Astaxanthin Supplementation Augments the Benefits of CrossFit Workouts on Semaphorin 3C and Other Adipokines in Males with Obesity.

Regular physical activity and the use of nutritional supplements, including antioxidants, are recognized as efficacious approaches for the prevention and mitigation of obesity-related complications. This study investigated the effects of 12 weeks of CrossFit training combined with astaxanthin (ASX) supplementation on some plasma adipokines in males with obesity. Sixty-eight males with obesity (BMI: 33.6 ± 1.4 kg·m-2) were randomly assigned into four groups: the control group (CG; n = 11), ASX supplementation group (SG; n = 11), CrossFit group (TG; n = 11), and training plus supplement group (TSG; n = 11). Participants underwent 12 weeks of supplementation with ASX or placebo (20 mg/day capsule daily), CrossFit training, or a combination of both interventions. Plasma levels of semaphorin 3C (SEMA3C), apelin, chemerin, omentin1, visfatin, resistin, adiponectin, leptin, vaspin, and RBP4 were measured 72 h before the first training session and after the last training session. The plasma levels of all measured adipokines were significantly altered in SG, TG, and TSG groups (p < 0.05). The reduction of resistin was significantly higher in TSG than in SG (p < 0.05). The plasma levels of omentin1 were significantly higher in both training groups of TG and TSG than SG (p < 0.05), although such a meaningful difference was not observed between both training groups (p > 0.05). Significant differences were found in the reductions of plasma levels of vaspin, visfatin, apelin, RBP4, chemerin, and SEMA3C between the SG and TSG groups (p < 0.05). The study found that a 12-week intervention using ASX supplementation and CrossFit exercises resulted in significant improvements in several adipokines among male individuals with obesity. Notably, the combined approach of supplementation and training had the most pronounced results. The findings presented in this study indicate that the supplementation of ASX and participation in CrossFit exercise have the potential to be effective therapies in mitigating complications associated with obesity and enhancing metabolic health.

Intensity Dependent Effects of Interval Resistance Training on Myokines and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Males With Obesity.

Objective: To determine the effects of different intensities of interval resistance training (IRT) protocols on the levels of select myokines (decorin, follistatin, myostatin, activin A, transforming growth factor beta-1 [TGF-ß1]), and cardiometabolic and anthropometric measures in males with obesity. Methods: Forty-four obese males (age: 27.5 ± 9.4 yr.; height: 165.4 ± 2.8 cm; weight: 97.9 ± 2.6 kg and BMI: 35.7 ± 4.3 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to one of four groups (n=11 per group): low-intensity interval resistance training (LIIRT), moderate-intensity interval resistance training (MIIRT), high-intensity interval resistance training (HIIRT) or control (C). The LIIRT group performed 10 exercises in 3 sets of 40% (20 repetitions), the MIIRT group performed 10 exercises in three sets of 60% (13 repetitions), and the HIIRT group performed 10 exercises in three sets of 80% (10 repetitions) of one maximum repetition (1RM), which were followed with active rest of 20% of 1RM and 15 repetitions. The resistance training groups exercised ~70 min per session, 3 days per week, for 12 weeks. Measurements were taken at baseline and after 12 weeks of exercise training. Results: Baseline levels of myokines, cardiovascular risk factors, anthropometry, body composition, and cardio-respiratory fitness were not different between the four groups (p>0.05). The group x time interactions for decorin, activin A, follistatin, myostatin, and TGF-ß1, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density cholesterol (HDL), low-density cholesterol (LDL), anthropometry, body composition, and cardio-respiratory fitness were statistically significant (p<0.05). There were increases in post-test values for decorin, follistatin, HDL (p<0.05) and decreases in TC, TG, TGF-ß1, LDL, and myostatin levels in the LIIRT, MIIRT, and HIIRT groups compared to pretest values (p<0.05). Changes in fat mass, VO2peak, HDL, TG, glucose, activin A, decorin were not significant in LIIRT compared to the control group, while changes in activin A, follistatin, and TFG-ß1 levels were greater in HIIRT and MIIRT groups compared to the LIIRT group (p<0.05). Conclusion: The LIIRT, MIIRT, and HIIRT protocols all produced beneficial changes in decorin, activin A, follistatin, myostatin, and TGF-ß1 levels, and cardiometabolic risk factors, with greater effects from the MIIRT and HIIRT protocols compared to LIIRT.

Effects of Three Different Modes of Resistance Training on Appetite Hormones in Males With Obesity.

Purpose: This study explored the effect of three different modes of resistance training on appetite hormones [leptin, ghrelin, cholecystokinin (CCK), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY)], cardiometabolic and anthropometric measures in males with obesity. Methods: Forty-four males with obesity (age: 27.5 ± 9.4 yrs.; mean weight: 93.2 ± 2.2 kg, body mass index: 32.9 ± 1.2 kg/m2) were randomized to traditional resistance training (TRT, n = 11), circuit resistance training (CRT, n = 11), interval resistance training (IRT, n = 11) or control (C, n = 11) groups. All resistance training groups received 50 min of supervised training per session, three days per week, for 12 weeks. Measurements were taken at baseline and after 12 weeks of training. Results: Plasma levels of leptin, ghrelin, CCK, and PYY decreased significantly in all three different modalities of resistance training groups when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). GLP-1 increased significantly in both CRT and IRT groups compared to TRT and C groups (p < 0.05). Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide decreased significantly in CRT and IRT groups compared to the C group (p < 0.05). Adiponectin levels increased significantly in all resistance training groups compared to the C group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Overall, CRT and IRT protocols had the greatest impact on appetite hormones compared to individuals who engaged in TRT or did not exercise (C).

Determination of CRP blood level in type 1 diabetic patients and the effect of aerobic and resistance training on the level of this biomarker.

BACKGROUND: Increasing prevalence of diabetes and its complications, including cardiovascular problems, increase the cost of health care. With proper planning to change lifestyle, like costs and complications of type 1 diabetes could be diminished. The present study investigated the effect of aerobic and resistance training on blood CRP level of type 1 diabetic patients as a protective marker on cardiovascular cells. METHODS: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 32 patients with type 1 diabetes were divided into two groups of aerobic and resistance exercise training. Serum CRP levels were measured in all patients before and after exercise. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney, Bootstrap and SPSS tests. RESULTS: In this study, for abnormal data, Bootstrap method was used, which created an acceptable confidence interval. And using analysis of variance to control the effect of CRP (interfering) level before and after exercise was not significant (P=0.37). CONCLUSION: Considering the relationship between exercise training with CRP level in type 1 diabetic patients specially in aerobic training group as well as CRP level according to the training program condition, it can be concluded that there is not effective relationship between this biomarker and exercise training in type 1 diabetic patients.

Altered Neural Response Induced by Central-Fatigue in the Cortical Area During High-Intensity Interval Pedaling.

INTRODUCTION: The central-governor model explains the mechanism of endurance exercise-induced central fatigue, but high-intensity exercise-induced central fatigue has not been investigated yet. This study aimed to research how central fatigue during high-intensity intermittent pedaling alters the neural response, which results in Electroencephalography (EEG) recordings. METHODS: We assessed neural response by measuring the alternation of brainwave spectral power during an intermittent high-intensity 60-minute exercise on an ergometer cycle. The cadences were changed every 10 minutes according to intermittent pattern altering (90-120-60-120-60-90 rpm). EEG was used to analyze altering brain function. Heart Rate (HR), Blood Lactate (BL), and Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) were measured after the change in cadences. RESULTS: HR, BL, and RPE increased at a cadence of 120 rpm compared with 60 rpm on the ergometer cycle. The spectral power of EEG, according to cadence × brainwaves, significantly increased (P<0.01) in the alpha and beta frequency ranges with a change in cadences between 60 rpm and 120 rpm. The spectral power of the EEG significantly increased (P<0.01) over the whole frequency range from rest to warming (theta: 251%, alpha: 165%, beta: 145%) and significantly reduced in theta, alpha, and beta (theta: 176%, alpha: 142%, beta: 77%) (P≤0.01). CONCLUSION: High-intensity exercises (90 and 120 cadences) increased brain function, regardless of fatigue occurrence. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) led to altering the neural response. It would be required to investigate the usefulness of HIIT to treat some of the psychotic disorders.