A functional evaluation of anti-fatigue and exercise performance improvement following vitamin B complex supplementation in healthy humans, a randomized double-blind trial.

B vitamins play a crucial role in maintaining fundamental cellular functions and various essential metabolic pathways in the body. Although they do not directly provide energy, each B vitamin acts as a cofactor in energy metabolism processes. Based on the evidence presented above, we hypothesized that a 28-day supplementation of vitamin B would enhance physical performance and reduce physical fatigue. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-fatigue effect of vitamin B supplementation, specifically vitamin B1, B2, B6, and B12, and its potential to improve exercise performance. We employed a randomized double-blind crossover design with a 28-day supplementation period. Sixteen male and sixteen female subjects, aged 20-30 years, were divided into two groups: the placebo group (n=16, equal gender distribution) and the Ex PLUS® group (n=16, equal gender distribution). The participants received either placebo or Ex PLUS® (one tablet per day) for 28 consecutive days. Following the intervention, there was a 14-day wash-out period during which the subjects did not receive any further interventions. After supplementation with Ex PLUS®, we found a significant increase in the running time by 1.26-fold (p < 0.05) to exhaustion compared to that before supplementation and that in the placebo group. In addition, the Ex PLUS® supplementation group presented significantly reduced blood lactate and blood ammonia concentrations during exercise and at rest after exercise compared with placebo (p < 0.05). In conclusion, 28 consecutive days of vitamin B complex (Ex PLUS®) supplementation significantly improved exercise endurance performance and reduced exercise fatigue biochemical metabolites in not athletes. In addition, it does not cause adverse effects in humans when taken at appropriate doses.

Effect of the Brief Instructional Video Intervention on the Quality of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

Background: Chest compressions are the basis of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and high-quality chest compressions can improve survival rate in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Although many efforts have been made to improve the quality of CPR in inexperienced adults, the results are still not high, especially during emergencies. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate whether a brief instructional chest compression-only CPR video could improve chest compression quality in inexperienced adults. Methods: One hundred adults with no CPR experience (age: 20.28 ± 2.28 years; women: 50, men: 50) participated in this study. Participants completed body composition and handgrip strength measurements, and performed two CPR quality tests on the Laerdal® Little Anne QCPR Manikin, namely without video-CPR (WV-CPR) and video-CPR (V-CPR). The WV-CPR quality test was performed first. After 2 minutes of continuous chest compression, the participants rested for 10 seconds and repeated 3 cycles (phase 1, phase 2, and phase 3). After resting for more than 72 hours, V-CPR quality test was conducted. During the V-CPR with video intervention, the participants also continued to compress the chest for 2 minutes, and then rested for 10 seconds, repeating 3 cycles. Results: In phase 1, compared with WV-CPR, the V-CPR has a significant increase (p < 0.001) in chest compression fraction (CCF) (56.31 ± 33.22% vs. 41.82 ± 32.30%) and percent of correct compression rate (PCCR) (96.17 ± 8.45% vs. 26.31 ± 37.55%). In addition, the V-CPR has significantly lower (p < 0.001) chest compression rate (CCR) (110.85 ± 2.40 cpm vs. 128.86 ± 24.52 cpm) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) (11.89 ± 2.25 vs. 12.87 ± 2.25). For phases 2 through 3, V-CPR and WV-CPR achieved significant differences in CCF, CCD, CCR, PCCR, and RPE (p < 0.01). There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in CCF, CCD, chest compression rebound rate, and RPE among the different administration stages of both WV-CPR and V-CPR. Conclusions: The results of this study revealed that a brief instructional chest compression-only CPR video could improve chest compression quality for inexperienced adults by reducing fatigue and CCR, and increasing CCF and PCCR.

Contribution of Body Mass Index Stratification for the Prediction of Maximal Oxygen Uptake.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether modeling within separate body mass index (BMI) stratifications improves the accuracy of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) prediction compared to a model developed regardless of adults' BMIs. A total of 250 Taiwanese adults (total group, TOG) aged 22-64 years participated in this study, and were stratified into a normal group (NOG: 135), an overweight group (OVG: 69), and an obesity group (OBG: 46), according to the BMI classification recommended by the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare. VO2max was directly measured on an electromagnetic bicycle ergometer. Using the participant's heart rate in the 3-min incremental step-in-place test and demographic parameters, VO2max prediction models established for four groups were TOG model, NOG model, OVG model, and OBG model, respectively. Compared with the TOG model, the OVG and OBG models had higher coefficients of determination and lower standard error of estimates (SEEs), or %SEEs. The validities of the NOG (r = 0.780), OVG (r = 0.776), and OBG (r = 0.791) models for BMI subgroups increased by 1.79%, 4.64%, and 8.22% respectively, and the reliabilities (NOG model: ICC = 0.755; OVG model: ICC = 0.765; OBG model: ICC = 0.779) increased by 3.18%, 3.27%, and 9.63%, respectively. These results suggested using separate models established in BMI stratifications can effectively improve the prediction of VO2max.

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Supplementation with Planox® Lemon Verbena Extract in Improving Oxidative Stress and Muscle Damage: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial.

Excessive exercise load can cause muscle soreness and fatigue, as well as inflammation and oxidative stress. Lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla; Lippia citriodora) is often used as a spice in tea or beverages. Its leaves are rich in polyphenols, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactivities. In the present study, we investigated whether supplementation with Planox® lemon verbena extract (LVE) could improve muscle damage and biochemical indicators after exhaustive exercise challenge. All subjects (30 males and 30 females) underwent a double-blind trial and were randomly divided into a placebo group (0 mg/human/day) and an LVE supplement group (400 mg/human/day), with gender-equal distribution. All subjects started supplementation 10 days before exhaustive exercise and continued it until all tests were completed. Before the intervention, after the exhaustive exercise, and on the following 3 days, the participants underwent 12-minute Cooper running/walking; blood collection; assessments of pain, muscle stiffness, maximum jump heights, and isometric maximum muscle strength. The results showed that supplementation with LVE effectively increased GPx and reduced CK, IL-6, 8-OHdG and muscle pain after the exhaustive exercise, but it had significant effect on strength recovery. In summary, LVE is a safe and edible natural plant extract that can reduce muscle damage and soreness after exercise. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04742244.

Effect of Ambulance Stretcher Bed Height Adjustment on CPR Quality and Rescuer Fatigue in a Laboratory Environment.

Background: The quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is closely related to the survival rate of a patient, and it is crucial to maintain the quality of CPR during the ambulance journey to the receiving hospital. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different stretcher bed heights on operator CPR quality. Methods: In this randomized crossover trial, 16 male emergency medical technicians-paramedics (EMT-Ps) performed continuous chest compressions on a hemimorphic mannequin for 5 minutes, alternating between the current height of the stretcher bed on the ambulance (38 ± 1 cm) (S-38) and the height of the participant's midpoint of the patella (S-knee), where the stretcher bed surface is. Results: According to the analysis of the quality of CPR exercises with two different stretcher bed heights at 5 minutes of continuous chest compression, the mean chest compression depth (CCD) of the S-38 position (53.81 ± 1.91 cm) was significantly lower than that of the S-knee (55.12 ± 2.03 cm; p < 0.001). The mean chest compression rate (CCR) of the S-38 position (111.44 ± 3.44 beats/min) was significantly higher than that of the S-knee (109.63 ± 4.46 beats/min; p = 0.027). The mean of total chest compressions (TCC) of the S-38 position (557.44 ± 16.81 times) was significantly higher than that of the S-knee (548.24 ± 19.40 times; p = 0.029). The rating of perceived exertion (RPE) of the S-38 position was significantly higher than that of the S-knee (12.75 ± 1.91 %; p = 0.015). Only the chest compression rebound rate (CCRR) (S-38: 97.56 ± 4.63 % vs. S-knee: 98.31 ± 1.89 %, p = 0.401) and the chest compression fraction (CCF) (S-38: 98.44 ± 0.81 % vs. S-knee: 98.44 ± 0.96 %, p = 1.000) did not reach a significant difference. Conclusion: When a resuscitator is performing chest compressions in a standing position in an ambulance, the excessive downward leaning of the resuscitator's upper body affects CPR quality and increases fatigue. This study has verified that setting the stretcher bed of the ambulance at the knee height of the EMTs provides better CPR quality and lower fatigue.

The feasibility of emergency medical technicians performing intermittent high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Background: Whether intermittent chest compressions have an effect on the quality of CPR is worthy of discussion. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in the chest compression quality of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with different rest intervals. Methods: Seventy male firefighters with EMT licenses participated in this study. Participants completed body composition measurements and three CPR quality tests, as follows: (1) CPR-uninterrupted for 10 minutes; (2) after 2 days of rest, CPR 10s-intermittent (CPR-10s), for 2 minutes each time and 5 cycles; (3) after another 2 days of rest, CPR 20s-intermittent (CPR-20s), for 2 minutes each time and 5 cycles. Results: Body composition results showed that body mass (BM), body mass index (BMI), upper limb muscle mass (ULMM), core muscle mass (CMM), and upper limb-core muscle mass (UL+CMM) were positively correlated with chest compression depth (CCD) (p < 0.05). Analysis of the three different modes of CPR quality analysis indicated significant differences in the chest compression fraction (CCF, F = 6.801, p = 0.001), chest compression rebound rate (CCRR, F = 3.919, p = 0.021), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE, F = 23.815, p < 0.001). Among the different performance cycles of CPR-10s, significant differences were found in CCF, CCD, CCR (chest compression rate), and RPE (p < 0.05). On the other hand, among the different performance cycles of CPR-20s, significant differences were found in CCD, CCR, and RPE (p < 0.05). Moreover, the CCF, CCD, and RPE scores of the two tests reached significant differences in specific phases (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study confirmed that the upper limb muscle mass or the weight of the upper body of EMTs is positively correlated with the quality of CPR. In addition, intermittent chest compressions with safe interruption intervals can reduce fatigue caused by long-term chest compressions and maintain better chest compression quality.

Protective Effects of Resveratrol Supplementation on Contusion Induced Muscle Injury.

Muscle injuries frequently occur in contact sports events. The current treatment options for soft tissue injuries remain suboptimal and often result in delayed or incomplete recovery of damaged muscles. Resveratrol (RES) is a phenolic phytochemical, well-known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential beneficial effects of RES supplementation on inflammation and regeneration in skeletal muscle after a contusion injury, in comparison to a conventional treatment of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). After one week of acclimation, forty eight -week-old male ICR mice were randomly divided into the five groups (n=8 per group): 1) normal control (NC), 2) mass-drop injury without any treatment (mass-drop injury, MDI), 3) post-injury NSAID treatment (MDI+ 10mg/kg NSAID), 4) post-injury RES supplementation (MDI+ 25mg/kg/day RES) and 5) post-injury treatment with RES and NSAID (MDI + resveratrol+ NSAID). After muscle contusion injury of the left gastrocnemius muscle, RES or NSAID were orally administered post-injury once a day for 7 days. Results showed that the MDI group had significantly higher serum uric acid (UA), CREA (creatinine), LDH (lactic dehydrogenase) and creatine kinase (CK) than the normal control group. Treatment with resveratrol reduced muscle damage as evidenced by the significantly decreased serum levels of UA, CREA, LDH and CK after contusion-induced muscle injuries in mice. In addition, RES and RES + NSAID groups promoted muscle satellite cell regeneration with increase in desmin protein after injury. Our results suggest that resveratrol combined with NSAID potentially improve muscle recovery and may be a potential candidate for further development as an effective clinical treatment for muscle repair.

Beneficial effects of a negative ion patch on eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage, inflammation, and exercise performance in badminton athletes.

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) are widely applied and accepted for therapeutic purposes because of their numerous benefits. Negative ion treatment belongs to one of the critical categories defined by the National Center for CAM, with such treatment capable of air purification and ameliorating emotional disorders (e.g., depression and seasonal affective disorder). Negative ions can be produced naturally and also by a material with activated energy. Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) often occurs due to inadequate warm up, high-intensity exercise, overload, and inappropriate posture, especially for high-intensive competition. Few studies have investigated the effects of negative ion treatment on muscular injury in the sports science field. In the current study, we enrolled badminton athletes and induced muscle damage in them through eccentric exercise in the form of a high-intensity squat program. We evaluated the effects of negative ion patches of different intensities at three points (preexercise, postexercise, and recovery) by analyzing physiological indexes (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10, creatine kinase [CK], and lactate dehydrogenase [LDH] levels) and performing a functional assessment (a countermovement jump [CMJ] test). We found that a high-intensity negative ion patch could significantly reduce the levels of TNF-α, an injury-associated inflammatory cytokine, and related markers (CK and LDH). In addition, muscular overload-caused fatigue could be also ameliorated, as indicated by the functional CMJ test result, and related muscular characteristics (tone and stiffness) could be effectively improved. Thus, the negative ion treatment could effectively improve physiological adaption and muscular fatigue recovery after EIMD in the current study. The negative ion patch treatment can be further integrated into a taping system to synergistically fulfill exercise-induced damage protection and functional elevation. However, the effects of this treatment require further experimental validation.

Influences of Lateral Jump Smash Actions in Different Situations on the Lower Extremity Load of Badminton Players.

Badminton atypical actions and hitting movements often occur during the game; therefore, many special footwork methods have been developed to facilitate the rapid movements required to hit the shuttlecock, including quick turning and jumping and quick directional change movements. Studies have shown that the majority of badminton sport injuries occur in the lower extremity joints of athletes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of hitting motion and unanticipated hitting direction on landing mechanics after backhand lateral jump smashing and landing to analyze joint stiffness and torque changes in three lower extremity joints. Recruited sixteen badminton athletes.The capture frequency of the Vicon Motion System (300Hz), Kistler force platform (1500Hz) and Vicon Nexus Version 1.8.5 software were used simultaneously to capture the kinematic and kinetic parameter of backhand side lateral jump smash footwork. The swing actions were divided into two situations, shadow (footwork and racket swinging practice without targets) and hitting (footwork and stroke shuttlecock) actions, whereas the directions were divided into directional and non-directional. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA with the LSD correction was used to compare the differences among the four conditions. The significance level was set to a = 0.05. Results shown that, at the peak of torque, the ankle plantar flexion of the non-directional shadow (p < 0.05) were greater than that of directional shadow (p < 0.05); meantime, ankle torque change of non-directional shadow (p < 0.05) and directional hitting (p < 0.05) was lower than that of non-directional hitting, but the non-directional hitting was larger compared to non-directional shadow (p < 0.05) at the maximum vertical GRF. The hip extension at peak of torque of directional hitting were larger than that of non-directional shadow (p < 0.05). The shadow actions hip flexion angle was larger than that of directional hitting at initial contact, but the non-directional hitting hip abduction was has the significant difference among all the conditioning. The hip flexion angle of non-directional shadow was larger than that of directional hitting (p < 0.05), the hip abduction angle of the non-directional hitting was greater than that of non-directional shadow (p < 0.05) at the peak VGRF. Elite badminton players execute different training movements; the joint stiffness was in the same state. In the hitting actions has greater ankle and hip joint torque than shadow actions. The badminton player was change joint range of motion to adjust lower limbs stiffness.

Accuracy of the energy expenditure during uphill exercise measured by the Waist-worn ActiGraph.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The application of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Sensors (MEMS) as measurements of energy expenditure (EE) has certain disadvantages. For example, the inertial sensors cannot easily distinguish changes in ground slope during walking/running conditions, so the accuracy of EE calculation is biased. To resolve this issue, heart rate (HR) and heart rate reserve (HRR) were used as compensatory factors respectively to correct the classical empirical formula of the accelerometer analyzer for EE in this study. METHODS: To explore the improvement of the accuracy of EE during uphill exercise and compare the correction levels between HR and HRR, oxygen uptake was used as a criterion measure (CM). Thirty healthy adult males wore an ActiGraph GT3X with the Polar HR monitor and Vmax indirect calorimeter during twelve treadmill activities (3 gradients and 4 speeds). RESULTS: When the slopes were increased by 0%, 3%, and 6%, the measurement accuracy of the accelerometers, calculated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), decreased by 0.877, 0.755, and 0.504, respectively (p < 0.05). The HR and HRR parameters of linear regression were used to correct the classical formula. The results showed that HR had higher coefficients of determination (R2) (0.801, 0.700, and 0.642 respectively) and ICCs (0.887, 0.825, and 0.785 respectively) than did the accelerometer outputs. HRR showed the highest coefficients of determination (R2) (0.821, 0.728, and 0.656 respectively) and ICCs (0.901, 0.844, and 0.795 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Through adding HRR parameters, the accuracy of the classical prediction formula EE was significantly improved during walking/running on sloping ground.

Effects of Resveratrol Supplementation and Exercise Training on Exercise Performance in Middle-Aged Mice.

Resveratrol (RES) has antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, antiasthmatic, antalgic, and anti-fatigue activities. Exercise training (ET) improves frailty resulting from aging. This study evaluated the effects of a combination of RES supplementation and ET on the exercise performance of aged mice. C57BL/6J mice (16 months old) were randomly divided into four groups: an older control group (OC group), supplementation with RES group (RES group), ET group (ET group), and a combination of ET and RES supplementation group (ET+RES group). Other 10-week-old mice were used as a young control group (Y-Ctrl group). In this study, exercise performance was evaluated using forelimb grip strength and exhaustive swimming time, as well as levels of plasma lactate, ammonia, glucose, and creatine kinase after an acute swimming exercise. Our results showed that the forelimb grip strength of mice in the ET+RES group was significantly higher than those in the OC, RES, and ET groups (by 1.3-, 1.2-, and 1.1-fold, respectively, p < 0.05), and exhibited no difference with the Y-Ctrl group. The endurance swimming test showed that swimming times of the ET and ET+RES groups were significantly longer than those of the OC and RES groups. Moreover, plasma lactate and ammonia levels of the ET + RES group after acute swimming exercise were significantly lower compared to the OC group (p < 0.05). Thus, it was suggested that by combining RES supplementation with ET for 4 weeks, the muscle strength and endurance performance of aged mice were significantly improved compared to the single intervention with either RES or ET alone. This combination might help shorten the extent of deterioration accompanying the aging process.

Compliance Index, a Marker of Peripheral Arterial Stiffness, may Predict Renal Function Decline in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND: Compliance index derived from digital volume pulse (CI-DVP), measuring the relationship between volume and pressure changes in fingertip, is a surrogate marker of peripheral arterial stiffness. This study investigated if CI-DVP can predict renal function deterioration, cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS: In this prospective observational study, 149 CKD patients were included for final analysis. CI-DVP and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were measured, decline in renal function was assessed by the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) slope. Composite renal and cardiovascular outcomes were evaluated, including ≥50% eGFR decline, start of renal replacement therapy, and major adverse events. RESULTS: Patients in CKD stages 3b to 5 had higher baPWV and lower CI-DVP values than those in patients with CKD stages 1 to 3a. Stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis showed that lower CI-DVP (p =0.0001) and greater proteinuria (p =0.0023) were independent determinants of higher eGFR decline rate. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that CI-DVP (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.46-1.00), baseline eGFR (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.98) and serum albumin (HR 0.17, 95% CI 0.07-0.42) were independent predictors for composite renal and cardiovascular outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Compliance index, CI-DVP, was significantly associated with renal function decline in patients with CKD. A higher CI-DVP may have independent prognostic value in slower renal function decline and better composite renal and cardiovascular outcomes in CKD patients.

Cornu cervi pantotrichum supplementation improves exercise performance and protects against physical fatigue in mice.

Cornu cervi pantotrichum (CCP) is a well-known yang-invigorating agent used in traditional Chinese medicine that can nourish the blood, tonify qi, and invigorate bones and tendons with multifunctional bioactivities. However, evidence on the effects of CCP on exercise performance and physical fatigue is limited. We evaluated the potential beneficial effects of ethanolic extract from CCP on ergogenic and antifatigue functions following a physiological challenge. Male ICR mice from four groups (n=8 per group) were orally administered CCP for 14 days at 0, 2054, and 4108 mg/kg/day, and were respectively designated as the vehicle, CCP-1X, and CCP-2X groups. The physical performance and antifatigue function were evaluated using forelimb grip strength and exhaustive swimming time as well as serum levels of lactate, ammonia, glucose, and creatine kinase after a 15-min swimming exercise. The results indicated that CCP-1X supplementation significantly improved grip strength; reduced fatigue-associated biochemical indices, including lactate and ammonia levels; and ameliorated skeletal muscle injury induced by acute exercise challenge. A trend analysis revealed that CCP supplementation significantly increased grip strength and dose-dependently reduced serum alkaline phosphatase, uric acid, triacylglycerol, and glucose levels in healthy mice. Therefore, CCP is a potential agent with an antifatigue pharmacological effect.

Acute effects of muscle mechanical properties after 2000-m rowing in young male rowers.

Background: The mechanical properties of muscles, such as changes in muscle tone and stiffness, are related to sports performance and injuries. Rowers are at increased risk of muscle fatigue and injury during high-repetition and heavy-load cyclic muscle actions. In view of this, the aim of the present study was to investigate the acute effect on muscle tone and stiffness, as well as bilateral muscle asymmetry, in high school rowers after a 2000-meter rowing ergometer test. Methods: Twelve young male rowers (age = 17.1 ± 0.9 years, body weight = 73.5 ± 9.7 kg) were included in the study. The data of muscle tone (frequency) and stiffness of the posterior deltoids (PD), latissimus dorsi (LD), and rectus femoris (RF) (dominant and non-dominant side) before and after a 2000-m rowing ergometer test were collected using a handheld MyotonPRO device. Results: After the rowing ergometer test, the muscle tone of dominant side PD, LD, and RF were significantly increased (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the muscle stiffness of the non-dominant side LD and RF, as well as the dominant side PD, LD, and RF were significantly increased after the rowing ergometer test (p < 0.05). The muscle tone and stiffness results showed that the dominant side PD, LD, and RF were all significantly higher than the non-dominant side after the rowing ergometer test (p < 0.05), where bilateral PD and RF exhibits moderate asymmetry (5% < symmetry index < 10%). Conclusions: After a high-intensity and high-load 2000-m rowing ergometer test, PD, LD, and RF showed increases in muscle tone and stiffness, as well as changes in the symmetry of bilateral muscle mechanical properties.

Supplementation with Lactiplantibacillus brevis GKEX Combined with Resistance Exercise Training Improves Muscle Mass, Strength Performance, and Body Fat Condition in Healthy Humans.

In addition to maintaining good exercise and dietary habits, recent studies have shown that probiotics may have potential benefits for muscle mass and strength. It is worth noting that the effects may vary depending on the specific strains used. To date, no studies have analyzed the effects of Lactiplantibacillus brevis in this context. Here, we combine the L. brevis strain GKEX with resistance training to further understand its effects on muscle mass, thickness, performance, and fat loss. In a six-week intervention for a double-blind randomized trial, 52 healthy subjects were divided into two groups (10 male and 16 female participants in each group): a placebo group (two capsules/day, containing 0 CFU of GKEX per capsule) and a GKEX group (two capsules/day, containing 1 × 1010 CFU of GKEX per capsule). Before the intervention, no differences were observed between the two groups in any of the tests (body composition, muscle thickness, exercise performance, and blood parameters). However, supplementation with GKEX significantly improved muscle mass and thickness, as well as grip strength, muscle strength, and explosive performance, when compared to the associated parameters before the intervention. Additionally, GKEX supplementation promoted a reduction in the body fat percentage (p < 0.05). Through analysis of the change amount, we observed that GKEX supplementation yielded significantly improved benefits when compared to the placebo group (p < 0.05). In summary, our findings support the notion that a six-week resistance exercise training program combined with L. brevis GKEX supplementation has superior additive effects that enhance muscle mass and strength performance, while also reducing body fat percentage. This intervention can promote muscle gain and fat loss.

Correlation between higher lateral tibial slope and inferior long term subjective outcomes following single bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: The impact of anatomical factors, such as the lateral tibial slope (LTS), on outcomes following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is an area of growing interest. This study was led by the observation that patients with a higher LTS may have different recovery trajectories. HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between a higher LTS and long term subjective outcomes following single-bundle ACL reconstruction. STUDY DESIGN: This study was designed as a retrospective cohort study. METHODS: The study comprised 138 patients who underwent single-bundle ACL reconstruction. The LTS was measured on preoperative radiographs. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were collected, which included the Lysholm Knee Score, UCLA Activity Score, IKDC Score, and Tegner Activity Score, over a mean follow-up duration of 137 months. RESULTS: A significant negative correlation was found between LTS and all measured PROMs (p < 0.001). The established cut-off value of LTS distinguishing between "Good" and "Fair" Lysholm scores was 8.35 degrees. Female patients have statistically significant higher LTS and lower PROMs scores than male. Patients with LTS greater than or equal to 8.35 had significantly lower PROMs, indicative of poorer functional and subjective outcomes. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that a higher LTS is associated with inferior subjective outcomes following single-bundle ACL reconstruction in long term. The LTS cut-off value of 8.35 degrees could potentially be used as a reference in preoperative planning and patient counseling. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Understanding the relationship between LTS and ACL reconstruction outcomes could inform surgical planning and postoperative management. These findings highlight the need to consider anatomical variances, such as LTS, when assessing patient-specific risks and recovery expectations, contributing to the advancement of personalized care in sports medicine.

Effects of deranged glucose homeostasis on peripheral arterial stiffness index in patients with pre-diabetes mellitus.

Premature arteriosclerosis may be one of the mechanisms linking pre-diabetes mellitus (pre-DM) and cardiovascular disease. We sought to characterize premature arteriosclerosis in pre-DM using different arterial stiffness indices and to find the independent contributors of this process. We recruited 33 patients without DM, 53 patients with pre-DM, and 34 subjects with DM. Both the compliance index (CI) and stiffness index (SI) were measured. Patients with pre-DM and DM had lower CI (3.8 ± 2.1 versus 5.2 ± 3.0 units; P < 0.05 and 3.6 ± 1.8 versus 5.2 ± 3.0 units; P < 0.05, respectively) and higher SI (8.0 ± 2.0 versus 6.7 ± 1.6 m/s; P < 0.01 and 9.4 ± 2.3 versus 6.7 ± 1.6 m/s; P < 0.001, respectively) than patients without DM. Using multivariate linear regression analysis, age, heart rate, and HOMA index were independent determinants for SI (whole model: R(2) = 0.47, P < 0.001), whereas male gender, hsCRP, and HOMA index were independent determinants for CI (whole model: R(2) = 0.34, P < 0.01). The HOMA index was an independent determinant for arterial stiffness. Increased insulin resistance may associate with increased arterial stiffness at peripheral arteries in pre-DM patients.

Effect of 8-week frequency-specific electrical muscle stimulation combined with resistance exercise training on muscle mass, strength, and body composition in men and women: a feasibility and safety study.

In recent years, electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) devices have been developed as a complementary training technique that is novel, attractive, and time-saving for physical fitness and rehabilitation. While it is known that EMS training can improve muscle mass and strength, most studies have focused on the elderly or specific patient populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of frequency-specific EMS combined with resistance exercise training for 8 weeks on muscle mass, strength, power, body composition, and parameters related to exercise fatigue. Additionally, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of EMS as an exercise aid to improve body composition. We recruited 14 male and 14 female subjects who were randomly assigned to two groups with gender parity (seven male and seven female/group): (1) no EMS group (age: 21.6 ± 1.7; height: 168.8 ± 11.8 cm; weight: 64.2 ± 14.4 kg) and (2) daily EMS group (age: 21.8 ± 2.0; height: 167.8 ± 9.9 cm; weight: 68.5 ± 15.5 kg). The two groups of subjects were very similar with no significant difference. Blood biochemical routine analysis was performed every 4 weeks from pre-intervention to post-intervention, and body composition, muscle strength, and explosive power were evaluated 8 weeks before and after the intervention. We also performed an exercise challenge analysis of fatigue biochemical indicators after 8 weeks of intervention. Our results showed that resistance exercise training combined with daily EMS significantly improved muscle mass (p = 0.002) and strength (left, p = 0.007; right, p = 0.002) and significantly reduced body fat (p < 0.001) than the no EMS group. However, there was no significant advantage for biochemical parameters of fatigue and lower body power. In summary, our study demonstrates that 8 weeks of continuous resistance training combined with daily upper body, lower body, and abdominal EMS training can significantly improve muscle mass and upper body muscle strength performance, as well as significantly reduce body fat percentage in healthy subjects.

Feasibility of predicting maximal oxygen uptake by using the efficiency factor in healthy men.

Conventionally, efficiency is indirectly estimated through a respiratory gas analyser (oxygen, carbon dioxide), which is a complex and rather costly calculation method that is difficult to perform in many situations. Therefore, the present study proposed a modified definition of efficiency, called the efficiency factor (EF) (i.e., the ratio of work to the corresponding exercise intensity), and evaluated the relation between the EF and maximal oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]), as well as compared the prediction models established based on the EF. The heart rate (maximal heart rate: 186 ± 6 beats min-1), rating of perceived exertion (19 ± 1), and [Formula: see text] (39.0 ± 7.1 mL kg-1 min-1) of 150 healthy men (age: 20 ± 2 years; height: 175.0 ± 6.0 cm; weight: 73.6 ± 10.7 kg; body mass index [BMI]: 24.0 ± 3.0 kg m-2; percent body fat [PBF]: 17.0 ± 5.7%) were measured during the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). Through multiple linear regression analysis, we established the BMI model using age and BMI as parameters. Additionally, we created the PBF modelHRR utilizing weight, PBF, and heart rate reserve (HRR) and developed PBF modelEF6 and PBF modelEF7 by incorporating EF6 from the exercise stage 6 and EF7 from the exercise stage 7 during the CPET, respectively. EF6 (r = 0.32, p = 0.001) and EF7 (r = 0.31, p = 0.002) were significantly related to [Formula: see text]. Among the models, the PBF modelEF6 showed the highest accuracy, which could explain 62.6% of the variance in the [Formula: see text] at with a standard error of estimate (SEE) of 4.39 mL kg-1 min-1 (%SEE = 11.25%, p < 0.001). These results indicated that the EF is a significant predictor of [Formula: see text], and compared to the other models, the PBF modelEF6 is the best model for estimating [Formula: see text].

Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) fruit extract improves physical fatigue and exercise performance in mice.

Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) is a popular and nutritious vegetable consumed worldwide. The overall purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of C. moschata fruit extract (CME) on anti-fatigue and ergogenic functions following physiological challenges. Male ICR mice from four groups designated vehicle, CME-50, CME-100 and CME-250, respectively (n = 8 per group in each test) were orally administered CME for 14 days at 0, 50, 100 and 250 mg/kg/day. The anti-fatigue activity and exercise performance were evaluated using exhaustive swimming time, forelimb grip strength, as well as levels of plasma lactate, ammonia, glucose, and creatine kinase after an acute swimming exercise. The resting muscular and hepatic glycogen was also analyzed after 14-day supplementation with CME. Trend analysis revealed that CME treatments increased grip strength. CME dose-dependently increased 5% body weight loaded swimming time, blood glucose, and muscular and hepatic glycogen levels. CME dose-dependently decreased plasma lactate and ammonia levels and creatine kinase activity after a 15-min swimming test. The mechanism was relevant to the increase in energy storage (as glycogen) and release (as blood glucose), and the decrease of plasma levels of lactate, ammonia, and creatine kinase. Therefore, CME may be potential for the pharmacological effect of anti-fatigue.