Selma Karacan

Relationship Between Body Composition and Lung Function in Elderly Men and Women

IntroductionThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between body composition parameters and lung functions including vital capacity (VC), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), FEV1:VC ratio, and FEV1:FVC ratio in elderly men and women.MethodsThe study was a cross-sectional evaluation of 99 healthy men and women (aged 60–88 years). Anthropometric and body composition parameters (including fat mass [FM], fat-free mass [FFM] and percentage body fat [%BF]) were evaluated using the skinfold method, and lung function was examined using spirometry.ResultsData analysis showed %BF, body FM and body mass index (BMI) of women to be significantly higher than men. Also, their body FFM was significantly less than men (P<0.05). Lung volume (P<0.01) and lung capacity values (P<0.05) (VC, FVC, FEV1, FEV1:VC, FEV1:FVC) of women were significantly less than men. There was a positive significant relationship between the FFM versus FVC and FEV1 values of women and men. A negative significant relationship was demonstrated between body FM, BMI and FVC of all subjects.ConclusionThis investigation showed that women aged between 60 and 88 years had a lower lung capacity compared to men of the same age. Older women were found to have a higher body fat ratio than men, and it was found that increasing %BF and BMI had a negative effect on lung functions in both sexes.

The effects of the intake of an isotonic sports drink before orienteering competitions on skeletal muscle damage

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the intake of an isotonic sports drink (500 ml water, 32 gr carbonhydrate, 120 mg calcium, 248 mg chloride, 230 mg sodium) the level of the skeletal muscle damage of orienteering athletes. [Subjects and Methods] The study was carried out on 21 male elite orienteering athletes. The athletes were divided into two groups by randomized double-blind selection. The experimental group (n=11) was given the isotonic sports drink, while the placebo group (n=10) was given 500 ml pure water. Blood samples were taken pre-competition, post-competition, 2 hours post-competition and 24 hours post-competition. [Results] The pre-c troponin, myoglobin and creatinine kinase serum levels of the placebo group were significantly lower than the post-competition and 2 hours post-competition values. The 24 hours post-competition levels of the same analyses were also significantly lower than the post-c and 2 hours post-competition. The pre-competition troponin, myoglobin and creatinine kinase levels of the experimental group were found to be significantly lower than the post-competition, 2 hours post-competition 24 hours post-competition values. In conclusion, the present results suggest that the intake of supportive sports drinks before exercising significantly prevents the observed muscle damage. The study showed that serum myoglobin levels between the experimental and the placebo group is significantly different during the 2 hours post-competition period. [Conclusion] The level of serum creatinine kinase and myoglobin accurately shows the extent of the muscle damage. However, further studies on the effect of isotonic sports drink in different training programs on the cell membrane and the muscle damage are needed.

The effect of a calisthenic exercise bout on oxidant and antioxidant status in middle-aged and postmenopausal women

Exercise increases the generation of oxygen free radicals and lipid peroxidation. The aim of this study was to investigate the oxidant and antioxidant status in sedentary middle-aged (36.8 ± 5.4 years, n, = 20) and postmenopausal women (51.4 ± 3.3 years, n = 11) before and after acute calisthenic exercise. Both subject groups performed an acute calisthenic exercise for 55 minutes. The intensity of the exercise was 60-70% of maximal heart rate, as determined by Karvonen et al. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), gluathione (GSH), ascorbic acid (AA) and nitric oxide (NOx) levels were determined spectrophotometrically. The postmenopausal groups pre-exercise MDA levels were high and GSH levels were low, compared with those of the middle aged group. This result indicated increased lipid peroxidation after menopause. In both groups, plasma MDA levels and NOx levels increased and plasma AA levels decreased following calisthenic exercise. The present study indicates for the first time that plasma MDA levels increase significantly after a bout of acute calisthenic exercise, involving all large muscle groups at 60-70% of maximal heart rate while plasma AA levels decrease concurrently. These effects may be due to increased lipid peroxidation in both middle aged and postmenopausal women. The finding of low plasma GSH levels and high plasma MDA levels in the postmenopausal group suggests the possible development of a disturbance in the oxidant and antioxidant status after menopause. Reduced levels of AA following acute calisthenic exercise might indicate the consumption of plasma antioxidants protecting the plasma lipids against the damage of lipid peroxidation.