Tom K. Tong

The Effects of Time and Intensity of Exercise on Novel and Established Markers of CVD in Adolescent Youth

This article examines the effects of brief, intense exercise in comparison with traditional endurance exercise on both novel and traditional markers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in youth.

Effect of specific inspiratory muscle warm-up on intense intermittent run to exhaustion

The effects of inspiratory muscle (IM) warm-up on the maximum dynamic IM function and the maximum repetitions of 20-m shuttle run (Ex) in the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test were examined. Ten men were recruited to perform identical IM function test and exercise test in three different trials randomly. The control trial was without IM warm-up while the placebo and experimental trials were with IM warm-up by performing two sets of 30 breaths with inspiratory pressure-threshold load equivalent to 15% (IMWP) and 40% (IMW) maximum inspiratory mouth pressure, respectively. In IMW, maximum dynamic IM functions including the maximal inspiratory pressure at zero flow (P0) and maximal rate of P0 development (MRPD) were increased compared with control values (P<0.05). The Ex was also augmented [mean (SD)] [19.5% (12.6)] while the slope of the linear relationship of the increase in rating of perceived breathlessness for every 4th exercise interval (RPB/4i) was reduced (P<0.05). In IMWP, although increase in Ex and reduction in RPB/4i were occurred concomitantly in some subjects, the differences in Ex, RPB/4i and dynamic IM functions between control and IMWP trials were not statistically significant. For the changes (Δ) in parameters in IMW and IMWP (n=20), negative correlations were found between Δ RPB/4i and Δ Ex (r=−0.92), ΔP0 and Δ RPB/4i (r=−0.48), and Δ MRPD and Δ RPB/4i (r=−0.54). Such findings suggested that the specific IM warm-up in IMW may entail reduction in breathlessness sensation, partly attributable to the enhancement of dynamic IM functions, in subsequent exhaustive intermittent run and, in turn, improve the exercise tolerance.

Serum oxidant and antioxidant status in adolescents undergoing professional endurance sports training

This study evaluated the impact of professional training on serum oxidant and antioxidant status in adolescent endurance athletes and compared it with that of untrained individuals. Firstly, serum thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances (TBARSs), xanthine oxidase (XO), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) were measured in 67 male runners, cyclists, and untrained adolescents. Seven-day dietary intakes were also assessed. Secondly, for age- and Tanner-stage-matched comparison, 36 out of the 67 subjects (12 for each group) were then selected and investigated. In cyclists, XO, GSH, and CAT were higher as compared with runners and controls. The CAT in runners, but not GSH and XO, was also higher than in controls. TBARS, T-AOC, and SOD did not differ among the study populations. Regarding the inter-individual relationships among serum redox statuses and dietary nutrient intakes, significant correlations were noted in CAT versus carbohydrates, protein, magnesium, and manganese; GSH versus carbohydrates, protein, fat, selenium, zinc, iron, and magnesium; XO versus cholesterol; CAT versus GSH. These findings suggest that the resting blood redox balance in the professional adolescent athletes was well maintained partly by the increase of individual antioxidant in adaptation to chronic exercise.

Effect of Repeated Endurance Runs on Cardiac Biomarkers and Function in Adolescents

PURPOSE This study examined the effect of two bouts of prolonged exercise performed on the same day on cardiac biomarkers and left ventricular (LV) function in trained adolescent runners. METHODS Twelve male adolescent runners (age = 14.5 ± 1.5 yr) performed two 45-min constant-load treadmill runs (RUN1 and RUN2), separated by 255 min of recovery, with intensity set at the running speeds that corresponded to ventilatory threshold. Serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) were assessed before (PRE1, PRE2), immediately after (POST1, POST2), and 255 min after each run (POST1+4, POST2+4) where PRE2 and POST1+4 were the same sample. LV function was examined echocardiographically before and after each run. RESULTS cTnT was undetectable at PRE1 and POST1 but was elevated in eight-twelfths (67%) of runners at POST1+4/PRE2 (median (range) = 0.018 (<0.01-0.375 ng·mL(-1))). cTnT decreased progressively thereafter up to POST2+4 (four-twelfths, 33%). Data for NT-pro-BNP were significantly increased at POST1 and POST2 but returned to baseline at POST1+4 and POST2+4. Ejection fraction (EF) was significantly reduced after RUN1 (74% ± 5% to 70% ± 5%, P < 0.05), although still within normal range. There was no evidence of a cumulative drop in EF after RUN2 because the change was similar in magnitude (73% ± 4% to 68% ± 5%, P < 0.05). The decrease in the early-atrial (E:A) diastolic flow velocity ratio was greater after RUN1 (1.91 ± 0.13 to 1.83 ± 0.08, P < 0.05) than after RUN2 (1.86 ± 0.15 to 1.85 ± 0.12, P > 0.05), and thus, changes were not cumulative. CONCLUSIONS Neither cardiac biomarkers (cTnT or NT-pro-BNP) nor LV function (EF or E:A) demonstrate cumulative changes after two 45-min runs at ventilatory threshold separated by ∼ 4 h of recovery. Adolescent hearts seem to cope well with two prolonged runs performed on the same day.

Impact of a 21-km run on cardiac biomarkers in adolescent runners

Post-exercise cardiac biomarker release has been widely reported in adult athlete groups but limited data is available for adolescents. We assessed the impact of a 21-km run on cardiac biomarkers in adolescent athletes and uniquely assessed N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) and its potential association with serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT) appearance. NT-pro-BNP and cTnT were measured in 17 male adolescent runners (age, 16.5 ± 1.6 years) before, immediately after and 4 hours after a 21-km run. Post-exercise, both cTnT (median, range: 0.12, p r = 0.29, p > 0.05). Further, there was no significant difference in peak post-exercise cTnT levels (median, range: 0.10, 0.02-1.33 vs. 0.13, 0.02-0.35 ng·mL-1, respectively, p > 0.05) between the subjects with higher delta pre-post NT-pro-BNP values (range, 62.9-186.1 pg·mL-1, n = 8) and the other subjects with lower delta pre-post NT-pro-BNP values (range, 8.3-55.3 pg·mL-1, n = 9). The findings suggest that during recovery from a 21-km run, both serum cTnT and NT-pro-BNP were elevated in adolescent athletes, but no significant relationship existed between increases in both biomarkers. This supports the contention that exercise-induced cTnT and NT-pro-BNP release are largely independently mediated phenomena.

Renal function parameters during early and late recovery periods following an all-out 21-km run in trained adolescent runners.

Abstract Background: This study investigated the changes in biomarkers of renal function and the corresponding estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in 10 male adolescent (16.2±0.6 years) trained runners during early and late recovery periods after an all-out 21-km run. Methods: Venous blood samples were taken immediately before, and at 2-h, 4-h, and 24-h following the 21-km run. Samples were analyzed for hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct), and serum urea (U), creatinine (Cr), creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). U/Cr ratio, eGFR, and plasma volume change (%ΔPV) were calculated based on the associated measured variables. Results: At 2-h and 4-h, there were increases (26%–146%) in U, Cr, U/Cr, CK, and LDH, and decreases (8%–13%) in Hb and Hct, as compared with the corresponding pre-exercise values. The calculated %ΔPV increased by 17% while the eGFR decreased 20% from the corresponding pre-exercise value, respectively. At 24-h, the changes of the blood variables and renal function parameters observed at early recovery period were sustained. Conclusions: Taken together, the findings of this study suggest that mild decline in renal function occurred during the early recovery period following the 21-km run. The decline in renal function did not return to normal during the later recovery period.

Reduced sensations of intensity of breathlessness enhances maintenance of intense intermittent exercise

To identify the effect of normal breathlessness sensation elicited during intense intermittent exercise at exhaustion on limitation of exercise maintenance (Ex), the contribution of the flow-resistive unloading effect of normoxic helium–oxygen breathing on the breathlessness sensation to the change in the Ex was examined. Seven men repeatedly performed 12-s exercise at 160% maximal aerobic power output followed by passive recovery for 18-s under normal (CON) and unloaded (UL) breathing conditions until exhaustion. In UL, Ex was enhanced [mean (SD) 127.2 (11.8)% CON] concomitantly with reduction in averaged peak inhaled mouth pressure (PPmi) of recorded breathing cycles that reflected approximate true inspiratory muscle force output. At the iso-time point of CON exhaustion, the reduction in PPmi to [75.7(10.2)% CON] in UL was concomitant with the reductions in the rating of perceived breathlessness (RPB) [87.5 (13.1)% CON] and in the slope of time course for RPB (RPB/2-min period) [82.1 (17.2)% CON]. It was also concomitant with increases in ventilation and total oxygen consumption. However, the augmented oxygen consumption did not result in lowering of subjects’ metabolic stress that was indicated by accumulations of blood lactate and plasma ammonia and uric acid. Nevertheless, the reductions in the RPB and RPB/2-min period, which reflected the breathlessness intensity, were correlated to the CON Ex enhancement in UL (RPB r=-0.57, RPB/2-min period r=-0.83; P<0.05). These findings implied that the normal noxious breathlessness sensation elicited during intense intermittent exercise at exhaustion might contribute to the limitation of subjects’ exercise maintenance.

CHRONIC AND ACUTE INSPIRATORY MUSCLE LOADING AUGMENT THE EFFECT OF A 6-WEEK INTERVAL PROGRAM ON TOLERANCE OF HIGH-INTENSITY INTERMITTENT BOUTS OF RUNNING

Tong, TK, Fu, FH, Eston, R, Chung, P-K, Quach, B, and Lu, K. Chronic and acute inspiratory muscle loading augment the effect of a 6-week interval program on tolerance of high-intensity intermittent bouts of running. J Strength Cond Res 24(11): 3041-3048, 2010-This study examined the hypothesis that chronic (training) and acute (warm-up) loaded ventilatory activities applied to the inspiratory muscles (IM) in an integrated manner would augment the training volume of an interval running program. This in turn would result in additional improvement in the maximum performance of the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test in comparison with interval training alone. Eighteen male nonprofessional athletes were allocated to either an inspiratory muscle loading (IML) group or control group. Both groups participated in a 6-week interval running program consisting of 3-4 workouts (1-3 sets of various repetitions of selected distance [100-2,400 m] per workout) per week. For the IML group, 4-week IM training (30 inspiratory efforts at 50% maximal static inspiratory pressure [P0] per set, 2 sets·d−1, 6 d·wk−1) was applied before the interval program. Specific IM warm-up (2 sets of 30 inspiratory efforts at 40% P0) was performed before each workout of the program. For the control group, neither IML was applied. In comparison with the control group, the interval training volume as indicated by the repeatability of running bouts at high intensity was approximately 27% greater in the IML group. Greater increase in the maximum performance of the Yo-Yo test (control: 16.9 ± 5.5%; IML: 30.7 ± 4.7% baseline value) was also observed after training. The enhanced exercise performance was partly attributable to the greater reductions in the sensation of breathlessness and whole-body metabolic stress during the Yo-Yo test. These findings show that the combination of chronic and acute IML into a high-intensity interval running program is a beneficial training strategy for enhancing the tolerance to high-intensity intermittent bouts of running.

Comparable Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training and Prolonged Continuous Exercise Training on Abdominal Visceral Fat Reduction in Obese Young Women

This study compared the effect of prolonged moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on reducing abdominal visceral fat in obese young women with that of work-equivalent (300 kJ/training session) high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Forty-three participants received either HIIT (n = 15), MICT (n = 15), or no training (CON, n = 13) for 12 weeks. The abdominal visceral fat area (AVFA) and abdominal subcutaneous fat area (ASFA) of the participants were measured through computed tomography scans preintervention and postintervention. Total fat mass and the fat mass of the android, gynoid, and trunk regions were assessed through dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Following HIIT and MICT, comparable reductions in AVFA (−9.1, −9.2 cm2), ASFA (−35, −28.3 cm2), and combined AVFA and ASFA (−44.7, −37.5 cm2, p > 0.05) were observed. Similarly, reductions in fat percentage (−2.5%, −2.4%), total fat mass (−2.8, −2.8 kg), and fat mass of the android (−0.3, −0.3 kg), gynoid (−0.5, −0.7 kg), and trunk (−1.6, −1.2 kg, p > 0.05) regions did not differ between HIIT and MICT. No variable changed in CON. In conclusion, MICT consisting of prolonged sessions has no quantitative advantage, compared with that resulting from HIIT, in abdominal visceral fat reduction. HIIT appears to be the predominant strategy for controlling obesity because of its time efficiency.

Effects of 12 Weeks of Exercise on Hepatic TNF-α and PPARα in an Animal Model of High-Fat Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is hepatic inflammation caused by a buildup of fat in the liver. This study was designed to examine whether the NASH-associated increase in hepatic TNF-α mRNA expression and serum TNF-α, and decrease in hepatic PPARα mRNA expression in rats secondary to 12-week consumption of a high-fat diet would be attenuated with concurrent exercise. A total of 28 male Sprague-Dawley strain rats were randomly assigned into four groups: standard diet without (C, n = 6) and with (E, n = 7) concurrent exercise; and high-fat diet without (H, n = 8) and with (HE, n = 7) concurrent exercise. The mean daily energy intake during the intervention period resulting from the standard and high-fat diets was approximately 82 kcal and 95 kcal, respectively. Swimming exercise was carried out in the E and HE groups for 12 weeks. The initial swimming duration of 30 minutes was progressively increased by 10 min·d −1 to 90 minutes by the end of the fourth week, which then remained unchanged. NASH revealed by histological activity index, which occurred in the H but not the C group, was alleviated in the HE group. Moreover, the upregulation of hepatic TNF-α mRNA expression and serum TNF-α, and downregulation of hepatic PPARα mRNA expression, which were shown in the H group, were attenuated in the HE group. Such findings suggest that long-term exercise carried out concurrently with consumption of a high-fat diet could alleviate high-fat diet-induced NASH. These may be partly attributable to the attenuation of hepatic TNF-α overexpression and the upregulation of hepatic PPARα mRNA expression.