This one found short-term, moderate-intensity downhill running to be an effective method of promoting gains in knee-extensor muscle strength, size and structure, with the former being explained mainly by neural changes and to a smaller extent by muscle hypertrophy.
- 4 weeks of moderate-intensity downhill running promoted neuromuscular adaptations in young, healthy adults.
- Neural adaptations appeared to contribute to most of the strength gains at 2 and 4 weeks, while muscle hypertrophy seemed to contribute to maximal voluntary torque changes from 2 to 4 weeks only.
- Downhill running did not enhance maximal oxygen uptake.
The time course of different neuromuscular adaptations to short-term downhill running training and their specific relationships with strength gains (open access)
This systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs comes to the conclusion that ~700 METs-min/week is the minimal dose to elicit clinically important changes in cognition in older adults.
- The estimated minimal exercise dose found that can elicit clinically relevant changes in cognition was 724 METs-min per week, with doses beyond the upper bound of WHO recommended level of physical activity providing less clear benefits.
- 724 METs-min per week is slightly above the lower bound of WHO recommended level of physical activity (i.e. 600 METs-min per week, equivalent to 150 min/week of moderate intensity or 75 min/week of vigorous activity).
This one suggests that conventional daily caffeine intake does not provide sufficient time for the elimination of caffeine and paraxanthine.
- Worse still, even though the salivary caffeine nearly reaches a clear state, the caffeine-associated brain responses seem to require a longer time to be fully restored.
"The concurrence of a reduced hippocampal GM intensity and an incomplete caffeine elimination, together with a GM recovery after being deprived of caffeine, underscore the importance of a sufficient cessation period...
This Mendelian randomization analysis suggests that VAT mass is associated with a wide range of CVD outcomes including coronary heart disease, cardiac arrhythmia, vascular diseases, and stroke, with some circulating proteins being potential mediators of this association.
- Among these proteins, genetically estimated VAT mass had the highest OR value for the expression of leptin.
- Excessive VAT increased the level of leptin and further increased the incidence of all-cause heart failure, atrial fibrillation and flutter, DVT of lower extremities, pulmonary embolism, and DVT of lower extremities and pulmonary embolism.
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the efficacy of increasing dietary protein ingestion to improve lean body mass gain, skeletal muscle strength, and physical function in healthy subjects.
- Additional protein ingestion together with resistance training leads to small additional lean body mass and lower body strength.
- This effect seems to be more prominent in younger subjects ingesting ≥1.6 g/kg/day.
This study explored the effect of three different modes of resistance training on appetite hormones, cardiometabolic and anthropometric measures in males with obesity.
- 44 males with obesity were randomized to traditional resistance training (TRT, n = 11), circuit resistance training (CRT, n = 11), interval resistance training (IRT, n = 11) or control (C, n = 11) groups.
- All resistance training groups received 50 min of supervised training per session, three days per week, for 12 weeks.
This one suggests that individuals with high serum microRNA-122 levels may be less responsive during diet/physical activity-induced weight loss, as far as hepatic fat content loss is concerned.
- In the current study of participants with abdominal obesity or dyslipidemia from an 18-month randomized, controlled diet and physical activity intervention trial, it was observed that serum miR-122 levels were positively associated with hepatic fat percentage at baseline.
- A greater elevation in miR-122 from baseline to 18 months was associated with a smaller reduction in hepatic fat content during the 18-month intervention process.