Capacidad aeróbica, dieta mediterránea y riesgo cardiometabólico en adultos

The benefits of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) supplements on brain function and sports performance

Ashwagandha or Withania somnifera is an herbal plant belonging to the Solanaceae family. Because of its wide range of phytochemicals, ashwagandha root extract has been used in numerous research studies, either alone or in conjunction with other natural plants, for various biomedical applications, which include its anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-stress, anti-tumor, cardioprotective, and neuroprotective properties. Additionally, it improves endothelial function, lowers reactive oxygen species, controls apoptosis, and improves mitochondrial function. These properties make it a useful treatment for a variety of conditions, including age-related symptoms, anxiety, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, stress, arthritis, fatigue, and cognitive/memory impairment. Despite the numerous benefits of ashwagandha supplementation, there have been just four meta-analyses on the herb's effectiveness in treating anxiety, neurobehavioral disorders, impotence, and infertility. Moreover, no reviews exist that examine how ashwagandha affects antioxidant response and physical sports performance. Consequently, the goal of this study was to analyze the scientific literature regarding the effects of ashwagandha consumption on antioxidant response and athletic performance.

Impact of the FTO Gene Variation on Appetite and Fat Oxidation in Young Adults

The FTO rs9939609 gene, which presents three polymorphisms (AA, AT, and TT), has been associated with the development of obesity through an increased fat accumulation; however, the associations of the gene with other physiological mechanisms, such as appetite or fat oxidation, are still unclear. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the influence of the FTO rs9939609 gene on different obesity-related factors in young adults. The FTO rs9939609 polymorphism was genotyped in 73 participants (28 women, 22.27 ± 3.70 years). Obesity-related factors included dietary assessment, physical activity expenditure, body composition, appetite sensation, resting metabolic rate, maximal fat oxidation during exercise (MFO), and cardiorespiratory fitness. Our results showed that TT allele participants expressed higher values of hunger (p = 0.049) and appetite (p = 0.043) after exercising compared to the AT allele group. Moreover, the TT allele group showed significantly higher values of MFO (p = 0.031) compared to the AT group, regardless of sex and body mass index. Thus, our results suggest that the FTO rs9939609 gene has an influence on appetite, hunger, and fat oxidation during exercise, with TT allele participants showing significantly higher values compared to the AT allele group. These findings may have practical applications for weight loss and exercise programs.

Sex-Specific Relationships of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour with Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Markers in Young Adults

This study aims to analyse sex-specific associations of physical activity and sedentary behaviour with oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in a young-adult population. Sixty participants (21 women, 22.63 ± 4.62 years old) wore a hip accelerometer for 7 consecutive days to estimate their physical activity and sedentarism. Oxidative stress (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione, malondialdehyde, and advanced oxidation protein products) and inflammatory (tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6) markers were measured. Student t-tests and single linear regressions were applied. The women presented higher catalase activity and glutathione concentrations, and lower levels of advanced protein-oxidation products, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-6 than the men (p < 0.05). In the men, longer sedentary time was associated with lower catalase activity (β = −0.315, p = 0.04), and longer sedentary breaks and higher physical-activity expenditures were associated with malondialdehyde (β = −0.308, p = 0.04). Vigorous physical activity was related to inflammatory markers in the women (tumour necrosis factor-alpha, β = 0.437, p = 0.02) and men (interleukin−6, β = 0.528, p < 0.01). In conclusion, the women presented a better redox and inflammatory status than the men; however, oxidative-stress markers were associated with physical activity and sedentary behaviours only in the men. In light of this, women could have better protection against the deleterious effect of sedentarism but a worse adaptation to daily physical activity.

Influence of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor (PPAR)-gamma Coactivator (PGC)-1 alpha gene rs8192678 polymorphism by gender on different health-related parameters in healthy young adults

This study aimed to analyze the influence of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma coactivator (PGC)-1 alpha (PPARGC1A) gene rs8192678 C>T polymorphism on different health-related parameters in male and female young adults. The PPARGC1A gene rs8192678 polymorphism was ascertained by polymerase chain reaction in 74 healthy adults (28 women; 22.72 ± 4.40 years) from Andalusia (Spain). Health-related variables included cardiometabolic risk, anthropometry and body composition, biochemical parameters, insulin sensitivity (QUICKI and HOMA-IR indexes), blood pressure (BP) at rest and after exercise, diet, basal metabolism, physical activity, maximal fat oxidation, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Our results showed differences by PPARGC1A gene rs8192678 C>T polymorphism in body mass (p = 0.002), body mass index (p = 0.024), lean body mass (p = 0.024), body fat (p = 0.032), waist circumference (p = 0.020), and BP recovery ratio (p < 0.001). The recessive model (CC vs. CT/TT) showed similar results but also with differences in basal metabolism (p = 0.045) and total energy expenditure (p = 0.024). A genotype*sex interaction was found in the QUICKI index (p = 0.016), with differences between CC and CT/TT in men (p = 0.049) and between men and women inside the CT/TT group (p = 0.049). Thus, the PPARGC1A gene rs8192678 C>T polymorphism is associated with body composition, basal metabolism, total energy expenditure, and BP recovery, where the CC genotype confers a protective effect. Moreover, our study highlighted sexual dimorphism in the influence of PPARGC1A gene rs8192678 C>T polymorphism on the QUICKI index.

Accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary time are associated with maximal fat oxidation in young adults

The present work aimed to examine the association between physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour with maximal fat oxidation (MFO) in young individuals. A total of 77 active adults (30 women; 22.8 ± 4.5 years) were included in this cross-sectional study in which PA and sedentary behaviour were measured using accelerometers for 7 consecutive days. PA was classified into different intensities (i.e. light, moderate, vigorous, and moderate-to-vigorous) and sedentary behaviour into sedentary time (i.e. time, number of bouts, and length of bouts) and sedentary breaks (i.e. time, number of breaks, and length of breaks). MFO was determined using a graded cycloergometer test through indirect calorimetry and relativized to lean mass (MFO_LM) and lean leg mass (MFO_LL). Positive associations were found for light and vigorous PA in relation with MFO, MFO_LM and MFO_LL, independently of cofounders (P ≤ 0.01). Moreover, a negative association was found between MFO and MFO_LM and the length of sedentary bouts which was accentuated after adjusting by cardiorespiratory fitness (P ≤ 0.05). These results suggest that light and vigorous PA and sedentary behaviour are related to MFO during exercise. Despite this, further interventional studies are needed to clarify if increments of light and vigorous PA could enhance MFO in different populations.