Thermoregulatory demands of épée fencing during competition.

The International Olympic Committee recently introduced a consensus statement on recommendations for outdoor sports in the heat. However, indoor sports such as fencing whereby athletes are required to wear full body protective clothing when competing have received no recommendations. Such scenarios could cause high thermoregulatory demands particularly as competition progresses into latter rounds (direct elimination; DE).

Changes in Cardiorespiratory Fitness Following Exercise Training Prescribed Relative to Traditional Intensity Anchors and Physiological Thresholds: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis of Individual Participant Data.

Background: It is unknown whether there are differences in maximal oxygen uptake ( O) response when prescribing intensity relative to traditional (TRAD) anchors or to physiological thresholds (THR).

Objectives: The present meta-analysis sought to compare: (a) mean change in O, (b) proportion of individuals increasing O beyond a minimum important difference (MID) and (c) response variability in O between TRAD and THR.

Methods: Electronic databases were searched, yielding data for 1544 individuals from 42 studies.

Perceptions, behaviours and barriers towards exercise practices in inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic disease affecting the digestive tract, has a significant impact on health-related quality of life. Pharmaceutical treatment is typically adopted, yet exercise is increasingly becoming recognized as an adjunct therapy. This study aimed to explore the perspectives, behaviours, and barriers of IBD patients in terms of their exercise habits.

Assessing the role of biomarker feedback in a 12-week community weight management programme among overweight men: A pilot study.

Background: The primary objective of this study was to examine the feasibility of recruitment, retention, and delivery of biomarker feedback among men partaking in Shape Up, a physical activity for health programme. Secondarily, it explored the potential effects of biomarker feedback on participants' adherence and motivation levels.

Methods: In this two-arm non-randomised pilot study, 46 men (mean±SD age 46.

Health Benefits of Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice Supplementation in Adults with Mild to Moderate Ulcerative Colitis: A Protocol for a Placebo Randomized Controlled Trial.

Ulcerative colitis, characterized by its relapsing and remissive nature, negatively affects perception, body image, and overall quality of life. The associated financial burden underscores the need for alternative treatment approaches with fewer side effects, alongside pharmaceutical interventions. Montmorency tart cherries, rich in anthocyanins, have emerged as a potential natural anti-inflammatory agent for ulcerative colitis.

The Participation of Trans Women in Competitive Fencing and Implications on Fairness: A Physiological Perspective Narrative Review.

Debate has surrounded whether the participation of trans women in female sporting categories is fair, specifically the retained male physiological advantage due to increased testosterone compared to cisgender females. Recently, individual sporting organisations have been investigating and assessing policies regarding trans women athlete participation in female categories, resulting in several banning participation. This review aims to discuss the scientific evidence and provide appropriate guidance for the inclusion of trans women in elite competitive female fencing categories.

Effects of a Home-Based Physical Activity Program on Blood Biomarkers and Health-Related Quality of Life Indices in Saudi Arabian Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The purpose of this study was to undertake a randomized control trial examining the effects of a 12-week home-based physical activity program on Saudi Arabian adults with type 2 diabetes. Sixty-four patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited from the Jazan Diabetes and Endocrinology Center, located in the Jazan region of southwestern Saudi Arabia. Patients were randomly assigned to either control, i.

Temporal demands of elite fencing.

There is no published study that analyses the temporal demands of fencing, in its six Olympic modalities in the same high-level competition. The only existing publications date back decades, with already obsolete regulations, or focus on a specific modality. The aim of this study is to carry out a chronometric analysis of elite fencing at the 2014 Fencing World Championships to determine the existence of differences between its weapons (épée, foil and sabre) and between genders.

Exercise improves depression through positive modulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). A review based on 100 manuscripts over 20 years.

The aim of this review was to explore the relevant neurobiology and the association between peripheral levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and acute and short to long-term exercise regimes, as well as its relation to depression and antidepressant treatment. A 20-year literature search was conducted. The screening process resulted in 100 manuscripts.

Physiological demands and motion analysis of elite foil fencing.

The aim of this study was to determine the physiological demands and motion analysis of a simulated fencing competition. Eighteen fencers each completed 5 'poule' (5 touches) and 'direct elimination (DE)' (15 touches) fights. Expired gases were measured during 1 poule and DE fight.

Variability in exercise tolerance and physiological responses to exercise prescribed relative to physiological thresholds and to maximum oxygen uptake.

New Findings: What is the central question of this study? Does prescribing exercise intensity using physiological thresholds create a more homogeneous exercise stimulus than using traditional intensity anchors? What is the main finding and its importance? Prescribing exercise using physiological thresholds, notably critical power, reduced the variability in exercise tolerance and acute metabolic responses. At higher intensities, approaching or exceeding the transition from heavy to severe intensity exercise, the imprecision of using fixed %  as an intensity anchor becomes amplified.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine whether the variability in exercise tolerance and physiological responses is lower when exercise is prescribed relative to physiological thresholds (THR) compared to traditional intensity anchors (TRAD).

Ultra-Endurance Participation and Acute Kidney Injury: A Narrative Review.

Increasingly popular, ultra-endurance participation exposes athletes to extremely high levels of functional and structural damage. Ultra-endurance athletes commonly develop acute kidney injury (AKI) and other pathologies harmful to kidney health. There is strong evidence that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, common amongst ultra-athletes, is linked to increased risk and severity of AKI and potentially ischaemic renal injury, i.

Maximal Fat Oxidation during Incremental Upper and Lower Body Exercise in Healthy Young Males.

The aim of this study is to determine the magnitude of maximal fat oxidation (MFO) during incremental upper and lower body exercise. Thirteen non-specifically trained male participants (19.3 ± 0.

Effects of Montmorency Tart Cherry and Blueberry Juice on Cardiometabolic and Other Health-Related Outcomes: A Three-Arm Placebo Randomized Controlled Trial.

The current study aimed to investigate the influence of tart cherry and blueberry juices on cardiometabolic and other health indices following a 20-day supplementation period. Forty-five adults were randomly assigned to receive tart cherry, blueberry, or a placebo, of which they drank 60 mL per day for 20 days. The primary outcome, which was systolic blood pressure, and secondary measures, including anthropometric, energy expenditure, substrate oxidation, hematological, diastolic blood pressure/resting heart rate, psychological wellbeing, and sleep efficacy, were measured before and after the intervention.

Effects of a Home-Based Physical Activity Programme on Blood Biomarkers and Health-Related Quality of Life Indices in Saudi Arabian Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is renowned for its high incidence of type-2 diabetes mellitus, with a prevalence rate of around 33%, which is expected to increase to 45.8% by 2030. Engagement in regular physical activity has been shown to significantly attenuate non-communicable diseases including type-2 diabetes.

Nutritional and Non-Nutritional Strategies in Bodybuilding: Impact on Kidney Function.

Bodybuilders routinely engage in many dietary and other practices purported to be harmful to kidney health. The development of acute kidney injury, focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS) and nephrocalcinosis may be particular risks. There is little evidence that high-protein diets and moderate creatine supplementation pose risks to individuals with normal kidney function though long-term high protein intake in those with underlying impairment of kidney function is inadvisable.

Effects of Montmorency Tart Cherry and Blueberry Juice on Cardiometabolic Outcomes in Healthy Individuals: Protocol for a 3-Arm Placebo Randomized Controlled Trial.

Cardiometabolic disease is recognized as the predominant cause of global mortality and healthcare expenditure. Whilst pharmaceutical interventions are effective in the short term, their long-term efficacy remain equivocal and their associated side-effects are concerning. Owing to their high levels of anthocyanins, Montmorency tart cherries and blueberries have been cited as potentially important natural treatment/preventative modalities for cardiometabolic disease.

The Effects of Sprint vs. Resisted Sled-Based Training; an 8-Week in-Season Randomized Control Intervention in Elite Rugby League Players.

The aim of the current study was to examine the efficacy of resisted sled-based training compared to traditional unresisted sprint training in terms of mediating improvements in speed, agility, and power during an eight-week period of in-season training in elite rugby league players. Participants were randomly separated into either resisted sled or traditional sprint-based training groups and they completed an eight-week in-season training block with training prescribed based on the group to which they were assigned. Measures of 5 m, 10 m, and 20 m sprint times in addition to countermovement jump height and 505-agility test time were measured at baseline, four-weeks and eight-weeks.

Biological and methodological factors affecting response variability to endurance training and the influence of exercise intensity prescription.

New Findings: What is the topic of this review? Biological and methodological factors associated with the variable changes in cardiorespiratory fitness in response to endurance training. What advances does it highlight? Several biological and methodological factors exist that each contribute, to a given extent, to response variability. Notably, prescribing exercise intensity relative to physiological thresholds reportedly increases cardiorespiratory fitness response rates compared to when prescribed relative to maximum physiological values.

Effects of short-term continuous Montmorency tart cherry juice supplementation in participants with metabolic syndrome.

Purpose: Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) augments the incidence of cardiovascular disease by two-fold and type II diabetes mellitus by five-fold. Montmorency tart cherries are rich in phytochemicals shown to improve biomarkers related to cardio-metabolic health in humans. This study aimed to examine cardio-metabolic responses after 7-days Montmorency tart cherry juice (MTCJ) supplementation and also acute on short-term supplementation responses to a single bolus, in humans with MetS.

Affective and enjoyment responses to 12 weeks of high intensity interval training and moderate continuous training in adults with Crohn's disease.

The aim was to undertake secondary data analysis from a three-arm randomised feasibility trial of high intensity interval training (HIIT), moderate intensity continuous training (MICT), and usual care control in adults with Crohn's disease (CD; n = 36), with a primary focus on exploring affective and enjoyment responses. Twenty-five participants with quiescent or mildly-active CD were randomised to one of the two exercise groups: HIIT (n = 13) and MICT (n = 12). Both groups were offered thrice weekly sessions for 12 weeks.

Effect of a Carbohydrate-Electrolyte Solution on Fluid Balance and Performance at a Thermoneutral Environment in International-Level Fencers.

Chryssanthopoulos, C, Tsolakis, C, Bottoms, L, Toubekis, A, Zacharogiannis, E, Pafili, Z, and Maridaki, M. Effect of a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution on fluid balance and performance at a thermoneutral environment in international-level fencers. J Strength Cond Res 34(1): 152-161, 2020-The purpose of the study was to examine a possible effect of a carbohydrate-electrolyte (CHO-E) solution on fluid balance and performance in fencing at a thermoneutral environment.

High-intensity interval training and moderate-intensity continuous training in adults with Crohn's disease: a pilot randomised controlled trial.

Background: This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of two common types of exercise training-high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT)-in adults with Crohn's disease (CD).

Methods: In this mixed-methods pilot trial, participants with quiescent or mildly-active CD were randomly assigned 1:1:1 to HIIT, MICT or usual care control, and followed up for 6 months. The HIIT and MICT groups were offered three exercise sessions per week for the first 12 weeks.