The Effects of 12 Weeks of Concurrent and Combined Training on Inflammatory Markers, Muscular Performance, and Body Composition in Middle-Aged Overweight and Obese Males.

AIM: Previous studies have focused on the order of endurance and resistance training when performing concurrent training (CT). However, no study has compared the effects of combined training with CT orders on inflammatory markers, muscular performance, and body composition in overweight and obese males. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to compare the effects of 12 weeks of CT and combined training on the aforementioned markers in overweight and obese males. METHODS: Sixty middle-aged overweight and obese males (age 51 ± 4 years) were randomly assigned into one of four groups: endurance followed by resistance training (ER; n = 15), resistance followed by endurance training (RE; n = 15), combined resistance and endurance training (COM), or control (CON; n = 15). Anthropometric, body composition, inflammatory marker, and muscular performance measurements were collected at baseline and after 12 weeks. RESULTS: FFM remained unchanged in all three intervention groups (p > 0.05). Reductions in FM in the RE group were significantly greater than in CON (p = 0.038). The increases in serum concentrations of adiponectin in the RE group were significantly greater than in all other groups (p < 0.05). Increased serum concentrations of CTRP3 in all intervention groups were significantly greater than the CON group (p < 0.05); moreover, the increases in the RE group were significantly greater than CON (p < 0.001). Regarding CTRP5, the increase in RE was significantly greater than COM (p = 0.014). The RE group experienced significantly greater increases in CTRP9 than all other groups (p < 0.05), and the decreases in serum concentrations of CRP and TNF-α were significantly greater in the RE group compared to CON and ER (p < 0.05). Vo2max in the ER group was significantly greater than COM (p = 0.009), and all interventions resulted in higher gains compared to CON (p < 0.05). The increases in leg press strength, chest press strength, lower-body power, and upper-body power in the RE group were significantly greater than in the COM group (p < 0.05). In addition, the increases in chest press strength in the ER group were significantly greater than COM (p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of training order, CT improved inflammatory markers, body composition, power, and VO2max. Notably, our analysis indicated significantly greater improvements in adiponectin, CTRP5, CTRP9, CRP, and TNF-α levels when RT preceded ET in CT sessions compared to other exercise training sequences. These findings suggested that the order of exercise training may have a significant impact on the effectiveness of CT on inflammatory markers, which has potential implications for exercise prescription and optimization of health-related training outcomes.

Impact of saffron (Crocus Sativus Linn) supplementation and resistance training on markers implicated in depression and happiness levels in untrained young males.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the effects of six weeks of resistance training (RT) combined with saffron supplementation on markers implicated in depression as well as happiness levels in untrained young males. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Untrained young male participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: RT + saffron supplement (RS; n = 14) or RT + placebo (RP; n = 14). For 6 weeks, participants in the RS group took one 150 mg pill of pure saffron immediately after each RT session and at the same time on non-training days. Those assigned to the RP group took a dextrose pill. Concentrations of Anandamide (AEA), 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), serotonin, dopamine, ß-endorphin (beta-endorphin), tryptophan, happiness levels (via questionnaire), and body composition were assessed before and after the 6 weeks of whole-body supervised RT (4x/week, 3 sets using 60-70% of 1-repetition maximum [1-RM]). RESULTS: AEA (0.5 ng/ml), 2-AG (0.04 ng/ml), dopamine (0.7 ng/ml), and ß-endorphin (9.4 pg/ml) concentrations significantly increased in the RS group (P<0.05) while no changes were detected in the RP group. Serotonin (RS = 1.7 ng/mL and RP = 1 ng/mL) concentrations and happiness levels significantly increased in both groups with greater changes in RS group while tryptophan concentrations remained unchanged (P> 0.05). In addition, both groups significantly increased muscular endurance with greater changes in RS group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Six weeks of RT combined with saffron supplementation improved AEA, 2-AG, dopamine, ß-endorphin, and serotonin concentrations. Moreover, the addition of saffron supplement to chronic RT results in greater improvements in happiness levels than RT alone.

The effects of concurrent training order on body composition and serum concentrations of follistatin, myostatin and GDF11 in sarcopenic elderly men.

BACKGROUND: Due to the important role of follistatin (FLST), myostatin (MSTN) and growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) in muscle mass regulation; alterations in the FLST to MSTN ratio (F:M) may result in muscle mass changes in response to different concurrent training (CT) order. This study investigated the influence of 8 weeks of CT order on body composition and serum concentrations of FLST, MSTN, their ratio (F:M) and GDF11 in sarcopenic elderly men. METHODS: Thirty sarcopenic elderly men (age = 64.3 ± 3.5 years) were randomly assigned into one of three groups, endurance followed by resistance training (E + R; n = 10), resistance followed by endurance training (R + E; n = 10) or control (C; n = 10). Serum concentrations of muscle regulatory markers, body composition, maximum rate of oxygen consumption (VO2max), and upper and lower body strength were evaluated at baseline and after 8 weeks. The training protocol consisted of three training sessions per week for eight weeks. RESULTS: There were significant group-by-time interactions (P < 0.05) for FLST, MSTN, GDF11 and F:M ratio. FLST (E + R = 187 pg/mL and R + E = 292 pg/mL) and F:M ratio (E + R = 0.20 and R + E = 0.27) significantly increased (P < 0.05) while MSTN (E + R = -308 pg/mL and R + E = -294 pg/mL) and GDF11 (E + R = -12 pg/mL and R + E = -10 pg/mL) significantly decreased (P < 0.05) following eight weeks in the E + R and R + E compared to no changes in the C group. In addition, there were significant group x time interactions (P < 0.01) for weight, BMI, body fat percentage (BFP), skeletal muscle mass (SMM), VO2max, upper body strength, and lower body strength. BFP (E + R = -1.5% and R + E = -2%) significantly decreased (P < 0.01) while weight (E + R = 2.4 kg and R + E = 1.1 kg), BMI (E + R = 0.8 kg/m2 and R + E = 0.3 kg/m2), SMM (E + R = 0.7 kg and R + E = 0.5 kg), VO2max (E + R = 2.0 mL/kg/min and R + E = 1.8 mL/kg/min), upper body strength (E + R = 6.9 kg and R + E = 2.3 kg), and lower body strength (E + R = 9.8 kg and R + E = 4.4 kg) significantly increased (P < 0.01) in the E + R and R + E compared to no changes in the C group. CONCLUSIONS: CT increases the F:M ratio and FLST as well as reducing MSTN and GDF11 in sarcopenic elderly men. Additionally, CT improved weight, body composition, muscle mass, function, and aerobic fitness. Notably, these results after CT were achieved irrespective of endurance and resistance exercise order in this population.