Effect of Short-term Arginine Supplementation on Vasodilation and Performance in Intermittent Exercise in Judo Athletes

Arginine supplementation has been shown to induce endothelium-dependent vasodilation and enhance exercise performance via increasing nitric oxide (NO) production in patients with various cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to determin

Effect of Qigong on quality of life: a cross-sectional population-based comparison study in Taiwan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Qigong, similar to Tai Chi Chuan, is beneficial to health. In Taiwan, Waitankung, a type of Qigong, is as popular as Tai Chi Chuan. This population-based comparison study compares the health-related quality of life between people practicing Waitankung and their comparable community residents.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 165 individuals practicing Waitankung were matched by age and sex with 660 general individuals for comparison. Information about health-related quality of life, measured by the SF-36, and other basic and health conditions was obtained from the questionnaires. This study used the linear mixed-effect regression model to examine the association between health-related quality of life and the practice of Waitankung.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Compared with either sedentary individuals or individuals practicing other types of exercise, the Waitankung group scored higher for eight and five out of ten SF-36 components, respectively. The Waitankung group scored better in general health, vitality, and physical component summary compared to individuals participating in other types of exercise, even when considering the energy expended by exercise.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results suggest that Waitankung exercising is significantly associated with health-related quality of life. Waitankung may serve as an exercise choice for middle-aged and older people to improve overall quality of life.</p

Middle-aged Subjects With Habitual Low-speed Cycling Exercise Have Greater Mononuclear Cell Responsiveness Against Human Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen

Background: Whether middle-aged people with habitual cycling exercise (HCE) at low intensity in the morning have higher immunity against hepatitis B virus than sedentary controls (SCs) is a health issue in the elderly. Methods: Conditioned media (CM) were prepared by stimulating isolated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC) with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or assessment of their inhibitory effects on hepatitis B surface antigen expression in human hepatoma Hep3B cells. Results: With the percent of maximal oxygen uptake at about 45.52% and percent of maximal heart rate at about 68.58% during a cycling exercise program in the present study, we considered HCE as an aerobic and a low to moderate exercise for the elderly. The concentrations of secreted cytokines such as interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor a and interferon alpha were higher in the MNC-CM from the HCE group than from the SC group. The inhibitory rates of MNC-CM of the HCE group against hepatitis B surface antigen expression were higher than that of the SC group. In the same stimulating concentration of PHA (10 μg/mL), the relative hepatitis B surface antigen expression in MNC-CM of the HCE group was 64.7% versus 81.5% of the SC group. The reduction in inhibitory rates in cytokine neutralization experiments suggests crucial roles of these cytokines for the inhibitory effect of HCE-PHA-MNC-CM against hepatitis B surface antigen expression. Conclusion: The results reveal that the immune response of MNC, which are stimulated by PHA to suppress hepatitis B surface antigen expression, is greater in middle-aged subjects with low-speed HCE than in sedentary subjects

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis in a Mathematical Model for Estimating Fat-free Mass in Multiple Segments in Elderly Taiwanese Males

Background: This research applied bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and Dual-Energy X-ray AbsorptioMetry (DXA) to measure the body composition of Taiwan elderly. We developed the new mathematical estimation model for fat free mass of multiple segments. Methods: The modified BIA instrument with 8 electrodes (BIA8) at 50 kHz and 0.4 mA was used to measure the bioelectrical impedance of whole body and all limb segments of 33 male elderly in Taiwan. The criterion fat free mass (FFM) values in whole body and all limb segments were determined by DXA. After analyzing by linear regression, we obtained the FFM estimation equation for limb segments. The Bland-Altmen analysis were used to evaluate the differences existed between the estimation FFM from equation by BIA and from by DXA. Result: The correlation efficient (R) with standard deviation (SD) of FFM measured by DXA v.s. estimated by BIA in whole body, lower limbs, upper limbs and trunk were 0.942 with 2.660 kg, 0.859 with 0.713 kg, 0.922 with 0.265 kg and 0.884 with 1.917 kg, respectively. The relative high in the weight coefficients of h2/Z for estimation equation implied the critical role played by height and BIA values. Conclusion: In summary, the multiple segments FFM estimated by BIA were highly relative to that of determined by DXA for elderly in Taiwan. It is feasible to apply in monitoring the body composition in elderly by fast, non-invasive and convenient way

Comparison of Different Measurement Equations for Body Composition Estimation in Male Athletes

The purpose of this study was to compare the validity between three established prediction equations and our prediction equation referenced by DEXA (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) on fat free mass (FFM) in Taiwan male soccer players. Methods: Twenty seven elite Taiwan soccer players were estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and DEXA. The R2 value of FFM estimated by our prediction equation and DEXA was 0.918. The R2 values of FFM estimated by three different stablished prediction equations and DEXA were 0.725, 0.794 and 0.868, respectively. In summary, our specialized prediction equation shown the highest correlation among equations suggestion evaluating athletic body composition should use appropriate prediction equation rather than that of for general people

New Application of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis by the Back Propagation Artificial Neural Network Mathematically Predictive Model of Tissue Composition in the Lower Limbs of Elderly People

Background: The accurate evaluation of muscle mass by a non–invasive and easy method is the first step to help prevent falling events in elderly people. Methods: To develop greater predictive accuracy and precision in the measurement of body composition in lower limbs by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), the Back Propagation Artificial Neural Network (BP–ANN) was used to calculate predictive results and was compared with data from dual–energy X–ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 22 male and 16 female elderly people in Taiwan. Fat–free mass (FFM), tissue weight, and fat mass (FM) of the lower limbs were directly measured by DXA, and the BIA values (Z) of left side hand to right side foot in the standing position were measured by BIA. The parameters of height, weight, age, gender and BIA values were combined to create the BP–ANN mathematical model, which was developed to predict the FFM and FM in lower limbs in elderly. Result: A relatively lower correlation coefficient (r2) of 0.964 and standard deviation (2SD) of 0.01 ± 3.64% were obtained for the prediction of FFM and FM by BIA with the BP–ANN mathematical model, whereas the linear regression analyzing model had an r2 value of 0.845 and 2SD of 0.12 ± 7.68%, respectively. The performance of the BP–ANN mathematical model at BIA measurement was superior to that of the current linear regression model. Conclusion: In summary, the greater predictive accuracy and precision made the application of BIA with the BP–ANN mathematical model more feasible for the clinical measurement of FM and FFM in the lower limbs of elderly people