Publications by authors named "Akemi Sawai"

Introduction: We aimed to determine the effects of exercise on cell-free DNA (cfDNA) levels and concentration changes during the menstrual cycle in participants with regular menstrual cycles and no exercise habits.

Methods: Eleven sedentary female students with regular menstrual cycles and ovulation performed bicycle exercises at 60% VO for 30 min during the menstrual, ovulatory, and luteal phases. Blood samples were collected before (Pre), immediately after (Post 0), 30 min after (Post 30), and 60 min after (Post 60) exercise.

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This study aimed to identify factors associated with the prevalence and severity of menstrual-related symptoms. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021208432). We conducted literature searches of PubMed and Ichushi-Web and used the Jonna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist to assess the quality.

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This study aimed to investigate the difference in the prevalence, severity, and risk factors of dysmenorrhea between Japanese female athletes and non-athletes in universities. The participants were 18 to 30 years old with no history of a previous pregnancy and/or childbirth. After application of the exclusion criteria, the cohort comprised 605 athletes and 295 non-athletes.

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Introduction: Menstrual dysfunction, musculoskeletal injury, and poor nutrition combine to form the female athlete triad (FAT), which results in serious health consequences for affected athletes. To this point, the risk factors of this phenomenon have not been fully explored in Japanese female college athletes. Additionally, the effect of competitive level on FAT risk factors has also not been reported.

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Context: About 10% of Japanese female athletes are afflicted by menstrually-related edema, mainly in the lower limbs, and, with few studies on this problem, the effect on performance remains unclear.

Objective: To quantitatively evaluate fluid retention in the calf in female students over their menstrual cycle using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to determine the relationship of MRI changes and athletic performance.

Design: The menstrual cycle was divided into 5 phases: menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, early luteal, and late luteal with sampling done in either morning (AM) or afternoon (PM) sessions.

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Background: Not only obesity but also sarcopenia is associated with NAFLD. The influence of altered body composition on the pathophysiology of NAFLD has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study is to determine whether skeletal muscle mass to visceral fat area ratio (SV ratio) affects NAFLD pathophysiology.

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Article Synopsis
  • Aerobic training is usually recommended for treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but resistance training and a new method called acceleration training (AT) are also showing effectiveness.
  • A study involved 18 obese patients with NAFLD who underwent 12 weeks of AT, consisting of 20-minute sessions twice a week.
  • Results showed improvements in muscle strength and size, significant reductions in liver fat and various inflammatory markers, and enhanced overall health quality, indicating that AT can be beneficial for managing NAFLD in obese individuals.
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