Thermoregulatory effects of guava leaf extract-menthol toner application for post-exercise use.

CONTEXT: Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae) leaf contains a wide variety of bioactive compounds that contribute valuable effects on human well-being. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the influence of guava leaf extract-menthol toner on thermoregulation, including perspiration, skin temperature, and recovery heart rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial assessed the effects of the guava leaf extract-menthol toner and placebo with a 1-week washout period. Sixty-four participants were enrolled. The participants exercised on a treadmill until a 75% heart rate reserve was achieved for 5 min, followed by a 5 min post-exercise rest period. The skin temperature and heart rate were then measured before 5 mL of the testing product was sprayed to specific areas of the body, left it for 30 sec before wiped off. Post-exercise perspiration and skin temperatures were collected by sweat patches and measured by the Skin-thermometer ST500, respectively. A 20 min heart rate monitoring period started 10 min after the exercise and measured every 2 min intervals. RESULTS: Use of the toner significantly reduced post-exercise perspiration to approximately half of the baseline and placebo use values (p < 0.05). Furthermore, relative heart rate changes showed no significant differences among the tests (p > 0.05). Skin temperature was also unaffected (p > 0.05). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Guava leaf extract-menthol toner reduced perspiration by astringent effects but did not influence heat dissipation and did not affect cardiovascular mechanism compared to the controls. Additional cleaning with guava leaf extract-menthol toner could offer better hygiene after a workout.

Effects of Low Impact Aerobic Dance and Fitball Training on Bone Resorption and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Thai Working Women.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of low impact aerobic dance and fitball training on bone resorption in Thai working women. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The samples of this study consisted of 47 females at the age from 35-45. The subjects were divided into two groups: A) 23 females in a low impact aerobic dance (20 min) and fitball (15 min) training group, and B) 24 females in a low impact aerobic dance training group (35 min). Both groups wore a heart rate monitor during the exercise training. The sessions in the training program over 12 weeks were performed a 3-day a week, 35-minute for work out per session at an intensity of 60-80% of maximum heart rate. Before and after the 12-week training program, bone resorption (Telopeptidecrosslinked: ß-CrossLaps) and bone formation (N-terminal propeptine of procollagen type 1: P1NP) including physiological and fitness data were assessed. The data of pre and post trainings within and between the groups as well as the data of changes in dependent variables were compared and analyzed by using paired t-test and independent-test. The statistically significant difference was set at the 0.05 level. RESULTS: Both the low impact aerobic dance and fitball training group and the low impact aerobic dance training group revealed their lower level of bone resorption (ß-CrossLaps) while the first group showed statistically significant change (p < 0.05). In addition, there were no significant changes of bone resorption (ß-CrossLaps) and bone formation (P1NP) between these two groups. However; both groups had not only a significant decrease in resting heart rate, systolic and diastolic pressure, but also an increase in muscular strength and endurance and maximum oxygen uptake when the training was completed. Flexibility ofthe group withfitball was increased significantly (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Low impact aerobic dance and fitball training has the positive effect of slowing down bone resorption and is beneficial to healthy bones. They concurrently increase lower back flexibility.

A Comparison between the Effects of Aerobic Dance Training on Mini-Trampoline and Hard Wooden Surface on Bone Resorption, Health-Related Physical Fitness, Balance, and Foot Plantar Pressure in Thai Working Women.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of aerobic dance training on mini-trampoline and hard wooden surface on bone resorption, health-related physical fitness, balance, and foot plantar pressure in Thai working women. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Sixty-three volunteered females aged 35-45 years old participated in the study and were divided into 3 groups: A) aerobic dance on mini-trampoline (21 females), B) aerobic dance on hard wooden surface (21 females), and C) control group (21 females). All subjects in the aerobic dance groups wore heart rate monitors during exercise. Aerobic dance worked out 3 times a week, 40 minutes a day for 12 weeks. The intensity was set at 60-80% of the maximum heart rate. The control group engaged in routine physical activity. The collected data were bone formation (N-terminal propeptine of procollagen type I: P1NP) bone resorption (Telopeptide cross linked: ß-CrossLaps) health-related physical fitness, balance, and foot plantar pressure. The obtained data from pre- and post trainings were compared and analyzed by paired samples t-test and one way analysis of covariance. The significant difference was at 0.05 level. RESULTS: After the 12-week training, the biochemical bone markers of both mini-trampoline and hard wooden surface aerobic dance training subjects decreased in bone resorption (ß-CrossLaps) but increased in boneformation (P1NP). Health-related physical fitness, balance, and foot plantar pressure were not only better when comparing to the pre-test result but also significantly different when comparing to the control group (p < 0.05). The aerobic dance on mini-trampoline showed that leg muscular strength, balance and foot plantar pressure were significantly better than the aerobic dance on hard wooden surface (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The aerobic dance on mini-trampoline and hard wooden surface had positive effects on biochemical bone markers. However, the aerobic dance on mini-trampoline had more leg muscular strength and balance including less foot plantar pressure. It is considered to be an appropriate exercise programs in working women.

Positive effects of Ska game practice on cognitive function among older adults.

BACKGROUND: Ska is a traditional board game in Thailand that involves high levels of cognition, planning, and decisionmaking. There have been no previous studies on the benefits of the Ska game as a cognitive function aid for older adults. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of Ska game practice on improving cognitive functioning among older adults. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Forty older adults living in the municipality of Phetchabun province, volunteered to take part in the present study. They were randomly selected and arranged into two intervention groups, an experiment and a control group (20 participants each group; 10 females and 10 males). Each group was repeatedly trained as planned for at least 50 minutes per day, three sessions per week for the continuous duration of 16 weeks. The cognitive function measured in term of memory, Verbal Pair Association I and II (VPA I; VPA II), Visual Reproduction I and II (VR I; VR II), the attention used of Trail Making Test part A (TMT-A), and the executive function used by means of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). The examination was done by a clinical psychologist and a medical technologist using neurotransmitter to measure Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, before and after the intervention. The independent variables were measured with t-test to compare the mean scores of two different groups and between males and females of the Ska group. The level of significance considered was p < 0.05. RESULTS: The findings revealed that those who joined the Ska group reported statistically significant better scores of cognitive function in memory, attention, executive function from VPA I, VPA II, VR I, VR II, TMT-A, and WCST compared to those who were in the control group (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference of AChE activity between the Ska and the control group (p > 0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference mean in cognitive function between male and female Ska group (p > or = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Finding shows that the Ska game could enhance the cognitive functioning in terms of memory, attention, and executive function in older adults.

A comparison between the effects of the walking exercise with and without weighted vests on bone resorption and health-related physical fitness in the working women.

The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of walking exercise with and without weighted vests on bone resorption and health-related physical fitness in the working women. Forty-eight female staff of Chulalongkorn University who were 30-60 years old voluntarily participated in the study. The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups: the experimental group performing the walking exercise wearing the weighted vests (EW, n = 24) and the control group performing the walking exercise without wearing the weighted vests (E, n = 24). The treatment was the 30-minute walking exercise on treadmill at 0% of grade, 3 times per week for 12 weeks at the intensity of 65-75% of the maximal heart rate. The first two weeks, the EW group walked without the weighted vests. Starting from the third week, the vest load was progressively increased each week with 2% of each participant's body weight until it reached 8% in the sixth week. Bone formation (PINP), bone resorption (beta-crossLaps) and health-related physical fitness were collected. The obtained data were analyzed in terms of the mean, standard deviation, paired t-test, one way analysis of covariance, one way analysis of variance with repeated measure and the multiple comparisons by using Least Significant Difference (LSD) at the 0.05 level. Prior to the experiment, the mean age and the MD of the experimental group were 41.54 +/- 8.08 yrs and -0.57 +/- 1.14, respectively. The control group has the mean age of 46.00 +/- 7.47 and BMD of -0.53 +/- 1.09. After 12 weeks of the training, there was no statistical difference in bone formation marker, bone resorption marker and health-related physical fitness between the experimental group and the control group. Moreover, the reduction of 19.143% and 21.849% of bone resorption marker in Group EW and Group E, respectively were found. Other health-related physical fitness, e.g., the muscle strength and endurance of legs and arms and the maximum oxygen uptake in both groups were significantly improved. In conclusion, the walking exercise with and without the weighted vests can reduce bone resorption and improve health-related physical fitness. This type of exercise is an alternative way to prevent bone resorption for the working women.

The effects of weight bearing yoga training on the bone resorption markers of the postmenopausal women.

This study was a preliminary report to investigate the effects of the weight bearing yoga training on both bone resorption marker and the quality of life of the postmenopausal women. The samples were recruited by the purposive sampling from the female Chulalongkorn University staff aged between 50-60 years. The subjects were divided into two groups: experimental group and control group. The baseline demographic data, the bone resorption marker (beta-CrossLaps), the bone formation marker (P1NP) and quality of Life (SF-36) data were collected. The experimental group attended the 12-week weight-bearing yoga training 3 days a week, 50 minutes a day while the control group lived their normal lives. After 12th week, the data collections were repeated in both groups. The experimental group (19 subjects, the mean age 54.320 yrs) and the control group (14 subjects, the mean age 54.430 yrs) were recruited. The mean ultrasound BMD of both heels in both groups showed no osteopenia or osteoporosis. After the 12-week training, the mean bone resorption marker (beta-CrossLaps) of the experimental group reduced from 0.464 to 0.339 ng/ml (-26.939%) whereas the control group reduced from 0.389 to 0.386 ng/ml (-0.771%). There was a significant difference (p < 0.05). The mean of the bone formation markers (PINP) in the experimental group reduced from 55.393 to 42.401 ng/ml (-23.454%) and the bone formation markers (PINP) in the control group reduced from 61.903 to 44.832 ng/ml (-27.577%). In the area of the life quality measurement of both groups, the data obtained from the medical outcomes study short-form survey (SF-36) showed that there were significant differences at 0.05 levels for the physical functioning, bodily pain, general health, and vitality. The variance of percentage change value of the experimental group increased to +25.299, +16.565, +15.309, and +21.056. The variance of percentage change value of the control group increased to +12.946, -1.221, -9.303 and +2.291. The weigh-bearing yoga training had a positive effect on bone by slowing down bone resorption which was a very essential indicator for human health because it reduced the osteoporosis risks in the postmenopausal women. Additionally, yoga training promoted better quality of life.