Effects of continuous and intermittent aerobic physical training on hormonal and metabolic profile, and body composition in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of continuous (CA) and intermittent (IA) aerobic training on hormonal and metabolic parameters and body composition of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN: Prospective, interventional, randomized study. METHODS: Randomized controlled training (RCT) with sample allocation and stratification into three groups: CAT (n = 28) and IAT (n = 29) training and no training [control (CG), n = 30]. Before and after 16 weeks of intervention (CAT or IAT) or observation (CG), hormonal and metabolic parameters, body composition and anthropometric indices were evaluated. Aerobic physical training on a treadmill consisted of 30- to 50-minute sessions with intensities ranging from 60% to 90% of the maximum heart rate. RESULTS: In the CA group, there was reduction in waist circumference (WC) (P = .045), hip circumference (P = .032), cholesterol (P ≤ .001), low-density lipoprotein (P = .030) and testosterone (P ≤ .001). In the IAT group, there was a reduction in WC (P = .014), waist-to-hip ratio (P = .012), testosterone (P = .019) and the free androgen index (FAI) (P = .037). The CG showed increases in WC (P = .049), total body mass (P = .015), body fat percentage (P = .034), total mass of the arms (P ≤ .001), trunk fat percentage (P = .033), leg fat percentage (P = .021) and total gynoid mass (P = .011). CONCLUSION: CAT and IAT training reduced anthropometric indices and hyperandrogenism in PCOS, whereas only IAT training reduced the FAI. Furthermore, only CAT training improved the lipid profile.

Amlodipine and enalapril promote distinct effects on cardiovascular autonomic control in spontaneously hypertensive rats: the role of aerobic physical training.

BACKGROUND: We compared the autonomic and hemodynamic cardiovascular effects of amlodipine and enalapril treatment associated with an aerobic physical training program on spontaneously hypertensive rats. METHODS: Eighteen-week-old (n = 48) spontaneously hypertensive rats were assigned to one of two groups: sedentary (n = 24) and trained (n = 24) through a 10-week swimming training program. Each group was subdivided into three groups (n = 8): control (vehicle group), amlodipine (amlodipine group; 10 mg/kg per day) and enalapril (enalapril group; 10 mg/kg per day) (both for 10 weeks). We cannulated the femoral artery and vein of all animals for recording arterial pressure and injecting drugs, respectively. Autonomic assessment was performed by double blockade with propranolol and atropine, analysis of heart rate variability (HRV), systolic arterial pressure variability and baroflex sensitivity. RESULTS: Arterial pressure reduction was more prominent in the sedentary and trained enalapril groups. Amlodipine sedentary group presented important autonomic adjustments characterized by a predominance of vagal tone in cardiac autonomic balance, increased HRV associated with sympathetic autonomic modulation reduction and increased vagal autonomic modulation, and increased baroflex sensitivity. All findings were not potentialized by physical training. In turn, the enalapril trained group, but not its sedentary counterpart, also had vagal tone prevalence in cardiac autonomic balance, increased HRV, increased baroflex sensitivity and decreased low-frequency band in systolic arterial pressure variability. CONCLUSION: Amlodipine was more effective in promoting beneficial autonomic cardiovascular adaptations in sedentary animals. In contrast, enalapril achieved better autonomic results only when combined with aerobic physical training.