Effects of 8-week alkaline diet and aerobic exercise on body composition, aerobic performance, and lipid profiles in sedentary women.

Background: Diet composition can affect systemic pH and acid-base regulation, which may in turn influence exercise performance. Purpose: It was aimed to determine the effects of the alkaline diet and 8 weeks of aerobic exercises on body composition, aerobic performance, and blood lipid profiles in sedentary women. Methods: Thirty-two sedentary women participated in the study voluntarily. The research was designed with a true-experimental design and the participants were divided into four different groups as the control group, aerobic exercise group, alkaline diet group, and alkaline diet + aerobic exercise group. The body compositions, aerobic exercise performances, and lipid profiles of sedentary women were measured as pre-test and post-test. In the analysis of the obtained data, One-Way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc test was used. Results: It was observed that the alkaline diet consumed with 8 weeks of aerobic exercises caused a 5.17% decrease in BMI and an increase of 42.07 and 37.62% in VO2max and aerobic test durations, respectively (p < 0.05). In addition, when lipid profiles were examined, it was determined that there was no statistically significant difference in HDL-C levels (p > 0.05). Despite that, there were statistically significant differences in TG and LDL-C levels (p < 0.05). According to this result, it was determined that there was a decrease in TG and LDL-C levels by 37.61 and 20.24%, respectively. Conclusion: An alkaline diet consumed with 8 weeks of aerobic exercises in sedentary women has positive effects on improving body composition, aerobic exercise performances, and TG and LDL-C levels.

The effect of exercise induced weight-loss on myokines and adipokines in overweight sedentary females: steps-aerobics vs. jogging-walking exercises.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to verify effects of step-aerobic exercise (SAE) and jogging-walking exercise (JWE) program on myokines and adipokines levels in overweight sedentary females. METHODS: Volunteer subjects (N.=25) were assigned to two exercise groups: steps aerobics and jogging-walking. The exercise program given to them was for five days a week and for twelve weeks period. Serum samples were collected from venous blood before and immediately after Cardio-Respiratory Fitness Test (CRF) by Bruce protocol and stored at -80 °C until they were assayed before 12 weeks exercise program. After 12-weeks training program this procedure was repeated. Serum TNF-α, IL-6, IL-15, IL-17, IL-18, leptin, resistin and adiponectin levels were assayed by ELISA. RESULTS: Leptin and IL-15 levels were increased whereas resistin levels were decreased after CRF Test in JWE training group following 12-weeks exercise program. TNF-α, IL-15 and IL-18 levels were higher and leptin levels were lower in SAE group than JWE group after 12-weeks exercise period. However, both SAE and JWE did not lead to significant change in serum levels of IL-17, IL-6 and adiponectin levels. CONCLUSIONS: This study has added to existing knowledge that both SAE and JWE may cause weight loss especially in fat mass. But, the effect of SAE and JWE on myokines and adipokines levels may be the different. Further studies are needed to find out clinical importance of these findings.

The effect of exercises on left ventricular systolic and diastolic heart function in sedentary women: Step-aerobic vs core exercises.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of 16 weeks step-aerobic exercises and core exercises on left ventricular structure and function with some physiological parameters in sedentary women. METHODS: To achieve the purpose of this study, a total of 45 volunteers including (step-aerobic group (SAG, n = 25), core exercise group (CEG, n = 20) were selected as participants. Two different exercises were applied for 4 days a week, throughout 16 weeks, within 60 minutes for each exercise with the intensity of heart rate (HR) 60-70 percent. The HR was measured using a heart rate monitor for each subject. The physical, biochemical and echocardiographic characteristics of the women were measured before and after the exercise. RESULTS: During the exercise periods, there were a meaningful decrease in the body weight, BMI, value of waist region and hip circumference of the women in both intervention groups as well as in the values of HR, DBP, SBP (p < 0,05). In addition, serum homocysteine (Hcy) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) levels decreased and the VO2max and left ventricular diastolic end-diastolic dimension increased in both SAG and CEG (p < 0.05). The left ventricular diastolic functions of the SAG improved more than CEG. Left ventricular systolic ejection time and fractional shortening meaningfully improved in both SAG and CEG (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: 16 weeks of step-aerobic and core exercise showed significant changes of inflammatory and lipid markers with cardiac dimensions and had favorable effects on both left ventricular systolic function. Left ventricular diastolic function had more improved in SAG than the CEG.

The effects of two different exercise programmes on adipose tissue hormones in sedentary middle-aged women.

Adipokines play an important role in obesity and related inflammatory disorders. We aimed to determine the effects of exercise training on serum adipokines. Forty sedentary women were randomly assigned to two groups as aerobic (AE) and core exercise (CE). The exercise programmes were performed 4 days a week for 16 weeks. Blood samples were taken before and after the 8 and 16 weeks training period. Percent changes of each parameter were calculated. Sixteen weeks of exercise caused significant decrease in body weight and fat mass (p < 0.001), significant increase in adiponectin (16.1% in AE, 15.8% in CE group, p < 0.05) and resistin levels (21.1% in AE and 26.6% in CE group, p < 0.05) but had no effect on leptin and ghrelin levels. Eight weeks of exercise had no effect on adipokines except leptin. These data suggest that both exercise programmes have improving effects on body composition, adiponectin and resistin levels.