The effect of music on anaerobic exercise performance and muscular endurance

NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis in cardiovascular diseases and exercise intervention

NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is an intracellular sensing protein complex that possesses NACHT, leucine-rich repeat, and pyrin domain, playing a crucial role in innate immunity. Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome leads to the production of pro-inflammatory cellular contents, such as interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18, and induction of inflammatory cell death known as pyroptosis, thereby amplifying or sustaining inflammation. While a balanced inflammatory response is beneficial for resolving damage and promoting tissue healing, excessive activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis can have harmful effects. The involvement of the NLRP3 inflammasome has been observed in various cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Indeed, the NLRP3 inflammasome and its associated pyroptosis are closely linked to key cardiovascular risk factors including hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and hyperhomocysteinemia. Exercise compared with medicine is a highly effective measure for both preventing and treating CVD. Interestingly, emerging evidence suggests that exercise improves CVD and inhibits the activity of NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis. In this review, the activation mechanisms of the NLRP3 inflammasome and its pathogenic role in CVD are critically discussed. Importantly, the purpose is to emphasize the crucial role of exercise in managing CVD by suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome activity and proposes it as the foundation for developing novel treatment strategies.

Effects of tempo of self-selected music on isokinetic strength performance and psychological outcomes

Substantial research has supported using musical stimuli as an ergogenic aid before and during various forms of exercise. Researchers have demonstrated that music shifts attention from associative to dissociative, decreases perceived effort and discomfort, and increases arousal and pleasantness in longer-duration, low-to-moderate-intensity exercises. Strength training is shorter in duration and higher in intensity than aerobic or muscular endurance training. Limited research has examined the effects of music on strength performance and psychological outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the tempo of self-selected music on isokinetic knee extension and flexion performance, effort, discomfort, attention, arousal, and pleasantness in resistance-trained young adults. Thirty resistance-trained college-aged adults completed three exercise testing sessions. In a randomized, counterbalanced order, a repeated measures design was used to expose the participants to three conditions (fast music, slow music, and no music). The Biodex isokinetic dynamometer and standardized psychological Likert-style scales were used to measure concentric maximum effort knee extension and flexion torque at 60°/s and psychological variables, respectively. This study found that music improves knee extension torque but not knee flexion in resistance-trained young adults. In addition, music or the tempo of music did not influence any psychological outcomes during isokinetic strength testing. Therefore, listening to music is not detrimental to performance or psychological outcomes, but this study provides minimal support for music's use as an ergogenic aid during strengthening exercise.

The effects of music on cardiorespiratory endurance and muscular fitness in recreationally active individuals: a narrative review

Music is made up of several features (e.g., melody and rhythm) and it accompanies our life in different daily activities. During the last years, there was a growing interest in research about the music-related effects in the exercise domain. Music stimuli could act as an ergogenic effect leading to improvements in health-related and physical fitness components like cardiorespiratory endurance and muscular fitness. Moreover, listening to music may positively affect individuals' psychological state which could lead to increased exercise adherence. Conflicting data exist regarding the effects of music on cardiorespiratory and muscle-strengthening exercises indicating that music's characteristics (i.e., rhythm and musicality), studied samples (i.e., athletes and amateur) and methodology (i.e., self-selected music and research-selected music) might influence the results. Listening to music while exercising is becoming more frequent also in recreationally active individuals. While literature mainly focused on the effects of music in elite and amateur athletes, little data are available regarding recreationally active participants. Therefore, this review aims to summarize evidence regarding the effects of music on health-related physical fitness components in recreationally active individuals, specifically referring to cardiorespiratory endurance and muscular fitness. These outcomes will be helpful to all recreationally active participants to optimize the exercise protocol with the use of music.

Sex Differences in Response to Listening to Self-Selected Music during Repeated High-Intensity Sprint Exercise

The purpose of this study was to examine possible sex differences in high-intensity exercise performance, fatigue, and motivational responses to exercise while listening to music. Physically active males and females (ages 18–24) were recruited to participate. Participants completed two separate repeated sprint exercise trials each with a different condition: (1) no music (NM) (2) self-selected music (SSM). During each trial, participants completed 3 × 15 s Wingate anaerobic tests (WAnTs) while listening to NM or SSM separated by 2 min of active recovery. Following each WAnT, rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and motivation to exercise were assessed. Relative power output, fatigue index, RPE, and motivation were analyzed. There were no significant sex differences for relative power between music conditions (p = 0.228). Fatigue index was significantly lower in females while listening to SSM (p = 0.032) versus NM while no differences were observed for males (p = 0.246). RPE was lower while listening to SSM versus NM in females (p = 0.020), but not for males (p = 0.277). Lastly, motivation to exercise increased in the SSM condition versus NM in females (p = 0.006) but not in males (p = 0.090). Results indicate that listening to SSM music did not result in superior anaerobic performance in either sex, but females responded more favorably to subjective outcomes (i.e., RPE and motivation) while listening to SSM, which may have in turn influenced indices of fatigue during the tests. These results suggest that females may respond more positively than males to exercise-induced fatigue while listening to SSM music during repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise.

Effect of Listening to Music on Wingate Anaerobic Test Performance. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: There are many athletes who like to listen to music while making a high intensity effort. However, research into the effects of listening to music on athletic performance has provided controversial results, and it is suggested that the timing and type of music might affect the anaerobic performance response. Purpose: The main aim of the current systematic review and meta-analysis was to analyze the effects while listening to music tasks via the 30 s Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT) on absolute performance and relative peak power (APP and RPP), absolute and relative mean power (AMP and RMP), and fatigue index (FI). Methods: PRISMA guidelines were used as a basis for conducting this systematic review, with inclusion criteria being set out according to the PICOS model. Computer-based literature research was undertaken until 10 March 2020 using the following online databases: PubMed/Medline, WOS, Cochrane Library, and Scopus. The literature was reviewed with regard to the effects of listening to music on the WAnT using several music variables on: APP, RPP, AMP, RMP and FI. Hedges' g formula was used to calculate both standard mean differences and 95% confidence intervals, in order to establish continuous outcomes. Furthermore, the I² statistic evaluated systematic differences (heterogeneity) together with a random effect meta-analysis model. Results: This systematic review included nine articles that researched into the effects of music on WAnT performance (six studies describe improvements in APP and/or RPP, four in AMP and/or RMP and three in FI). The random effects model was used to undertake a final meta-analysis, with standardized mean differences (SMD) and magnitude of standardized mean differences (MSMD) (Hedges' g) being pooled accordingly. The resulting meta-analysis incorporated eight studies that had been previously published, with results showing that there were no apparent beneficial effects on APP (p = 0.09), AMP (p = 0.33) and FI (p = 0.46) as a consequence of listening to music. However, listening to music showed beneficial effects on RPP (SMD: 0.65; 95%: CI 0.35 to 0.96; MSMD: moderate; I², 0%; p < 0.001) and RMP (SMD: 1.03; 95%: CI, 0.63 to 1.42; MSMD: trivial; I², 0%; p < 0.001). Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis has shown that listening to music during the WAnT might physiologically enhance relative anaerobic exercise performance, although reasons remain speculative.