Evidence of the role of ANGPTL3, a liver-secreted glycoprotein, in serum lipid turnover, led us to hypothesize that this protein may be involved in modification of the lipid profile induced by exercise-training. Given the lack of data regarding this issue, the main goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of regular participation in a recreational physical activity program on serum ANGPTL3 and selected lipid profile measures in young, apparently healthy female and male adults. We compared serum ANGPTL3, lipid profile measures, common lipid ratios, the Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP) and glucose in fasting blood samples derived from 22 active physical education students including active females (AF, N=6) and males (AM, N=16) with samples from 28 relatively sedentary agematched peers, including female (SF, N=9) and male (SM, N=19) individuals not involved in any regular physical conditioning program. Despite high inter-individual variability of serum ANGPTL3, there was a general tendency toward higher serum ANGPTL3 and HDL-C in women compared to men, but without significant differences related to their physical activity status. Based on both routine lipid profile measures and lipid ratios, all participants had normal lipid profiles, normal glycemia, as well as favorable anthropometric indices not suggesting increased cardiometabolic risk. However, lower levels of the TG/HDL-C ratio and AIP in physically active compared to relatively sedentary participants, reflecting the predominance of large, buoyant LDL particles, strongly support the view of beneficial healthpromoting effects of regular participation in recreational sport activities.
The study was designed to assess the antioxidant defense mechanisms, either enzymatic or non-enzymatic, in a group of sixteen centenarians (one male and fifteen female subjects aged 101 to 105 years) living in the Upper Silesia district (Poland) in order to evaluate the potential role of antioxidant defenses in human longevity. The results of our preliminary study showed that in comparison with young healthy female adults the centenarians had significantly higher red blood cell glutathione reductase and catalase activities and higher, although insignificantly, serum vitamin E level.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a regular pre-season training on the aerobic performance and the blood antioxidant defense capacity in soccer players from the Polish Premier League club (n=19) and IVth League team (n=15). The players participated in an incremental treadmill running exercise to volitional fatigue twice (i.e., at the beginning (Trial A) and the end (Trial B) of the pre-season spring training). In venous blood samples, taken at rest and 3 min post-test, the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, GR) and concentrations of non-enzymatic antioxidants (GSH, tocopherols, retinol, uric acid) and malondialdehyde as a lipid peroxidation biomarker were measured. With the aim of between-group comparisons and possible conclusions on training-induced changes in the capacity of the blood antioxidant defense, the POTAX index was calculated as a sum of standardized activities of antioxidant enzymes and concentrations of non-enzymatic antioxidants.The results of the present study indicate that the players from the Premier League club were characterized by only slightly higher maximal oxygen uptake rates, the differences compared to IVth League team, as assessed in both trials, were statistically insignificant. Participation in the pre-season training resulted in a moderate improvement of aerobic performance, although only a few players were characterized by VO2max comparable to the international-class elite performers. No distinct differences were observed in the level of aerobic performance between higher- and lower-classified players.Pre-season training led to an improvement in the global blood antioxidant capacity expressed in terms of POTAOX indices, although the changes in the activities and concentrations of individual components of the antioxidant system were less pronounced. Training-induced level of antioxidant conditioning was higher among the Premier League players, which may be related to differences in the training schedule and nutritional preparation of the athletes.
Study aim: To assess the aerobic capacity, sprint velocity and changes in biochemical variables in football players preparing for the spring round of matches.Material and methods: Football players from League I (n = 19) and League IV (n = 15) were subjected twice to a graded running tests at the beginning and at the end of the pre-season preparation period. The following variables were recorded: maximum running velocity (km/h), O2max (ml/kg/min), pulmonary ventilation (VE), load at the lactate threshold (LT) expressed as the threshold velocity (LTV; km/h) or %O2max, activities of enzymes in plasma - creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), concentrations of lactate (La), ammonia (NH3) and of glucose (Gl) in plasma. At the end of the study the players were also subjected to a 30-m sprint test.Results: In League I players, LT significantly (p<0.05) increased from 11.9 ± 0.8 (at the beginning) to 12.6 ± 0.7 km/h (at the end of the pre-season preparation period) and the maximum load - from 17.4 ± 0.9 to 18.3 ± 1.0 km/h, respectively. Also, the concentrations of NH3 and Gl significantly (p<0.05) increased and enzyme activities tended to increase (p<0.10) following the graded running test. Moreover, they attained significantly (p<0.05) higher velocity at the first 5 m of the 30-m sprint test than their League IV mates.Conclusions: The negligible differences between football players from Leagues I and IV in their aerobic capacity and speed abilities, and the marked distance from world elite players in those indices, call for substantial changes in training strategies and schedules.
Several studies on exercise and its effect on cognitive function in human and animal populations have documented the beneficial impact of regular physical activity on maintenance of good cognitive abilities and satisfactory health-related quality of life well into older age. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of long-term regular running on metabolic profile and cognitive function in middle-aged men.A total of 24 regularly exercising, middle-age men (Group A), all being members of the Runners Club, and 22 age-matched sedentary subjects (Group B), as the control group, were enrolled in this study. The control group included 8 non-overweight (BMI=23.5±5.2) individuals (Group C) and 14 overweight/obese (BMI=30.7±1.6) subjects (Group D). Serum lipid profile, glucose and homocysteine concentrations were assessed by routine laboratory methods. Subjects' cognitive function was evaluated based on Trail Making Test (TMT) and Digit Symbol Test (DST) scores.In a majority of runners (Group A), the BMI and the parameters of lipid profile (TC, HDL, LDL, TG, glycerol) were close to those recorded in non-overweight controls (Group C) and, in both groups, results were ideally within the reference ranges for healthy male subjects. However, as compared to the whole control group (Group B), which may be considered as an average population sample of sedentary middle-age men, significant differences were observed in BMI and concentrations of TC and LDL, as well as in the pro-atherogenic biomarkers (TC/HDL, LDL/HDL), which were lower in runners. A similar tendency was found in concentrations of TG (independent cardiovascular risk factor), glycerol and TG/HDL ratio (surrogate measure of insulin resistance), however the differences did not reach the level of significance. The level of homocysteine (pro-atherogenic biomarker) was comparable in all groups, and in most cases, within the reference range for male adults. Results of cognitive function tests did not reveal any significant between-group differences. The TMT score was found to be correlated positively (r=0.492, p<0.05), whereas DST score was correlated negatively (r=-0.549, p<0.005), with age. The DST performance, as evaluated in the group of runners (Group A), appeared to be strongly dependent (r=0.809, p<0.005) on the educational level of the subject.These data provided evidence of beneficial effects of a long-term regular endurance running exercise on lipid profile and cardiovascular health in middle-aged men. However, we failed to confirm the findings of a favorable impact of regular physical activity on improvement in cognitive abilities.
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