Increase In Maximal Oxygen Consumption Research Articles

Effects of Endurance Training on Antioxidant and Hormonal Status in Peripheral Blood of Young Healthy Men

(1) Background: Physical activity may cause an imbalance in the major functions of the human body. This study aimed to investigate the effects of endurance running training on the parameters of the antioxidant defense system (SOD, CAT, GPx, GR, GSH), LPO (malondialdehyde, MDA), and stress hormones (A, NA) in young healthy, previously untrained men. (2) Methods: The training program was as follows: 8 weeks of running, three times per week; the duration of a single session was 30–70 min, the intensity was twice a week in the so-called extensive endurance zone, and once a week in the anaerobic threshold zone. Blood samples were collected from the subjects, before and after the running program. (3) Results: The training program resulted in a significant increase in maximal oxygen consumption (p < 0.001). The activities of SOD, GPx, and GR also increased significantly (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, and p < 0.05, respectively), while CAT activity and GSH and MDA concentrations remained unchanged. The concentration of A decreased (p < 0.05), while the NA concentration increased significantly (p < 0.05). SOD, GPx, GR, and NA positively correlated with VO2max (p < 0.05, p < 0.001, p < 0.01, p < 0.05, respectively), while a negative correlation was detected between A and VO2max (p < 0.05). (4) Conclusions: These results indicate that there is no persistent oxidative stress in response to the applied 8-week running program, probably due to exercise-induced protective alterations in the antioxidant defense system. Furthermore, adaptations occurred at the hormonal level, making the organism more ready for a new challenge.

Effects of Respiratory Muscle Exercise on Blood Pressure Response by Sympathetic Nervous System Activation

PURPOSE: This study investigated the cardiovascular improvement effect of respiratory muscle exercise and evaluate the possibility of improving and preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) from a long-term perspective.METHODS: The study was designed as a crossover design with the same subjects (n=9). Subjects underwent a 2-week non-intervention period (CON) and a 2-week respiratory muscle exercise period (RespEX). Body composition, blood pressure, heart rate (HR), and inspiratory capacity were measured for all subjects before and after the intervention. In addition, cold pressure test (CPT) and exercise stress test were performed.RESULTS: Respiratory muscle exercise was found to significantly reduce resting HR (in RespEX, Pre- vs. Post-, <i>p</i><.01). This was accompanied by the strengthening of the respiratory muscles. Also, exercise time was increased (in RespEX, Pre- vs. Post-, <i>p</i><.001). However, it did not induce an increase in maximal oxygen consumption. The results of the CPT confirmed that hypersensitivity-induced HR increases were prevented.CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory muscle exercise may have some benefits in preventing CVD, but it seems reasonable to use it as an adjunctive therapy to aerobic exercise. Although limited, it was confirmed that respiratory muscle exercise can have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular improvement and CVD prevention through CPT.

Capoeira: hypothesis on health rehabilitation and quality-of-life maintenance.

The aim of this work was to present hypotheses supporting capoeira as an activity aimed at health rehabilitation and maintenance of quality of life. Capoeira players (n=245), residing in Brazil and abroad, were evaluated for quality of life (physical, social, psychological, and environmental domains from WHOQOL-bref). The capoeira players' quality of life scores were compared to normative values and reference values in martial arts. Besides, studies involving capoeira (Medline/Embase/Cinahl/SportDiscus) were also reviewed for health-related hypotheses, describing population, intervention, comparator, and outcome. There are hypotheses on capoeira improving health through (1) body composition, addressed by two studies investigating waist circumference, bone, and muscle mass; (2) functional capacity, investigated by three studies considering performance variables; (3) metabolism, in two studies demonstrating triglycerides and blood glucose reduction, and an enhancement of anaerobic glycolysis; and (4) cardiovascular parameters, addressed by two studies highlighting an increase in maximal oxygen consumption, heart rate, and rate of pressure product reduction, as well as an increase in parasympathetic activity at rest. The sample of this study had higher quality of life scores when compared to normative values for Brazilians, similar quality of life when it comes to social relationships, higher quality of life in the psychological and environmental domains, and lower quality of life in the physical domain when compared to practitioners of other combat sports/martial arts. An analysis of the impacts of capoeira resulted in hypotheses on the rehabilitation of players' biological health. Although the individuals were evaluated within the pandemic period, their quality of life domains were similar or superior to normative or reference values found by studies from before the pandemic.

EFFECT OF RECREATIONAL SCUBA DIVING ON CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS IN MALAYSIAN NOVICE DIVERS

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate scuba diving induced exercise response in novice divers as required in open water scuba diving certification. Methods: Maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) was performed in 30 novice divers before and within 24 hours after a standard scuba diving open water certification diving protocol of four open water dives. Results: A significant increase in maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) in mL·kg-1·min-1 after scuba diving training [25.84 (6.0) vs. 27.04 (7.0)] (p<0.05) suggestive of an increase in exercise performance. Ventilatory drive (VE/VCO2) also showed a significant increase 27.95 (2.7) vs. 30.07 (5.3). Ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT), blood pressure and lung function parameters showed no significant differences with open water scuba diving certification training. Conclusion: In novice divers, repeated training exposure during open water scuba diving certification results in increased cardiorespiratory fitness. Although further corroborating studies are needed, this would suggest that recreational scuba diving may be an option for exercise promotion in the future.

Concurrent adaptations in maximal aerobic capacity, heat tolerance, microvascular blood flow and oxygen extraction following heat acclimation and ischemic preconditioning.

We investigated the effects of: 1) Ischemic pre-conditioning (IPC) plus a concurrent five-day heat acclimation+IPC (IPC+HA), 2) five-day HA with sham IPC (HA), or 3) control (CON) on thermoneutral measurements of endurance performance, resting measures of skeletal muscle oxygenation and blood flow. Twenty-nine participants were randomly allocated to three groups, which included: 1) five-days of repeated leg occlusion (4 x 5-min) IPC at limb occlusive pressure, plus fixed-intensity (55% V˙ O2max) cycling HA at ~36°C/40% humidity; 2) HA plus sham IPC (20mmHg) or 3) or CON (thermoneutral 55% V˙ O2max plus sham IPC). In IPC+HA and HA, there were increases in maximal oxygen consumption (O2max) (7.8% and 5.4%, respectively; P<0.05), ventilatory threshold (VT) (5.6% and 2.4%, respectively, P<0.05), delta efficiency (DE) (2.0% and 1.4%, respectively; P<0.05) and maximum oxygen pulse (O2pulse-Max) (7.0% and 6.9%, respectively; P<0.05) during an exhaustive incremental test. There were no changes for CON (P>0.05). Changes (P<0.05) in resting core temperature (TC), muscle oxygen consumption (m V˙ O2), and limb blood flow (LBF) were also found pre-to-post intervention among the HA and IPC+HA groups, but not in CON (P>0.05). Five-days of either HA or IPC+HA can enhance markers of endurance performance in cooler environments, alongside improved muscle oxygen extraction, blood flow, exercising muscle efficiency and O2 pulse at higher intensities, thus suggesting the occurrence of peripheral adaptation. Both HA and IPC+HA enhance the adaptation of endurance capacity, which might partly relate to peripheral changes.

Prehabilitative Exercise for the Enhancement of Physical, Psychosocial, and Biological Outcomes Among Patients Diagnosed with Cancer.

This review summarizes the effects of prehabilitative exercise interventions on the physical, psychosocial, and biological outcomes among patients with cancer. Current gaps and future directions in prehabilitative exercise research will be addressed. Prehabilitative exercise mitigates the detrimental impact of cancer surgery on physical fitness, noted by increases in maximal oxygen consumption and 6-min walk distance. Beneficial effects on psychosocial and biological outcomes remain inconclusive. Aerobic exercise interventions were often prescribed and included low-, moderate-, or high-intensity exercise. Resistance exercise interventions were often performed in conjunction with aerobic exercise. Prehabilitative exercise elicits robust improvements in physical fitness; however, effect on psychosocial and biological outcomes remains inconclusive. Exercise prescription parameters varied greatly by frequency, intensity, time, and type across multiple cancer diagnoses. Future investigations are needed to systematically dose exercise for a wider variety of outcome measures, with an overall goal to set forth pre-operative exercise guidelines.

Training to Compete at Altitude:Natural Altitude or Simulated Live High:Train Low?

To compare the effects of natural altitude training (NAT) and simulated (SIM) live high:train low altitude training on road-race walking performance (min), as well as treadmill threshold walking speed (km·h-1) at 4mmol·L-1 and maximal oxygen consumption, at 1380m. Twenty-two elite-level male (n = 15) and female (n = 7) race walkers completed 14 d of NAT at 1380m (n = 7), SIM live high:train low at 3000:600m (n = 7), or control conditions (600-m altitude; CON, n = 8). All preintervention and postintervention testing procedures were conducted at 1380 m and consisted of an incremental treadmill test, completed prior to a 5 × 2-km road-race walking performance test. Differences between groups were analyzed via mixed-model analysis of variance and magnitude-based inferences, with a substantial change detected with >75% likelihood of exceeding the smallest worthwhile change. The improvement in total performance time for the 5 × 2-km test in NAT was not substantially different from SIM but was substantially greater (85% likely) than CON. The improvement in percentage decrement in the 5 × 2-km performance test in NAT was greater than in both SIM (93% likely) and CON (93% likely). The increase in maximal oxygen consumption was substantially greater (91% likely) in NAT than in SIM. Improvement in threshold walking speed was substantially greater than CON for both SIM (91% likely) and NAT (90% likely). Both NAT and SIM may allow athletes to achieve reasonable acclimation prior to competition at low altitude.

Exercise as an intervention for patients with end-stage liver disease: Systematic review.

Background:Various etiologies of chronic liver disease often result in cirrhosis. Beside obvious liver-related complications, cirrhosis also leads to loss of muscle mass and decreased exercise capacity. In this study, our aim was to conduct a systematic review of literature to investigate the efficacy of exercise interventions in patients with cirrhosis.Method:PubMed was used to perform the literature search. The mesh terms used were the following: (liver (and) cirrhosis (and) exercise or (exercise therapy)). The following terms were excluded: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The search was limited to the English language and human research. The initial search was conducted on December 6, 2016 and re-reviewed May 2017.Results:Seven studies met selection criteria. Training interventions ranged between 4 and 14 weeks in duration with an exercise frequency of 3 to 5 days per week. Most studies demonstrated an increase in maximal oxygen consumption using gas exchange techniques. Two of 3 studies demonstrated increased distance covered in the 6-minute walk test. One study showed a clinically significant decrease in hepatic venous pressure gradient, while another showed a transient increase only during exercise. There were no adverse effects of the exercise program reported.Conclusions:Exercise in selected patients with cirrhosis can have potential benefit in endurance and functional outcome measures without adverse effect from exercise.

Aerobic Exercise Training and Inducible Inflammation: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial in Healthy, Young Adults.

BackgroundConsensus panels regularly recommend aerobic exercise for its health‐promoting properties, due in part to presumed anti‐inflammatory effects, but many studies show no such effect, possibly related to study differences in participants, interventions, inflammatory markers, and statistical approaches. This variability makes an unequivocal determination of the anti‐inflammatory effects of aerobic training elusive.Methods and ResultsWe conducted a randomized controlled trial of 12 weeks of aerobic exercise training or a wait list control condition followed by 4 weeks of sedentary deconditioning on lipopolysaccharide (0, 0.1, and 1.0 ng/mL)‐inducible tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), and on toll‐like receptor 4 in 119 healthy, sedentary young adults. Aerobic capacity by cardiopulmonary exercise testing was measured at study entry (T1) and after training (T2) and deconditioning (T3). Despite a 15% increase in maximal oxygen consumption, there were no changes in inflammatory markers. Additional analyses revealed a differential longitudinal aerobic exercise training effect by lipopolysaccharide level in inducible TNF‐α (P=0.08) and IL‐6 (P=0.011), showing T1 to T2 increases rather than decreases in inducible (lipopolysaccharide 0.1, 1.0 versus 0.0 ng/mL) TNF‐α (51% increase, P=0.041) and IL‐6 (42% increase, P=0.11), and significant T2 to T3 decreases in inducible TNF‐α (54% decrease, P=0.007) and IL‐6 (55% decrease, P<0.001). There were no significant changes in either group at the 0.0 ng/mL lipopolysaccharide level for TNF‐α or IL‐6.ConclusionsThe failure to support the primary hypotheses and the unexpected post hoc findings of an exercise‐training–induced proinflammatory response raise questions about whether and under what conditions exercise training has anti‐inflammatory effects.Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01335737.

Water-based aerobic training improves strength parameters and cardiorespiratory outcomes in elderly women.

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of water-based aerobic training and water-based resistance training on muscular strength and cardiorespiratory fitness in older women. Sixty-nine individuals were randomized into the following three groups: the water-based aerobic training (WA, n = 23) group, the water-based resistance training (WR, n = 23) group, and the control group (CG, n = 23). Participants were trained two times per week for 10 weeks. The trainings presented a linear periodization with an increase in the volume-intensity relation. Maximal dynamic muscular strength and the cardiorespiratory fitness were evaluated before the start of training and after 10 weeks of training. Only the WA group showed an increase in maximal oxygen consumption (13.8%) and oxygen consumption at the second ventilatory threshold (16.4%). Maximal dynamic strength of knee extensors improved in 10.6% of WA, 8.0% of WR, and 4.7% of CG participants, without any difference between the groups. Maximal dynamic strength of knee flexors was increased in 14.1% of WA and in 17.7% of WR participants; however, it remains unchanged in CG participants. No differences were observed in resting heart rate, peak heart rate, heart rate at the second ventilatory threshold and maximal dynamic strength of shoulder horizontal flexors. It was concluded that WA seems to be more efficient for improvement in cardiorespiratory responses, and both WA and WR were efficient for development of maximal dynamic strength of knee flexion and extension.

Concepts About V˙O2max and Trainability Are Context Dependent.

Some individuals show little or no increase in maximal oxygen consumption (V˙O2max) in response to training programs consistent with public health guidelines. However, results from studies using more intense programs challenge the concept that some humans have limited trainability. We explore the implications of these divergent observations on the biology of trainability and propose a new set of twin studies to explore them.

Cardiorespiratory responses, nitric oxide production and inflammatory factors in patients with myocardial infarction after rehabilitation

There is evidence that myocardial infarction (MI) patients have an inflammatory process that includes skeletal muscles, and exercise has been reported to reduce some inflammatory markers. The aim of this work was to study NO and some inflammatory markers in quadriceps muscle of MI patients before and after cardiac rehabilitation. Muscle biopsy was obtained in 17 MI patients before and after CR and only once in 11 healthy subjects. Several cardiorespiratory and metabolic parameters were evaluated and skeletal muscle levels of nitric oxide synthases, nitrate, nitrite, nitrotyrosine, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), interleukin- 6 (IL-6) and CD154. After CR there was an increase in maximal oxygen consumption (21.2 ± 1.4 vs 25.7 ± 2.5 mL/kg/min, P < 0.0001); work load (116.2 ± 14.9 vs 140 ± 17 W, P < 0.0001); pulmonary ventilation (59.8 ± 7,5 vs 73.8 ± 11.6 L/min, P < 0.0001); anaerobic threshold (53.8% ± 3.5% vs 60.2% ± 3.3% of maximal VO2, P < 0.0001), maximal lactatemia (8.1 ± 1.4 vs 9.3 ± 1.5 mmol/L, P < 0.0001), and oxygen pulse (11.7 ± 1.6 vs 14.0 ± 1.9 mL/pulse, P < 0.0001). CSA of type I fibers increased (4380 ± 1868 vs 5237 ± 1530 μm2, P = 0.02), and nitrate (18.6 ± 3.04 vs 20.7 ± 2.0 ng/mg, P < 0.001). There was a negative correlation between BMI, fat%, waist and hip circumferences and NO synthase, nitrite and nitrate after CR. The inflammatory mediators were higher in patients than in control subjects and did not change with CR. TGF-β correlated directly with nitrite and nitrate and inversely to other inflammatory factors. In conclusion, there is an increase of nitrate post CR, indicating a more effective NO production. TGF-β was related to anti-inflammatory processes even before CR.

Feasibility of high-intensity training in asthma

ABSTRACTBackground: High-intensity interval training is an effective and popular training regime but its feasibility in untrained adults with asthma is insufficiently described.Objective: The randomized controlled trial ‘EFFORT Asthma’ explored the effects of behavioural interventions including high-intensity interval training on clinical outcomes in nonobese sedentary adults with asthma. In this article we present a sub analysis of data aiming to evaluate if patients’ pre-intervention levels of asthma control, FEV1, airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) predicted their training response to the high-intensity interval training program, measured as increase in maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max).Design: We used data from the EFFORT Asthma Study. Of the 36 patients randomized to the 8-week exercise intervention consisting of high-intensity training three times per week, 29 patients (45% females) completed the study and were included in this data analysis. Pre-intervention assessment included the asthma control questionnaire (ACQ), spirometry, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and AHR to mannitol. VO2 max was measured during an incremental cycle test.Results: The majority of included patients had partly or uncontrolled asthma reflected by a mean (SD) ACQ at 1.7 (0.6). Median (IQR) FeNO was 28.5 (23.8) ppb and 75% had a positive mannitol test indicating AHR.The association between patients’ training response measured as increase in VO2max and pre-intervention ACQ scores was not statistically significant (p = 0.49). Likewise, the association between patients’ increase in VO2max and FeNO as well as AHR was not statistically significant (p = 0.80 and p = 0.58).Conclusions: Included asthma patients could adhere to the high-intensity interval protocol and improve their VO2max regardless of pre-intervention levels of asthma control, airway inflammation and AHR.

Greater Oxidative Capacity in Primary Myotubes from Endurance-trained Women.

Exercise training promotes skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and an increase in maximal oxygen consumption. Primary myotubes retain some metabolic properties observed in vivo but it is unknown whether this includes exercise-induced mitochondrial adaptations. The goal of this study was to test if primary myotubes from exercise-trained women have higher mitochondrial content and maximal oxygen consumption compared with untrained women. Six trained and nine untrained white women participated in this study. Muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis muscle of the right leg were obtained and primary muscle cells were isolated. Maximal respiration rates, mitochondrial mRNA and protein content, and succinate dehydrogenase activity were measured in skeletal muscle and primary myotubes from trained and untrained women. Trained women, compared with untrained women, had higher maximal whole-body oxygen consumption (+18%, P = 0.03), in vivo maximal skeletal muscle oxidative capacity measured with near infrared spectroscopy (+48%, P < 0.01), and maximal oxygen consumption in permeabilized muscle fibers (+38%, P = 0.02), which coincided with higher protein levels of muscle mitochondrial enzymes. Primary myotubes from trained women had higher maximal oxygen consumption (+38%, P = 0.03), suggesting that some elements of exercise-induced metabolic programming persists ex vivo. Consistent with this idea, myotubes from trained women had higher mRNA levels of transcriptional regulators of mitochondrial biogenesis in addition to higher protein levels of mitochondrial enzymes. These data suggest the existence of an "exercise metabolic program," where primary myotubes isolated from exercise-trained individuals exhibit greater mitochondrial content and oxidative capacity compared with untrained individuals. These myotubes may be a useful model to study molecular mechanisms relevant to exercise adaptations in human skeletal muscle.

An intensive lifestyle intervention reduces circulating oxidised low-density lipoprotein and increases human paraoxonase activity in obese subjects

Obesity has a great impact on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, the treatment of this pathological state is important given the significant health consequences. Lifestyle and behaviour changes play a significant role in weight management. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of an intensive multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention on well-known atherogenic factors in a group of overweight and obese subjects. A total of 44 people with overweight/obesity underwent a lifestyle intervention based on nutritional education, psychological support and a 3-month exercise training program with a frequency of twice a week. Several anthropometric and biochemical parameters were measured before and after the lifestyle intervention. Lifestyle intervention led to a significant reduction in metabolic profile including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, plasma glucose, and plasma triglycerides. These reductions were also accompanied by a significant increase in maximal oxygen consumption and muscle strength. Furthermore, paraoxonase and lactonase activities and the concentration of Apoliproteins A1 (APO A1) were significantly increased and the serum levels of oxLDL reduced without any changes in the circulating levels of LDL and HDL. In conclusion, our study suggests that an intensive lifestyle intervention in obese subjects promotes a series of beneficial antiatherogenic changes which included increased enzyme activites of paraoxonase and lactonase, concentration of Apoliproteins A1 and decreased circulating levels of oxLDL.

Aerobic exercise increases resistance to oxidative stress in sedentary older middle-aged adults. A pilot study.

Older individuals who exercise regularly exhibit greater resistance to oxidative stress than their sedentary peers, suggesting that exercise can modify age-associated loss of resistance to oxidative stress. However, we recently demonstrated that a single bout of exercise confers protection against a subsequent oxidative challenge in young, but not older adults. We therefore hypothesized that repeated bouts of exercise would be needed to increase resistance to an oxidative challenge in sedentary older middle-aged adults. Sedentary older middle-aged men and women (50-63years, n=11) participated in an 8-week exercise intervention. Maximal oxygen consumption was measured before and after the intervention. The exercise intervention consisted of three sessions per week, for 45min at an intensity corresponding to 70-85% maximal heart rate (HRmax). Resistance to oxidative stress was measured by F2-isoprostane response to a forearm ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) trial. Each participant underwent the I/R trial before and after the exercise intervention. The intervention elicited a significant increase in maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) (P<0.0001). Baseline levels of F2-isoprostanes pre- and post-intervention did not differ, but the F2-isoprostane response to the I/R trial was significantly lower following the exercise intervention (time-by-trial interaction, P=0.043). Individual improvements in aerobic fitness were associated with greater improvements in the F2-isoprostane response (r=-0.761, P=0.011), further supporting the role of aerobic fitness in resistance to oxidative stress. These data demonstrate that regular exercise with improved fitness leads to increased resistance to oxidative stress in older middle-aged adults and that this measure is modifiable in previously sedentary individuals.

Endurance training and maximal oxygen consumption with ageing: Role of maximal cardiac output and oxygen extraction

The increase in maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) with endurance training is associated with that of maximal cardiac output (Qmax), but not oxygen extraction, in young individuals. Whether such a relationship is altered with ageing remains unclear. Therefore, we sought systematically to review and determine the effect of endurance training on and the associations among VO2max, Qmax and arteriovenous oxygen difference at maximal exercise (Ca-vO2max) in healthy aged individuals. We conducted a systematic search of MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science, from their inceptions until May 2015 for articles assessing the effect of endurance training lasting 3 weeks or longer on VO2max and Qmax and/or Ca-vO2max in healthy middle-aged and/or older individuals (mean age ≥40 years). Meta-analyses were performed to determine the standardised mean difference (SMD) in VO2max, Qmax and Ca-vO2max between post and pre-training measurements. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations among SMDs and potential moderating factors. Sixteen studies were included after systematic review, comprising a total of 153 primarily untrained healthy middle-aged and older subjects (mean age 42-71 years). Endurance training programmes ranged from 8 to 52 weeks of duration. After data pooling, VO2max (SMD 0.89; P < 0.0001) and Qmax (SMD 0.61; P < 0.0001) were increased after endurance training; no heterogeneity among studies was detected. Ca-vO2max was only increased with endurance training interventions lasting more than 12 weeks (SMD 0.62; P = 0.001). In meta-regression, the SMD in Qmax was positively associated with the SMD in VO2max (B = 0.79, P = 0.04). The SMD in Ca-vO2max was not associated with the SMD in VO2max (B = 0.09, P = 0.84). The improvement in VO2max following endurance training is a linear function of Qmax, but not Ca-vO2max, through healthy ageing.

The Effects of Recombinant Human Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I/Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3 Administration on Body Composition and Physical Fitness in Recreational Athletes.

IGF-I is thought to mediate many of the anabolic actions of GH, and there are anecdotal reports that IGF-I is misused by elite athletes. There is no published evidence regarding the effects of IGF-I administration on athletic performance. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of IGF-I administration on body composition and physical fitness in recreational athletes. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled recombinant human (rh) IGF-I/rhIGF binding protein (IGFBP)-3 administration study at Southampton General Hospital (Southampton, United Kingdom). Fifty-six recreational athletes (30 men, 26 women) participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to receive placebo, low-dose rhIGF-I/rhIGFBP-3 (30 mg/d), or high dose rhIGF-I/rhIGFBP-3 (60 mg/d) for 28 days. Body composition (assessed by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) and cardiorespiratory fitness (assessed by incremental treadmill test) were measured before and immediately after treatment. Within-individual changes after treatment were analyzed using paired t tests. There were no significant changes in body fat mass or lean body mass in women or men after the administration of the rhIGF-I/rhIGFBP-3 complex. There was a significant increase in maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) after treatment. When women and men and low- and high-dose treatment groups were combined, mean VO2 max increased by approximately 7% (P = .001). No significant change in VO2 max was observed in the placebo group. rhIGF-I/rhIGFBP-3 administration for 28 days improves aerobic performance in recreational athletes, but there are no effects on body composition.

Portugues

The aging process is natural and irreversible, bringing diseases of aging and bodily losses. However, it is possible to prove that exercise can be an excellent choice to reduce the causes of this process and to age with more health. In this sense, the objective of this research was to survey existing research in order to understand what the effects caused by exercise that contribute to the functional autonomy of the elderly. The methodology used to develop the research was qualitative type of literature, from a survey of journal articles and academic books. The results were that exercise promotes well-being and optimizes the quality of life, independence / functional autonomy, slows the diseases of aging, prevents diseases like diabetes and hypertension, and also promotes the increase in maximal oxygen consumption. Given the results, the final considerations of this research are that the exercise by causing positive effects on the practitioner, helping to optimize the functional independence of older people.

Use of Concept Mapping in an Undergraduate Introductory Exercise Physiology Course

Physiology is often considered a challenging course for students. It is up to teachers to structure courses and create learning opportunities that will increase the chance of student success. In an undergraduate exercise physiology course, concept maps are assigned to help students actively process and organize information into manageable and meaningful chunks and to teach them to recognize the patterns and regularities of physiology. Students are first introduced to concept mapping with a commonly relatable non‐physiology concept and are then assigned a series of maps that become more and more complex. Students map the acute response to a drop in blood pressure, the causes of the acute increase in stroke volume during cardiorespiratory exercise, and the factors contributing to an increase in maximal oxygen consumption with cardiorespiratory endurance training. In the process, students draw the integrative nature of physiology, identify causal relationships, and learn about general models and core principles of physiology.