Effect of chronic exercise on the personality of adults

Effect of regular winter swimming on blood morphological, rheological, and biochemical indicators and activity of antioxidant enzymes in males

BACKGROUND

Exposure of the human body to cold water triggers numerous beneficial physiological changes. The study aimed to assess the impact of regular winter swimming on blood morphological, rheological, and biochemical indicators and activity of antioxidant enzymes in males.

METHODS

The study involved 10 male winter swimmers (the same participants examined before the season and after the season) and 13 males (not winter swimming, leading a sedentary lifestyle) in the control group. Fasting blood was collected twice: in November and in March of the following year. Basic blood morphological indicators, red cell elongation index (EI) and aggregation index (AI), concentrations of testosterone, cortisol, urea, and creatinine, as well as plasma activity of antioxidant enzymes of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were determined.

RESULTS

The data were collected from the same winter swimmers at the beginning and end of the season. Winter swimming resulted in a significant increase of EI values at a shear stress of 0.30 (p = 0.40), 0.58 (p < 0.001), 4.24 (p = 0.021), 8.23 (p = 0.001), 15.59 (p = 0.001), 30.94 (p = 0.004), and 60.00 Pa (p = 0.043); haemoglobin was lower than before the season (p < 0.027). No significant changes were observed in AI, AMP, T1/2, the levels of urea, creatinine, eGFR, testosterone, cortisol, or the activity of CAT or SOD. There was a statistically significant increase in GPx activity (p = 0.014) and increase in testosterone concentration (p = 0.035) in the group of winter swimmers examined before the season as compared with the control group. No statistically significant differences were found for the mean values of blood morphological indicators and other parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Winter swimming can prove to be a health-promoting factor in males, as indicated by a rise in the deformability of red blood cells in the blood vessel system after a full season of winter swimming, leading to better body oxygenation, and improves the antioxidant defence and testosterone concentration (within standard limits) in the group of winter swimmers examined before the season as compared with the control group. Winter swimming helps maintain appropriate levels of blood rheological indicators, urea, creatinine, eGFR, cortisol, testosterone, and activity of antioxidant enzymes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT06223087, 15.01.2024.

The Effect of Extreme Cold on Complete Blood Count and Biochemical Indicators: A Case Study

Regular exposure to a cold factor-cold water swimming or ice swimming and cold air-results in an increased tolerance to cold due to numerous adaptive mechanisms in humans. Due to the lack of scientific reports on the effects of extremely low outdoor temperatures on the functioning of the human circulatory system, the aim of this study was to evaluate complete blood count and biochemical blood indices in multiple Guinness world record holder Valerjan Romanovski, who was exposed to extremely cold environment from -5 °C to -37 °C for 50 days in Rovaniemi (a city in northern Finland). Valerjan Romanovski proved that humans can function in extremely cold temperatures. Blood from the subject was collected before and after the expedition. The subject was found to have abnormalities for the following blood indices: testosterone increases by 60.14%, RBC decreases by 4.01%, HGB decreases by 3.47%, WBC decreases by 21.53%, neutrocytes decrease by 17.31%, PDW increases by 5.31%, AspAT increases by 52.81%, AlAT increase by 68.75%, CK increases by 8.61%, total cholesterol decreases by 5.88%, HDL increases by 28.18%. Percentage changes in other complete blood count and biochemical indices were within standard limits. Long-term exposure of the subject (50 days) to extreme cold stress had no noticeable negative effect on daily functioning.

Changes of serum beta-endorphin by programmed exercise training are correlated with improvement of clinical symptoms and quality of life in female mitral valve prolapse syndrome

BACKGROUND

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common entity in female population. Although this is a minor disease, it may cause annoying symptoms that impair quality of life (QOL), and no established therapy for this problem. The aim of this study isto examine whether programmed exercise training by treadmill in female MVP syndrome would improve clinical symptoms and QOL.

METHODS

An interventional study of 39 females with MVP syndrome with treadmill exercise endurance training for 12 weeks. Every individual received training for 30 min a day, thrice a week for 12 weeks. Baseline and post-exercise at 12 weeks serum beta-endorphins were measured. Symptom improvement was assessed by the MVP symptom checklist questionnaire and the Euro-QOL-5D was used to measure QOL improvement in these females.

RESULTS

The mean serum beta-endorphin increased from 0.5 to 1.68 ng/ml (p = 0.001) in the exercise group (n = 18) after 12 weeks exercise, whereas the control group (n = 21) did not show any significant changes (0.44 vs. 0.43 ng/ml). Major symptoms of MVP such as chest pain, palpitation, fatigue were improved significantly by the assessment of MVP symptom checklist. The QOL of the exercised females also showed significant changes.

CONCLUSIONS

Through programmed exercise training in these MVP females, the improvement of symptoms and QOL is parallel to the increase of serum beta-endorphin. This result implicates that MVP females should initiate exercise to tackle this annoying problem.

The effect of regular exercise on women receiving danazol for treatment of endometriosis

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects of regular exercise on women receiving danazol for the treatment of endometriosis.

METHODS

Thirty-nine patients were randomized to a danazol-only or a danazol/exercise regimen in a prospective clinical trial carried out at tertiary care institutions. Patients in the danazol/exercise group were instructed to exercise four times per week, for 40 min per session, at an intensity of 20 metabolic units. Side effect profiles, pelvic symptoms, aerobic fitness, strength and hormone levels were compared for all subjects. The number of side effects of danazol was analyzed by the method of generalized estimating equations.

RESULTS

The number of side effects reported during a 4-week period was 1.09-2.17 times greater for the danazol-only than for the danazol/exercise group. All patients had improvement of symptoms during treatment. The danazol/exercise group had significantly lower testosterone levels during treatment. The time to recurrence of endometriosis was not different between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Exercise during danazol therapy reduces the number of androgenic side effects. Relief of pain and time to recurrence are unaffected.

Beta-endorphin and components of emotionality discriminate between physically active and sedentary men

Differences between physically active and sedentary men were tested by profile comparison. The study identifies the relative importance of circulating beta-endorphin (BE), atherosclerotic disease risk (ADR) index, and selected components of emotionality in discriminating between physically active and sedentary men. The subjects were psychologically normal and medically healthy middle-aged men. Jogging activity was the subject classification criterion. The data were collected on selected physiological (treadmill), biochemical (blood collected from resting subjects), and psychological (Eysenck and MMPI) variables. The physical fitness score (PFS) was used as an index of fitness. Physically active men with a high PFS (n = 21), when compared to the sedentary men with a low PFS (n = 15), exhibited lower basal plasma BE, lower ADR, lower anxiety index (AI), and lower MMPI depression score (D). Canonical correlation analysis showed that PFS and BE in one set were correlated with D and neuroticism (NS) in another set of variables. Discriminant function analysis showed that the AI was the most powerful discriminator between the physically active and sedentary men, followed by BE and NS. Interestingly, BE and NS exhibited the same magnitude of discrimination power. The ADR exhibited less discrimination power, relative to AI, BE, and NS. In conclusion, the physically active men, compared to the sedentary men in this study, exhibited lower basal plasma BE, which appeared to be associated with less atherosclerotic disease risk, less neuroticism, less anxiety, and less depression.

Beta-endorphin and components of depression as powerful discriminators between joggers and sedentary middle-aged men

This study identifies the relative importance of resting plasma beta-endorphin, used as a marker of perceived stress, and components of non-clinical depression that discriminate between physically active joggers and sedentary men. The profiles of joggers (n = 10) and sedentary (n = 10) middle-aged men (40-60 yr) were compared. The jogger group had been running about 20 miles per week for at least 3 yr.

RESULTS

as expected, the joggers exhibited greater physical fitness, but lower circulating beta-endorphin (measured with the subjects at rest). The joggers also exhibited greater emotional stability (Eysenck scores), and lower depression (MMPI Scale 2 scores). In addition, the joggers had lower scores on MMPI subscales of depression: subjective depression, physical malfunctioning, mental dullness, and brooding. Multivariate discriminant function analyses showed that subjective depression, beta-endorphin, and physical malfunctioning were powerful discriminators between the jogger and sedentary groups.

IN CONCLUSION

(1) subjective depression appeared to be the MMPI component of depression that most powerfully discriminated between joggers and sedentary middle-aged men in this study. (2) Lower beta-endorphin may be an adaptation to exercise training and was related to greater emotional stability and lower depression, especially lower subjective depression. (3) The lower beta-endorphin in the jogger group may be related to lower perceived stress in the joggers, relative to the sedentary group.

Medical psychology in exercise and sport

Several psychological outcomes that accompany acute and chronic exercise have medical significance. Transient reductions in somatic tension and subjective anxiety appear most reliable. Symptom abatement in moderate depression can occur with chronic exercise in a manner comparable to psychotherapy and may offer a better prognosis in some instances. Other cognitive, behavioral, and perceptual events associated with exercise may assist in managing mental health, and exercise has been successfully used as a therapeutic adjunct in a variety of psychiatric disorders. Regular exercise may also complement treatments designed to manage aspects of coronary-prone behavior and psychoendocrine responsivity to mental stress. The lack of strict experimental control or effective placebo contrasts in most exercise studies precludes a convincing argument that exercise causes the psychological outcomes observed. Rather, expectancy of benefits, generalized treatment or attention effects, social reinforcement, and past history or selection bias represent likely alternatives. These competing explanations do not discount, however, that many individuals benefit in a clinically significant way. Exercise offers a low-cost alternative or adjunct with side effects that appear largely health-related. Although the effective psychological dosage or modality has not been quantified, current physiologic guidelines of the American College of Sports Medicine (large muscle rhythmic activity, for 20 to 60 minutes, 3 to 5 days per week at 60 to 80 per cent age-adjusted maximal heart rate), or a weekly caloric cost of 2000 kcal, should be effective with little medical risk. However, no evidence confirms that an increase in metabolic or psychoendocrine tolerance to exercise is necessary or sufficient for psychological outcomes to occur. Although biologic adaptations are known to follow exercise training and subside with diminished activity, there is currently no objective evidence that habitual exercise leads to dependence. If exercise has use in managing subjective or somatic symptoms, these may return during periods of exercise abstinence. Moreover, despite popular hypotheses concerning endorphins and biogenic amines, no direct relationships have yet been shown between exercise-induced mood swings and peripheral biochemical events. A proportion of habitual runners have reported acute episodes of euphoria-like states during or following exercise, but this remains a subjective and unpredictable event that may be related to psychophysiologic relaxation or acute changes in self-esteem.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Running Out of Depression

Besides being less expensive and offering beneficial physical side effects, running therapy seems to be an effective supplement to psychotherapy for treating depressed patients. Similar therapy in other endurance sports is described by Robert Brown, PhD, MD, on page 35.