Associations between various markers of intestinal barrier and immune function after a high-intensity exercise challenge.

Strenuous exercise can result in disruption of intestinal barrier function and occurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms. The aim of this exploratory study was to elucidate systemic effects of increased intestinal permeability after high-intensity exercise. Forty-one endurance-trained subjects performed a 60-min treadmill run at 80% VOmax.

Adherence to the physical activity guideline beyond the recommended minimum weekly amount: impacts on indicators of physical function in older adults.

Introduction: The extent to which additional health benefits of accumulating twice the minimum amount of time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) affects indicators of physical function in older adults is unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess indicators of physical function in older adults who accumulate at least 150 but less than 300 min/week of MVPA compared to those accumulating at least 300 min/week.

Methods: Indicators of physical function, including handgrip strength, 5 times sit-to-stand test (5-STS), squat jump and 6-min walk test (6MWT) were assessed in a sample of 193 older men ( = 71, 67 ± 2 years), and women ( = 122, 67 ± 2 years), who all accumulated at least 150 weekly minutes of MVPA.

Electrical pulse stimulation: an in vitro exercise model for the induction of human skeletal muscle cell hypertrophy. A proof-of-concept study.

What is the central question of this study? Is electrical pulse stimulation (EPS) an in vitro exercise model able to elicit the hypertrophy of human muscle cells? What is the main finding and its importance? The addition of a restitution period of 8 h after EPS induces the enlargement of human muscle cells, a major physiological end-point to resistance exercise. This is supported by downregulation of myostatin, a negative regulator of muscle mass, and increased phosphorylated mTOR and 4E-BP1, key factors in the growth cascade. This proof-of-concept study provides a model of physiologically mediated muscle growth, which will be the basis for future studies aiming to depict molecular events governing the hypertrophy of human muscle cells.