Four weeks of trauma-informed yoga intervention and autonomic tone in female veteran and non-veteran college students

Introduction: Female college students (veteran and non-veteran) are exposed to cumulative stressors and trauma that may lead to an imbalanced autonomic nervous system. Yoga has emerged as an efficacious intervention for psychological and physical trauma; however, the therapeutic dose of intervening yoga is unknown. Additionally, the frequency, duration, and type of yoga needed to achieve a therapeutic dose appear to be population specific when applied to trauma victims. The purpose of the study was to examine whether a short-term trauma-informed yoga intervention altered metrics of autonomic tone as assessed by heart rate variability (HRV) in female veteran and non-veteran college students. Methods: Nine female college students (age: 33 years ± 11, veteran, n = 4, non-veteran, n = 5) engaged in trauma-informed yoga once per week for one-hour over a four-week intervention. Repeated measures ANOVA were performed on the HRV variables lnRMSSD, lnHF, lnLF, and LF:HF. Results: Findings indicated no effect of the intervention on HRV as measured by lnRMSSD (p = .116), lnHF (p = .073), lnLF (p = .316), and LF:HF (p = .131). Further, no acute alterations in HRV were observed following a single session of trauma-informed yoga (p > .05). Conclusion: The findings of the study revealed no significant effect of trauma-informed yoga on HRV following a single session or after a four-week yoga intervention

Health and fitness benefits using a heart rate intensity-based group fitness exercise regimen

Inactivity leads to morbidity and mortality, while novel and engaging approaches to fitness improve health outcomes. The current study examined an 8-week commercial group exercise regimen for high intensity interval training (HIIT) in order to examine comprehensive metrics of health and fitness. Aerobic fitness, body composition, resting metabolic rate, blood cholesterol and glucose, in addition to resting blood pressure were quantified in a laboratory setting independent of the training facilities. Exercise training utilized multimodal HIIT-based exercises and work intensity was gauged by real-time heart rate feedback. All participants completed the required two sessions per week. Pre-Post analyses indicate aerobic fitness (Pre VO2max = 36.8 ml•kg-1•min-1; Post VO2max = 40.8 ml•kg-1•min-1), % fat (Pre = 28.1%; Post = 27.0%), resting metabolic rate (Pre = 1557 kcals; Post = 1664 kcals), resting blood pressure (Pre = 128.8/78.1 mmHg; Post = 116.7/75.4 mmHg), and circulating triacylglycerol (Pre = 100.0 mg/dl; Post = 78.7 mg/dl) were significantly altered. This study quantified improvements in aerobic fitness, body composition, resting metabolic rate, resting blood pressure, and triacylglycerol after an 8-week HIIT regimen. The implications of heart rate (HR) monitoring within franchised group exercise with wearable technology serves as an unexplored scientific approach to understand novel exercise prescriptions on health-fitness outcomes. Future research should investigate sociological aspects of program adherence, while biological applications should examine the adaptive stimuli of HIIT training on health and fitness improvements.This work was supported by the Ultimate Fitness Group, LLC dba Orange Theory Fitness

A Comparison of Anaerobic Power Tests using Cycle Ergometry and Non-motorized Treadmill Ergometry at Optimized Loads

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(4): 1293-1305, 2023. The purpose of this study was to compare performance markers derived from a 30-second maximal bout on a cycle ergometer (CE) and non-motorized treadmill (NMT) under optimized loads. Recreationally active participants (n = 40) volunteered for the study. Force-velocity tests on the CE and NMT were used to determine optimal resistance for peak power (PP) production. The remaining visits were randomized and counterbalanced, with a single 30-second maximal test on CE or NMT to assess PP, mean power (MP), fatigue index (FI), over the course of the 30-second test, and maximum heart rate (HRmax) and blood lactate (BLa-) taken 1-minute post. Results were that PP and MP were higher (P\u3c0.05) on CE compared to NMT for both sexes. FI did not differ among males (P=0.201) whereas females showed higher FI (P=0.002) on the CE. HRmax and BLa- were higher (P\u3c0.05) after NMT for both sexes. There was no difference for optimal braking force on NMT between males (16.65±4.49%BW) and females (14.30±3.10%BW) (P=0.061). CE optimal torque factor was higher for males (0.78±0.16 Nm/kg) compared to females (0.62±0.14 Nm/kg) (P=0.001). Overall, CE produced higher power output using optimized loads in recreationally active males and females, while NMT test resulted in a higher HRmax andBLa- concentration. These tests for anaerobic power, when performed with optimized loads, produced different results for several variables, therefore these modalities should not be considered interchangeable. Practitioners should consider which modality best mimics the activities of the person being tested when selecting a protocol

Carbohydrate Rinse Fails to Enhance Cycling Performance or Alter Metabolic and Autonomic Recovery in Recreational Cyclists

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of carbohydrate (CHO) mouth rinsing on autonomic and metabolic recovery as well as cycling performance. Ten male recreational cyclists (age = 30 ± 6 years, VO2peak = 54.5 ± 8.1 mL·kg-1·min-1) completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover designed study. A CHO or a placebo (PLA) rinse was administered every 12.5% of a work to completion trial (75%Wmax). Heart rate variability (lnRMSSD), the respiratory exchange ratio, and plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine, insulin, glucose, free fatty acids (FFA), and lactate were measured pre- and post-exercise. The CHO rinse did not improve time to completion of the test trial (CHO: 4108 ± 307 s, PLA: 4176 ± 374 s, p = 0.545). Further, the CHO rinse did not impact autonomic recovery, as measured by lnRMSSD (p = 0.787) and epinephrine (p = 0.132). Metabolic biomarkers were also unaffected by the CHO rinse, with no differences observed in responses of FFA (p = 0.064), lactate (p = 0.302), glucose (p = 0.113) or insulin (p = 0.408). Therefore, the CHO mouth rinse does not reduce the acute sympathetic response following strenuous exercise and does not result in improvements in cycling time to completion

OUTDOOR LEISURE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND EATING HABITS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

BACKGROUND: Engagement in physical activity, outdoor leisure, and healthful eating habits are imperative for overall well-being. The purpose of the investigation was to examine physical activity, outdoor leisure, and eating habits to further our efforts in the Exercise is Medicine On-Campus (EIM-OC) initiative. METHODS: College students (n = 173) were recruited and completed a confidential online self-reported survey consisting of four questionnaires: Physical Activity and Outdoor Leisure Questionnaire, Barriers to Outdoor and Physical Activities, Motivators to Outdoor and Physical Activities, and the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). RESULTS: The Physical Activity and Outdoor Leisure questionnaire (n = 120) responses revealed 86% of students were aware of the health benefits associated with physical activity. Despite awareness of the benefits, only 65% reported meeting the aerobic physical activity guidelines each week (150 min·wk-1 of moderate-intensity or 75 min·wk-1 of vigorous intensity exercise). Responses indicated 65% of students participated in at least 20 minutes of outdoor physical activity and 56% spent time outdoors at least 2-3 times each week. Lack of time, weather, and exposure to outdoor pests were the top reported barriers to participation in outdoor leisure. Students reported their top motivators were stress reduction, keeping physically fit, and getting away from the usual demands. EAT-26 responses revealed 13% of students presented with a score of 20 or higher, indicating a high level of concern about problematic eating behaviors. No significant differences were observed between students majoring in exercise science when compared to other majors (p = 0.174). However, disordered eating was significantly greater in students who were not athletes (p = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS: Students demonstrated a reasonable level of awareness regarding the advantages of adhering to physical activity guidelines. However, there remains a significant scope for enhancing their compliance with these recommendations and allocating more time to outdoor leisure activities. Furthermore, the noteworthy occurrence of disordered eating habits among non-athletic students is a cause for concern, suggesting a potential necessity for comprehensive on-campus educational initiatives aimed at promoting healthy eating patterns across all student populations

Fluid Balance Across the Menstrual Cycle During Exercise in the Heat

Background: Attenuating core temperature elevations is crucial for wildland firefighters during field operations. Fluid intake and retention is one component to address rises in core temperature. Female wildland firefighters (WLFF) might be challenged to maintain fluid balance due to hormonal fluctuations throughout their menstrual cycle. Long periods of exercise in the heat could alter fluid balance and core temperature and risk WLFF safety in the field. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of uncompensable heat stress on eumenorrheic females across the two phases of the menstrual cycle. Methods: In a crossover design, 12 females walked for two 180-minute trials in a heat chamber (35ºC and 30% relative humidity) during early follicular (FP) and mid luteal (LP) phases of their menstrual cycle. Following a 10-minute seated acclimation, subjects completed three 50-minutes intervals of exercise at 50% of their maximum aerobic capacity and 10 minutes of rest. Physiological strain index (PSI), core temperature (TCORE), skin temperature (TSKIN), and perceived heat (PH) were measured throughout both trials. Nude body weight (NBW), blood samples, and urine were collected pre- and post- trial. Blood samples were analyzed for aldosterone. Results: Aldosterone was 34% higher at rest in the LP compared to FP at rest. After the 180-minute trial, aldosterone was elevated from baseline in both phases. Similarly, TCORE was 0.3 ºC higher in the LP at rest and rose similarly across the two phases. PSI and TSKIN increased throughout the exercise, peaking at 170 minutes in both LP and FP. Perceived heat showed a time*phase interaction. Sweat rate and percent dehydration were not different between the trials. Significance: This study is the first to examine the impact of the menstrual cycle on fluid balance hormones during exercise. These data suggest that females exhibit thermoregulatory stress during prolonged exercise, exacerbated in the LP due to elevated basal core temperature. Despite this, increased fluid retention hormones (aldosterone) in the LP indicates a greater potential for combating dehydration. To further this point, subjects’ perceived heat was lower in this phase. This study provides an important step in identifying a previously unrecognized hormonal influence on fluid retention