The supplementation with GT extract could have beneficial effects on exercise performance and anti-fatigue function without toxicity at a higher dose.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and exercises effect on functional exercise performance and quality of life in cases of liver cirrhosis

IntroductionPatients with cirrhosis experience severe physical deconditioning, sarcopenia, physical frailty, fatigue, and malnutrition. Exercise capacity is limited owing to inactivity, bed rest, obesity, or cachexia. Limb muscle dysfunction has important consequences for patients with liver cirrhosis because it contributes to exercise limitation and reduces daily activities and social life, leading to a quality of life (QOL) impairment, greater utilization of social and health resources, and a worse prognosis. The study purpose was to compare the effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and exercises on treatment of patients with liver cirrhosis.MethodsA total of 60 patients (41 males and 19 females) with liver cirrhosis, aged 35–59 years, were randomly assigned to 2 groups: an NMES group (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 30) and exercises group (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 30). The intervention was implemented 3 times per week for 3 months. Exercise performance and QOL were measured before and after the intervention.ResultsBefore treatment, there was no significant difference in exercise performance or QOL between the 2 groups; however, after 3 months of intervention, a significant difference in exercise performance was observed between the 2 groups (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.001). Both groups improved their QOL (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.001), but the NMES group improved more than the exercise group.ConclusionsNMES is an important technique to increase exercise performance and QOL in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Protective and Recovery Effects of Resveratrol Supplementation on Exercise Performance and Muscle Damage following Acute Plyometric Exercise

Plyometric exercise (PE) is an effective training method to increase muscle mass and strength. However, excessive or inappropriate conditions might cause exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). Resveratrol (RES) is a natural polyphenol plant antitoxin, which improves exercise performance, and exhibits anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of RES supplementation on the recovery of muscle damage, inflammation, soreness, muscle power, and anaerobic performance following plyometric-exercise-induced muscle damage (PEIMD). The present study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled research trial. Thirty-six young, untrained males were enrolled into the placebo (n = 12), RES-500 (500 mg RES/day, n = 12), or RES-1000 (1000 mg RES/day, n = 12) group by a jumping height-counterbalanced grouping design. At baseline, to pre-PEIMD, supplements were pre-loaded 7 days before they conducted PEIMD, and the exercise performance, delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and muscle damage biomarkers were measured over the experimental period at baseline, pre-PEIMD, and post-PEIMD at 2, 24, 48, and 72 h. As a result, we found that, at 72 h post-EIMD, the force peak (FP) and rate of force development (RFD) of the counter movement jump (CMJ) in RES groups showed no significant difference compared to that at baseline but was significantly greater than the placebo group. In the Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT), supplementation in the RES group had a better recovery effect on the relative peak power (RPP), relative mean power (RMP) and fatigue index (FI) (p < 0.05), especially in the high-dose group. For the detection of muscle pain after PEIMD, the RES supplement group was significantly better than the placebo group (p < 0.05). In addition, for muscle damage indexes, such as creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), after PEIMD, supplementation with RES could significantly reduce and accelerate recovery (p < 0.05). In addition, the blood biochemical indicators of blood count, liver function, and kidney function showed that RES will not cause adverse risks to the human body. Our results suggest that replenishing RES in advance could effectively reduce muscle pain, increase exercise performance, and decrease muscle damage indicators caused by PEIMD, and the recovery was faster. Therefore, plyometric exercises combined with suitable RES supplementation could be an effective candidate for controlling muscle damage, improving physical adaption, and recovering anaerobic capacity.