The Effects of Acute Exercise and Exercise Training on Plasma Homocysteine: A Meta-Analysis

Background

Although studies have demonstrated that physical exercise alters homocysteine levels in the blood, meta-analyses of the effects of acute exercise and exercise training on homocysteine blood concentration have not been performed, especially regarding the duration and intensity of exercise, which could affect homocysteine levels differently.

Objective

The aim of this meta-analysis was to ascertain the effects of acute exercise and exercise training on homocysteine levels in the blood.

Method

A review was conducted according to the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses using the online databases PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and SciELO to identify relevant studies published through June 2015. Review Manager was used to calculate the effect size of acute exercise and exercise training using the change in Hcy plasmaserum concentration from baseline to post-acute exercise and trained vs. sedentary control groups, respectively. Weighted mean differences were calculated using random effect models.

Results

Given the abundance of studies, acute exercise trials were divided into two subgroups according to exercise volume and intensity, whereas the effects of exercise training were analyzed together. Overall, 22 studies with a total of 520 participants indicated increased plasma homocysteine concentration after acute exercise (1.18 μmol/L, 95% CI: 0.71 to 1.65, p < .01). Results of a subgroup analysis indicated that either long-term exercise of low-to-moderate intensity (1.39 μmol/L, 95% CI: 0.9 to 1.89, p < .01) or short-term exercise of high intensity (0.83 μmol/L, 95% CI: 0.19 to 1.40, p < .01) elevated homocysteine levels in the blood. Increased homocysteine induced by exercise was significantly associated with volume of exercise, but not intensity. By contrast, resistance training reduced plasma homocysteine concentration (-1.53 μmol/L, 95% CI: -2.77 to -0.28, p = .02), though aerobic training did not. The cumulative results of the seven studies with a total of 230 participants in exercise training analysis did not demonstrate a significant impact on homocysteine levels in the blood (-0.56 μmol/L, 95% CI: -1.61 to 0.50, p = .23).

Conclusions

Current evidence demonstrates that acute exercise increases homocysteine levels in the blood independent of exercise duration and intensity. Resistance, but not aerobic training decreases plasma homocysteine levels.     

Calcium Supplementation and 4-Week Exercise on Blood Parameters of Athletes at Rest and Exhaustion

In the present study, experiments were designed to investigate if supplementation with calcium during 4 weeks had an effect on blood parameters in sedentary male athletes at rest and exhaustion. Thirty healthy subjects of ages ranging from 18 to 22 years were included in the study. The subjects were separated into three groups, as follows: Group 1 consisted sedentary athletes receiving 35 mg/kg/day calcium gluconate. Group 2 included subjects equally supplemented with calcium training 90 min/day for 5 days/week. Group 3 were subject to the same exercise regime but did not receive calcium supplements. Blood parameters were determined in the experimental subjects at rest and after exhaustion. The leukocyte count (WBC) of athletes in groups 2 and 3 were significantly higher at exhaustion (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the WBC of the two supplemented groups. The erythrocyte count (RBC) was increased in the supplemented athletes after training (p < 0.05), but hemoglobin, hematocrit, and trombocyte levels remained unchanged. The mean corpuscular volume increased in the calcium-supplemented group at rest (p < 0.05). These results suggest that calcium supplementation only causes increases in white and red blood cell counts in athletes after exhaustion while other hematological parameters remain unchanged.     

Intake of Gnetum Africanum and Dacryodes Edulis, Imbalance of Oxidant/Antioxidant Status and Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy in Central Africans

Objective

To estimate the prevalence of DR and to correlate cardiometabolic, sociodemographic, and oxidant/antioxidant imbalance data to the prevalence of DR.

Design

This case-control study included type 2 DM (T2 DM) patients with DR (n = 66), T2 DM patients without DR (N = 84), and healthy controls (n = 45) without DR, in Kinshasa town. Diet, albuminemia, serum vitamins, and 8-isoprostane were examined.

Results

No intake of safou (OR = 2.7 95% CI 1.2–5.8; P = 0.014), low serum albumin <4.5 g/dL (OR-2.9 95% CI 1.4–5.9; P = 0.003), no intake of fumbwa (OR = 2.8 95% CI 1.2–6.5; P = 0.014), high 8-isoprostane (OR = 14.3 95% CI 4.5–46; P<0.0001), DM duration ≥5 years (OR = 3.8 95% CI 1.6–9.1; P = 0.003), and low serum vitamin C (OR = 4.5 95% CI 1.3–15.5; P = 0.016) were identified as the significant independent determinants of DR.

Conclusion

The important role of oxidant/antioxidant status imbalance and diet is demonstrated in DR.     

Effects of Biofeedback Training on Voluntary Heart Rate Control During Dynamic Exercise

The aims of this study were to (1) compare the effect of biofeedback with that of verbal instructions on the control of heart rate during exercise on a treadmill, (2) test the possible effect of workload on this control, and (3) examine the effect of workload on baseline heart rate at rest and during exercise. The study involved 35 participants who were randomly assigned to each of 4 experimental conditions generated by combining the 2 independent variables: training strategy for heart rate control (heart rate biofeedback or verbal control instructions) and work level (30 or 50% of maximal heart rate). By the end of 5 experimental sessions, participants trained with heart rate biofeedback showed a greater attenuation of the increase in heart rate produced by exercise than participants trained with verbal control instructions. The workload did not influence the voluntary control of heart rate, nor did it affect resting baseline heart rate, but it did affect exercise baseline heart rate.     

The Effect of Exercise on Blood Parameters in Standardbred and Finnish-Bred Horses

Serum enzyme activities, albumin, protein, urea, cholesterol, triglyceride, free fatty acid, glucose and lactate concentrations as well as hematocrit values were measured in standardbred and Finnish-bred horses at rest and after (i) a short controlled exercise and (ii) a trotting competition. There were no breed differences in the enzyme activities at rest and the 2 breeds responded in the same manner to the exercise. Only after the race proper significant increases in the enzyme activities were found. The activities rose more in the standardbred horses than in the Finnish-bred horses. Urea and cholesterol concentrations did not change after either exercise. Protein and albumin concentrations as well as hematocrit values increased significantly after the exercise. At rest hematocrit values were significantly higher in the standardbred horses and the difference persisted throughout the exercise. After the race proper also albumin and protein concentrations were higher in the standard-bred than in the Finnish-bred horses. Free fatty acid and triglyceride concentrations increased significantly during the exercise. Although glucose and lactate concentrations increased in both breeds, the behaviour of these parameters differed. Glucose concentrations remained increased for a longer period and the recovery from the increased lactate level was faster in the standardbred than in the Finnish-bred horses. The observed differences suggest that the standardbred horses have higher anaerobic capacity than the Finnish-bred horses.     

Effect of trans Fatty Acid Intake on LC-MS and NMR Plasma Profiles

Background

The consumption of high levels of industrial trans fatty acids (TFA) has been related to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and sudden cardiac death but the causal mechanisms are not well known. In this study, NMR and LC-MS untargeted metabolomics has been used as an approach to explore the impact of TFA intake on plasma metabolites.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In a double-blinded randomized controlled parallel-group study, 52 overweight postmenopausal women received either partially hydrogenated soybean oil, providing 15.7 g/day of TFA (trans18:1) or control oil with mainly oleic acid for 16 weeks. Subsequent to the intervention period, the subjects participated in a 12-week dietary weight loss program. Before and after the TFA intervention and after the weight loss programme, volunteers participated in an oral glucose tolerance test. PLSDA revealed elevated lipid profiles with TFA intake. NMR indicated up-regulated LDL cholesterol levels and unsaturation. LC-MS profiles demonstrated elevated levels of specific polyunsaturated (PUFA) long-chain phosphatidylcholines (PCs) and a sphingomyelin (SM) which were confirmed with a lipidomics based method. Plasma levels of these markers of TFA intake declined to their low baseline levels after the weight loss program for the TFA group and did not fluctuate for the control group. The marker levels were unaffected by OGTT.

Conclusions/Significance

This study demonstrates that intake of TFA affects phospholipid metabolism. The preferential integration of trans18:1 into the sn-1 position of PCs, all containing PUFA in the sn-2 position, could be explained by a general up-regulation in the formation of long-chain PUFAs after TFA intake and/or by specific mobilisation of these fats into PCs. NMR supported these findings by revealing increased unsaturation of plasma lipids in the TFA group. These specific changes in membrane lipid species may be related to the mechanisms of TFA-induced disease but need further validation as risk markers.

Trial registration

Registered at clinicaltrials.gov as {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00655902","term_id":"NCT00655902"}}NCT00655902     

Effect of Magnesium Supplementation on Some Plasma Elements in Athletes at Rest and Exhaustion

The effects of magnesium supplementation on plasma magnesium, zinc, and copper levels were determined in young adult tae-kwon-do athletes and sedentary controls at rest and exhaustion. After a 4-week supplementation period with 10 mg/day/kg Mg, the plasma magnesium, copper, and zinc levels significantly increased in sedentary and training (90–120 min training 5 days a week) subjects when compared to nonsupplemented controls (p < 0.05).     

Free Fatty Acids and Ca2+ in Blood Plasma of Endurance-Trained Athletes after Prolonged Physical Exercise

A study was made of the effects of prolonged physical exercise (90 min at a power of 17 kgm min^–1 kg^–1) on plasma free fatty acids (FFAs), blood Ca²⁺, oxygen consumption (OC), and body temperature of endurance-trained athletes and untrained subjects. The athletes displayed correlations between afterload plasma FFAs, OC, and changes in blood Ca²⁺ during exercise. Blood Ca²⁺ was shown to regulate the mobilization of lipids in the blood.     

Effects of Moderate Aerobic Exercise Training on Hemorheological and Laboratory Parameters in Ischemic Heart Disease Patients

Background and Design

In this study we set out to determine the effects of long-term physical training on hemorheological, laboratory parameters, exercise tolerability, psychological factors in cardiac patients participating in an ambulatory rehabilitation program.

Methods

Before physical training, patients were examined by echocardiography, tested on treadmill by the Bruce protocol, and blood was drawn for laboratory tests. The enrolled 79 ischemic heart disease patients joined a 24-week cardiac rehabilitation training program. Blood was drawn to measure hematocrit (Hct), plasma and whole blood viscosity (PV, WBV), red blood cell (RBC) aggregation and deformability. Hemorheological, clinical chemistry and psychological measurements were repeated 12 and 24 weeks later, and a treadmill test was performed at the end of the program.

Results

After 12 weeks Hct, PV, WBV and RBC aggregation were significantly decreased, RBC deformability exhibited a significant increase (p<0.05). Laboratory parameters (triglyceride, uric acid, hsCRP and fibrinogen) were significantly decreased (p<0.05). After 24 weeks the significant results were still observed. By the end of the study, IL-6 and TNF-α levels displayed decreasing trends (p<0.06). There was a significant improvement in MET (p<0.001), and the BMI decrease was also significant (p<0.05). The vital exhaustion parameters measured on the fatigue impact scale indicated a significant improvement in two areas of the daily activities (p<0.05).

Conclusions

Regular physical training improved the exercise tolerability of patients with ischemic heart disease. Previous publications have demonstrated that decreases in Hct and PV may reduce cardiovascular risk, while a decrease in RBC aggregation and an increase in deformability improve the capillary flow. Positive changes in laboratory parameters and body weight may indicate better oxidative and inflammatory circumstances and an improved metabolic state. The psychological findings point to an improvement in the quality of life.     

Effect of Movable Anode on Plasma Parameters in Multi-Dipole Discharge

Plasma Physics Reports - We are reporting about the effect of a movable anode on plasma parameters in a multi-dipole magnetic cage. We have used electron-emitting filaments as the cathode and a...     

Previous Exercise Training Has a Beneficial Effect on Renal and Cardiovascular Function in a Model of Diabetes

Exercise training (ET) is an important intervention for chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus (DM). However, it is not known whether previous exercise training intervention alters the physiological and medical complications of these diseases. We investigated the effects of previous ET on the progression of renal disease and cardiovascular autonomic control in rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DM. Male Wistar rats were divided into five groups. All groups were followed for 15 weeks. Trained control and trained diabetic rats underwent 10 weeks of exercise training, whereas previously trained diabetic rats underwent 14 weeks of exercise training. Renal function, proteinuria, renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) and the echocardiographic parameters autonomic modulation and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) were evaluated. In the previously trained group, the urinary albumin/creatinine ratio was reduced compared with the sedentary diabetic and trained diabetic groups (p<0.05). Additionally, RSNA was normalized in the trained diabetic and previously trained diabetic animals (p<0.05). The ejection fraction was increased in the previously trained diabetic animals compared with the diabetic and trained diabetic groups (p<0.05), and the myocardial performance index was improved in the previously trained diabetic group compared with the diabetic and trained diabetic groups (p<0.05). In addition, the previously trained rats had improved heart rate variability and BRS in the tachycardic response and bradycardic response in relation to the diabetic group (p<0.05). This study demonstrates that previous ET improves the functional damage that affects DM. Additionally, our findings suggest that the development of renal and cardiac dysfunction can be minimized by 4 weeks of ET before the induction of DM by STZ.     

Protein Adsorption on Erythrocytic Membranes and Its Effect on Erythrocyte Rheology in Athletes during Competition Exercise

The adsorption of high-molecular-weight plasma proteins on erythrocyte membranes was studied in athletes after prolonged exercise under competition conditions. The adsorption of individual high-molecular-weight protein fractions depended on their concentration. The adsorption index changed biphasically at submaximum exercise. The adsorption of plasma high-molecular-weight protein fractions was associated with the fluidity of concentrated erythrocyte suspensions. The adsorbed high-molecular-weight globulins and fibrinogen had different effects on the parameters of erythrocyte rheology.     

红景天对运动训练大鼠睾酮含量、物质代谢及抗运动疲劳能力的影响

本文以大强度耐力训练大鼠为模型,对红景天对运动训练大鼠睾酮含量、物质代谢及抗运动疲劳能力的影响进行了研究。试验中分别以0.58、1.16、4.48 g.kg-1/d的剂量给大鼠灌胃42 d,并进行负重游泳实验、血清睾酮等生化指标测定。结果显示,红景天各剂组力竭游泳时间长于运动对照组(T组)(P<0.01);血清睾酮高于T组(P<0.01),血清皮质酮低于T组(P<0.05);各组间血清睾酮与皮质酮比值变化与睾酮变化较为一致;肝糖原(P<0.05)、肌糖原(P<0.01)高于T组;血清尿素氮低于T组(P<0.05);血红蛋白高于T组(P<0.05)。从而表明补充红景天可以减轻大鼠血睾酮、皮质酮受高强度运动量的影响,维持在正常生理水平;促进蛋白质合成,抑制氨基酸和蛋白质分解,提高血红蛋白含量和糖原的储备,增强抗疲劳能力,具有多靶点、多途径的显著特点。     

Venous Stasis and Forearm Exercise During Venipuncture as Sources of Error in Plasma Electrolyte Determinations

A study was made of errors in plasma sodium, potassiu, chloride and calcium determinations caused by venous stasis and forearm exercise during venipuncture. Blood samples were taken from both arms of healthy young adults, one arm being used as a control. Analyses were performed in a routine hospital laboratory and the technicians were unaware of the identity of the samples. Laboratory precision was assessed at the same time.Venous stasis alone for two minutes caused no significant change, but the use of continuous slow forearm exercise for one minute caused mean elevations of 0.73 mEq./1. in potassium, and 0.4 mg. per 100 ml. in calcium, the maximum elevations being 1.1 mEq/1. and 1.3 mg. per 100 ml., respectively. A clinically unimportant but significant increase in sodium values of 1.40 mEq./1. was also observed. Chloride values were not affected. In addition there was a substantial error in calcium determinations in the laboratory, which emphasizes the need for repeated calcium determinations to avoid diagnostic error.The conclusion is reached that forearm exercise must be avoided during venipuncture.     

Effect of a Prolonged Dietary Iron Intake on the Gene Expression and Activity of the Testicular Antioxidant Defense System in Rats

Biological Trace Element Research - This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of dietary zinc-methionine (Zn-Met) supplementation during 3&nbsp;months prepartum up to 9&nbsp;months...     

Long‐term Exercise Training in Overweight Adolescents Improves Plasma Peptide YY and Resistin

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of long‐term exercise training on concentrations of five hormones related to appetite and insulin resistance in overweight adolescents. In addition, we were interested in the relationships of these hormones with each other and with anthropometric and/or cardiovascular disease marker changes. Participants were ≥ the 85th percentile for BMI for age and sex and participated in an 8‐month supervised aerobic training program. Anthropometrics, cardiovascular fitness assessment, and fasting blood samples were taken pre‐ and post‐training. Glucose, insulin, total cholesterol (TC), high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, leptin, active ghrelin, total peptide YY (PYY), adiponectin, and resistin concentrations were measured. The participants increased their time to exhaustion on an incremental treadmill test and decreased both percent body fat and blood triglyceride concentrations. Total PYY concentration increased and resistin concentration decreased after long‐term exercise training, which are favorable outcomes. Leptin concentrations were related to weight, percent body fat, waist circumference, and triglyceride concentrations pre‐ and post‐training. The changes in resistin concentrations were related to the changes in triglyceride concentrations. We conclude that long‐term exercise training has beneficial effects for overweight adolescents with respect to PYY and resistin, hormones related to appetite and insulin sensitivity.     

加工因素对橄榄叶提取物抗氧化活性的影响

研究在橄榄叶加工过程中,加工因素对橄榄叶提取物中抗氧化活性的影响,这些因素包括:(1)干燥方式(微波炉干燥,烘箱干燥,低温冷冻干燥和熏蒸及烘箱结合干燥);(2)提取方式(超声波提取和搅拌式提取);(3)提取溶剂的酸度(pH 4、7、10).实验将总多酚含量和清除自由基活性作为衡量提取物抗氧化有效成分和活性的指标.研究结果表明,通过低温冷冻干燥、调节pH至4和采用超声波提取的方式,橄榄叶提取物中的抗氧化有效成分最多.本研究对橄榄叶等天然植物中抗氧化成分提取工艺的制定具有参考价值.