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Long-term effects of regular exercise during pregnancy on overweight and obese gravidas: A protocol of randomized controlled trial.
Zhang, Y, Yang, Y, Xiong, G, Yu, F
Medicine. 2021;(5):e23955
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Overweight before pregnancy is independent risk factor for diabetes mellitus. This randomized controlled trial was to investigate the long-term effects of regular exercise during pregnancy on overweight and obese gravidas. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This single-center, prospective, randomized controlled test will be conducted in Wuhan Central Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Overweight and obese pregnant women will be included in our study and randomized into 2 groups: regular exercise and control groups. The informed consent will be acquired in each patient. Body weight, body fat, fasting and 2 h glucose level in 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), insulin resistance index, and lipid profiles were compared. We also evaluated their physical activities with International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), their dietary habits with modified Adult Dietary Behavior Assessment Scale, and depression condition with Postpartum Depression Screen Scale (PDSS). The significance level was defaulted as P < .05. RESULTS Results will be published in relevant peer-reviewed journals. CONCLUSION Our study aims to systematically assess the effects of regular exercise for overweight and obese gravidas, which will be provided clinical guidance for overweight and obese gravidas.
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Circulating branch chain amino acids and improvement in liver fat content in response to exercise interventions in NAFLD.
Shi, X, Yin, H, Li, J, Huang, C, Chen, Y, Chen, Z, Liu, W, Weijuan Su, , Zhang, Y, Lin, M, et al
Scientific reports. 2021;(1):13415
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is likely to be associated with increased circulating branched-chain amino acids. We investigated the relationship between changes in branched-chain amino acids levels in the serum and improvement in liver fat content caused by exercise intervention in individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The exploratory study included 208 central obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease individuals from an exercise intervention randomized clinical trial for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The participants were randomly assigned to control, moderate, and vigorous-moderate exercise groups for 12 months. Changes in total branched-chain amino acids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine levels from baseline to 6 months were calculated. Liver fat content was determined by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Reductions in circulating levels of total branched-chain amino acids, leucine, and valine levels from baseline to 6 months were significantly associated with the improvement of liver fat content at 6 months and 12 months (p < 0.01 for all) after adjustments for age, sex, total energy intake, protein intake, intervention groups, HOMA-IR, BMI, liver fat content, total branched-chain amino acids, leucine, and valine at baseline, respectively. These associations were still significant after further adjustments for changes in HOMA-IR and BMI from baseline to 6 months (p < 0.05 for all). Our findings indicated that reductions in circulating branched-chain amino acids levels were associated with an improvement in liver fat content by exercise intervention among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which was independent of changes in BMI or HOMA-IR.
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Physical Activity and Cardiometabolic Risk Factor Clustering in Young Adults with Obesity.
Dipietro, L, Zhang, Y, Mavredes, M, Simmens, SJ, Whiteley, JA, Hayman, LL, Faro, J, Malin, SK, Winston, G, Napolitano, MA
Medicine and science in sports and exercise. 2020;(5):1050-1056
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is a paucity of information on the clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors in young adults and how this clustering may vary based on whether or not they perform sufficient levels of physical activity. METHODS We analyzed baseline data from 346 young adults (23.3 ± 4.4 yr) participating in the Healthy Body Healthy U clinical trial from 2015 to 2018. Cardiometabolic risk factors were measured according to standard procedures and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) was determined by accelerometry. A cardiometabolic clustering score (ranging from 0 to 5) was created from five biomarkers according to whether or not a standard clinical risk cut point was exceeded (0, no; 1, yes): abdominal circumference (>102 cm (men) or >88 cm (women)), hemoglobin A1c (≥5.7%), HDL cholesterol (<40 mg·dL (men) or <50 mg·dL (women)), systolic blood pressure (≥130 mm Hg), and diastolic blood pressure (≥85 mm Hg). Cardiometabolic dysregulation (CD) was defined as a cardiometabolic clustering score ≥3. Multiple logistic regression determined the independent association between level of MVPA and CD, while adjusting for sex, race/ethnicity, sedentary time, and smoking. RESULTS The prevalence of CD was 18% (22% in men, 17% in women). We observed a nonlinear graded association between MVPA and CD. Participants performing 150-300 min·wk of MVPA significantly lowered their odds of CD by 66% (odds ratio, 0.34; 95% confidence interval, 0.16-0.75), whereas those exceeding 300 min·wk lowered their odds by 61% (odds ratio, 0.39; 95% confidence interval, 0.18-0.86) compared with those performing <150 min·wk, independent of obesity and the other covariables. CONCLUSION Recommended levels of moderate-intensity physical activity is significantly associated with lower odds of CD and thus may prevent or diminish the need for expensive pharmaceutical treatment over the remainder of the life-span.
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Regulatory role of exercise-induced autophagy for sarcopenia.
Liang, J, Zeng, Z, Zhang, Y, Chen, N
Experimental gerontology. 2020;:110789
Abstract
Sarcopenia is an aging-related disease, described as the progressive reduction in mass and strength of skeletal muscle. Sarcopenia is typically characterized as the accumulation of damaged products due to an imbalance between protein synthesis and protein degradation. This imbalance between protein synthesis and degradation is attributed to impaired autophagic signal pathways. Sarcopenia can predispose elderly patients to several complications that may significantly impact patient quality of life. Recent evidence indicates that autophagy is required for the control of skeletal muscle mass under catabolic conditions and plays a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis and integrity of skeletal muscle, specifically at appropriate level of autophagy. Exercise may be considered as a stress stimulus that can substantially modulate cellular signaling to promote metabolic adaptations. Appropriate exercise can induce autophagy or regulate the functional status of autophagy. Additionally, exercise-induced autophagy is the most effective treatment available in slowing down sarcopenia, improving mitochondrial quality, and the number of quiescent satellite cells, as a process that depends on basal autophagy. The molecular mechanisms underpinning the development of sarcopenia, however, remained largely unknown. In this narrative review, the current molecular mechanisms of sarcopenia are discussed from the perspective of exercise-induced autophagy and the effect of different exercise modalities on this response. This narrative review will aim to provide the references for developing scientific and optimal intervention strategies including exercise intervention for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia through regulating autophagic signal pathways.
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Physical Exercise and Selective Autophagy: Benefit and Risk on Cardiovascular Health.
Wu, NN, Tian, H, Chen, P, Wang, D, Ren, J, Zhang, Y
Cells. 2019;(11)
Abstract
Physical exercise promotes cardiorespiratory fitness, and is considered the mainstream of non-pharmacological therapies along with lifestyle modification for various chronic diseases, in particular cardiovascular diseases. Physical exercise may positively affect various cardiovascular risk factors including body weight, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, lipid and glucose metabolism, heart function, endothelial function, and body fat composition. With the ever-rising prevalence of obesity and other types of metabolic diseases, as well as sedentary lifestyle, regular exercise of moderate intensity has been indicated to benefit cardiovascular health and reduce overall disease mortality. Exercise offers a wide cadre of favorable responses in the cardiovascular system such as improved dynamics of the cardiovascular system, reduced prevalence of coronary heart diseases and cardiomyopathies, enhanced cardiac reserve capacity, and autonomic regulation. Ample clinical and experimental evidence has indicated an emerging role for autophagy, a conservative catabolism process to degrade and recycle cellular organelles and nutrients, in exercise training-offered cardiovascular benefits. Regular physical exercise as a unique form of physiological stress is capable of triggering adaptation while autophagy in particular selective autophagy seems to be permissive to such cardiovascular adaptation. Here in this mini-review, we will summarize the role for autophagy in particular mitochondrial selective autophagy namely mitophagy in the benefit versus risk of physical exercise on cardiovascular function.
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Effects of different durations of aerobic exercise on the cardiovascular health in untrained women: a meta-analysis and meta-regression.
Zhang, Y, Xu, L, Zhang, X, Yao, Y, Sun, Y, Qi, L
The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness. 2018;(10):1525-1536
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Women's cardiovascular health is a hot topic. Exercise intervention is an effective method to improve the cardiovascular functions. The aim of this study was to systematically assess effects of aerobic exercise at different durations on the cardiovascular health of untrained women. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION Published articles from January 1989 to March 2016 were identified using electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Web of Science) for randomized controlled trials. Weighted mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using fixed-effects and random-effects models. Meta-regression and subgroup analysis were performed to explore the possible heterogeneity. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS Data from 26 published studies with a total of 518 untrained women were identified. The subgroup analysis and meta-regression were performed according to age (under 40, and from 41 to 60 years old) and exercise durations. Maximal oxygen consumption significantly increased at short-duration exercise (95% CI: -2.51 to -1.57; I2=0%) and mid-duration exercise (95% CI: -8.23 to -5.18; I2=0%). While HR (95% CI: 4.72 to 5.60; I2=0%) and SBP (95% CI: 5.55 to 7.52; I2=0%) significantly decreased at mid-duration exercise. Total cholesterol (N.=242, 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.16, I2=13%), HDL-C (N.=242, 95% CI: -0.11 to -0.06, I2=11%) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (N.=238, 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.16, I2=37%) significantly improved with short-duration, mid-duration and long-duration. CONCLUSIONS Improvement of cardiovascular functions decreases with age in untrained women. Short-duration exercise has significant effects on aerobic capacity. Mid-duration exercise significantly improves on aerobic capacity, heart rate and systolic blood pressure. All the different durations of aerobic exercise improve the cholesterol metabolism.
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Autophagy Is a Promoter for Aerobic Exercise Performance during High Altitude Training.
Zhang, Y, Chen, N
Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity. 2018;:3617508
Abstract
High altitude training is one of the effective strategies for improving aerobic exercise performance at sea level via altitude acclimatization, thereby improving oxygen transport and/or utilization. But its underlying molecular mechanisms on physiological functions and exercise performance of athletes are still vague. More recent evidence suggests that the recycling of cellular components by autophagy is an important process of the body involved in the adaptive responses to exercise. Whether high altitude training can activate autophagy or whether high altitude training can improve exercise performance through exercise-induced autophagy is still unclear. In this narrative review article, we will summarize current research advances in the improvement of exercise performance through high altitude training and its reasonable molecular mechanisms associated with autophagy, which will provide a new field to explore the molecular mechanisms of adaptive response to high altitude training.
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Effect of Baduanjin exercise for hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Xiong, X, Wang, P, Li, S, Zhang, Y, Li, X
Maturitas. 2015;(4):370-8
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Baduanjin exercise for hypertension. Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, VIP, CBM and Wanfang databases were searched. Eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified. Baduanjin significantly lowered systolic blood pressure (SBP) (WMD=-13.00 mmHg; 95% CI: -21.24 to -4.77; P=0.002), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (WMD=-6.13 mmHg; 95% CI: -11.20 to -1.07; P=0.02), body mass index, blood glucose, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and improved high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and quality of life compared to no intervention. No significant difference between Baduanjin and antihypertensive drugs on SBP (WMD=1.05 mmHg; 95% CI: -2.07 to 4.17; P=0.51) or DBP (WMD=1.90 mmHg; 95% CI: -1.22 to 5.02; P=0.23) was identified. Baduanjin plus antihypertensive drugs significantly reduced SBP (WMD=-7.49 mmHg; 95% CI: -11.39 to -3.59; P=0.0002), DBP (WMD=-3.55 mmHg; 95% CI: -5.25 to -1.85; P<0.0001), blood glucose, and total cholesterol compared to antihypertensive drugs. Baduanjin is an effective therapy for hypertension. However, further rigorously designed RCTs are still warranted.
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Muscle and plasma coenzyme Q10 concentration, aerobic power and exercise economy of healthy men in response to four weeks of supplementation.
Zhou, S, Zhang, Y, Davie, A, Marshall-Gradisnik, S, Hu, H, Wang, J, Brushett, D
The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness. 2005;(3):337-46
Abstract
AIM: To investigate whether 4 weeks of oral supplementation with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) would increase its concentration in skeletal muscle, and affect aerobic power (VO2max) and oxygen consumption during submaximal exercise in healthy, physically active men. METHODS Six volunteers with an average (+/-SD) age of 29.7+/-7.2 years and VO2max of 39.4+/-8.5 mL.kg-1.min-1, participated in a single-blind trial. The experiment consisted of 4 2-week phases, in the order of placebo run-in, CoQ10 supplementation (150 mg daily), CoQ10 (150 mg) plus vitamin E (1,000 IU daily), and placebo wash-out. A three-stage cycle economy test (4 minutes at each of 50, 100, and 150 watts), followed by a VO2max test (25 watts increment every minute till exhaustion), were performed prior to the supplementation and at the end of each phase. Blood samples were taken pre and post each VO2max test, and biopsy samples were obtained from the vastus lateralis muscle pre and post the 4 weeks of CoQ10 supplementation. RESULTS The plasma CoQ10 concentration was significantly elevated by the supplementation (P<0.05), however, it did not vary significantly pre and post each exercise test (P>0.05). The muscle CoQ10 concentration, VO2max ventilatory threshold, exercise economy and oxygen deficit showed no significant changes in response to the supplementation. CONCLUSION It was speculated that the non-significant effects of supplementation in healthy, non CoQ10-deficient men could be due to either that the mitochondrial membrane is normally saturated with CoQ10, or that the selected exercise testing protocol and variables were not sensitive enough to detect the effects.